Amazon India Fashion Week: Nature grips designs at AIFW

Designer Malini Ramani walks the ramp with models showcasing her designs during the Amazon India Fashion Week in New Delhi on Friday

The third day of the ongoing Amazon India Fashion Week saw a spectacular combination of contemporary and veteran designers like Ragini Ahuja, Ashima Leena, Rabani and Rakha, Siddartha Tyler and more.

Designers Anupama Dayal and Kavita Bhartia showcased their respective collections in one of the early evening slots.

Author Amitav Ghosh’s River of Smoke, was the inspiration behind Anupama’s collection along with women who have been raised around the Kolkata, meanwhile Kavita’s collections travelled to foreign turf.

Anupama’s collection titled, Pirates of Calcutta, was spunky, free and bohemian. It included halter neck maxis, off-shoulder slip dresses, shirt dresses that were accessoried with pirate hats in hues of orange, black, white and teal. The print story was a medley of florals, checks, stripes and diamonds. Silks and cotton were also seen. Kavita’s collection comprised emblazoned fitted skirts, draped dresses, tunics and tops. Bollywood actress Tisca Chopra was the showstopper for the segment.

Designer Sanchita’s Spring Summer note was fresh and tropical. The collection cleverly intersecting small insects in the form of prints, into her sporty collection titled Tropical Garden, included pieces like on-the-go dresses, kaftans, robes over slip dresses, bejeweled jackets over twin sets, elongated rapper t-shirts, lightweight jackets, pajama suits made of fluid organic fabrics, satin, brocade, silk and cotton chanderi. Pearl embellishments, Swar-ovski stones, beads and thread work embroidery were also part of the collection. The colour palette was bright. Flirty and girly, Gauri and Nanika’s Spring Summer edition was heavy on ruffles. Models flaunted billowing skirts in high-low leggy silhouettes, with differently shaped big ballooning sleeves, puffed up shoulders and oversized bulbous flowers. The palette ranged from fuchsia, mustard, red, black, white, and navy. Long pouf sleeve dress with short bubble frill hemline, deep bateau neck ballerina frilly gown were some of the highlights. The duo who collaborated with New York-based leather accessory designer Zana Bayne whose harnesses and belts lent a contrasting look to the feminine garments.

Spiritual inclination and yoga was quite evident in designer Malini Ramani’s collection. Her collection reflected her spiritual quest and included dresses with printed Khanda (the symbol or emblem of Sikhism), floor-length dress with hoods, lots of tie and dyed silhouettes, one shoulder kaftans, jumpsuits , dhoti pants, bandeau dresses and a few menswear pieces.

The finale was marked by designers Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna who presented their sparkly collection, which had sleek silhouettes with clean cuts and smart tailoring pitted against silver highlightings.