Bahl stirs up Couture Week

Fashion Designer Varun Bahl kick-started the five-day fashion gala, PCJ Delhi Couture Week in New Delhi with his ‘India, Nouveau’ (new) collection. Unlike popular notion that PCJ Couture Week is associated with bridal wear, he changed it with his transparent, hand embroidered and hand crafted collection which comprised of lehengas, saris, achkans, shararas, Mughal farshis and anarkalis.

The collection mostly in silk net, chiffon and velvet fabrics progressed from light, stylish outfits to heavier, embellished bridal wear. And while people consider black to be inauspicious colour, black was the dominant shade in his collection apart from olive, navy blue, ivory and shades of red.

Varun Bahl may be occupying prime space in newspapers for his association with Bollywood’s hit director Karan Johar for his menswear line, but what sets him apart is his continuous search for newness. It is this frantic need for something unique that has led to the birth of his couture line, India, Nouveau, which he believes is as commercially viable as it was creatively challenging.

India, Nouveau may be a heady mix of old and new India, but for Bahl, it was all about making a statement. Almost 80 per cent of his line is exploratory, where he has introduced innovative cuts, added sleeves in duppattas and pallus, made it bolder by adding a sexy touch with transparency, played with layering, and of course the highlight is the national bird, the peacock.