Following a little hiccup on Day One, Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2010 (WIFW-AW 2010) ended in New Delhi with all the razzmatazz and glamour. Surpassing the initial setback over the delay in procurement of a fire license, which forced organizers to cancel
day one of the fashion spectacle, the fashion extravaganza was extended for a day till March 29. Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh showed his collection depicting the art and craft of Indian fashion and trade, for the grand finale. Singh’s collection for the show, themed ‘Bespoke Tales’, expressed the progression of the fine art of making clothes as seen by the ingenious tailor. His collection was a play of contrasts, with hard and soft strokes and structured clothing, softly molded in his trademark style. Designers G Pia Fleming and Namrata Joshipura showcased their collections, mostly evening gowns, in the palette of whites, grey and off-whites. Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was their showstopper. Paying a tribute to the army, Ritu Beri walked as the showstopper for her own show in a long tight backless gown that was frilly at the bottom. Payal Jain’s collection titled ‘The Solitary Monk’ was inspired by the mystic allure of the historical textiles and the bewitching lifestyle of the monks in Laos. One of the key attractions in the creations was cowl necks and cowl backs, which are being predicted as the next thing that glamour world would witness.
Besides the collections of various designers there was also a showcase of six Award winning World of Wearable Art™ (WOW) creations. This was complimented by an enthralling photo exhibit by ace lensman, Rohit Chawla featuring 15 other garments against stunning scenic settings in WOW’s birthplace, Nelson in New Zealand.
The 15th edition of WIFW saw some stunning collections by designers Pankaj and Nidhi, Tanvi Kedia, Preeti Chandra, Joy Mitra, Shilu Kumar and Vineet Bahl, Rocky S, Tarun Tahiliani and many more. With actress Koena Mitra as the showstopper in colors of raas leela – magenta, green and golden shimmer on a ghagra and choli, Joy Mitra extended his specialization to ethnic, Indian and Indo-western wear.
The collection ‘Masked Magic’ was presented by Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna. The duo showcased their collection ‘Shadow Lines’, which depicted a woman in a mixture of courage and modesty. Dramatic embroidered black skull shaped masks were worn by models strutting the ramp.
Mother-daughter duo Hema Malini and Esha Deol walked the ramp in wedding creations by designer Rocky S. Kotwara, the collection named after one of Asia's oldest Islamic dynasties, presented by Meera and Muzaffar Ali, saw models take to the catwalk in bright, playful colors and geometric prints. Designer duo Hemant-Nandita joined hands with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and focused on faux digital animal prints that look chic and stylish as well.
In all the WIFW-AW 2010, hosted by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), witnessed the participation of 130 designers, 75 of whom presented shows. In totality it featured 43 ramp-events.
