AIFW: Varun Bahl plays with florals on Day-I, a scintillating line-up in the offing

The 27th edition of the Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2016 kicked off in the capital on March 16 at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. This year, the focus is on menswear, with two group shows dedicated to men’s fashion. The five-day event will conclude on March 20 with nine designers showcasing on the last day in a group finale.

Varun Bahl dazzles at the opening

The fashion week opened with designer Varun Bahl’s floral motifs and signature monochromes. Floral prints dominated the collection. Multiple textures padded the body, covered with flowers, foliage and sheer panels that could well be a visual metaphor for earthy tones and receding warmth of autumn as it leads to winter. Bahl used long jackets and dresses in jacquard. Talking about his collection, Bahl said pointed out that the new collection is dedicated to the woman of today and it was expressed through elegance, balance and proportion. He had used contemporary embroideries and textures in a range of warm colours which was inspired from flora and fauna.

Speaking about Bahl, Sunil Sethi, President, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), said that Bahl, known for his captivating silhouettes, understood what modern women desired. His clothing was evocative and marked his evolution as a creative person. He aptly set the tone for AIFW AW 16.

Gaurav Gupta’s show Melt on the first day left an impressive mark. He brought environment into focus on the runway. His clothes were so designed that there was minimal wastage of fabric. Kiran Uttam Ghosh and Rina Dhaka went back to their roots in their collections. Ghosh drew inspiration from silver metal while Dhaka went back to the time when she worked with knits. Designer duo Hemant and Nandita, returned with their daring slits even for Autumn/Winter. Then Shantanu-Nikhil, who return to FDCI’s fashion week after two years, showed their womenswear.

A scintillating variety awaits the rest of days…

The second day will see a dose of Bollywood with designer Kanika Saluja getting actress Shriya Saran on to the ramp. Later designer Samant Chauhan will showcase the Oriental influence in his collection. Anita Dongre will showcase kantha work, Shibori block prints etc. The day will be closed by Rajesh Pratap Singh. Day three will have two shows dedicated to men. Even accessories will be on the runway. The fourth day will have an interesting mix of inspirations. Anavila will showcase her first solo show themed ‘Folk-Once Upon a Time’. Namrata Joshipura will present her Concrete Garden themed collection, closing the day with it. The last day will see the only off-site fashion show this season presented by Gauri & Nainika. The grand finale will see nine designers coming together to put up a show under the umbrella theme of ‘India Modern’. The show will focus on indigenous textiles, Indian craftsmanship and more.