There are few in the sea of designers who aspire to dress real women, with warts and all, and celebrate the beauty of simplicity, Sonam Dubal is one of them. Maybe thats why it is not surprising he convinced the dark skinned artist Mithu Sen, in many ways his muse to pose for his shoot.
As fittings began at The Lalit leading up to the WIFW extravaganza which begins from March 13, one thing was clear, with time comes great experience. And some of that was on display as Sonam dexterously handled models, even as Carol Gracias had mini snooze fest during the fittings, much to the amusement of her peer Sonalika Sahay who captured the priceless moment on her smartphone.
As he adjusted a digitally printed scarf around leggy Diandras neck, he also worked his velvet cropped jackets in his favour, by pairing them with easy-going pleated palazzos. Autumn for Sonam is about a relaxed look, free from the confines of structure, as he remains true to his cause designing for women who appreciate the finer things in life—eri silk, light wools, knitwear and a winter essential, velvet. A little embroidery on the sleeves and neckline revved up his long, fitted jackets, which sometimes came with touches of pleating at the back, while his bohemian bell sleeves added a touch of carefree-ness to the line. I think it is my responsibility to bring out Indian-ness through my clothes, your clothes should finally reflect who you are and what you believe in, he adds.
If an Indian soul found a fitting tribute in Sonams collection, Shivan and Narresh with their signature pompadour hairstyles took you down on a fun trip to the beach by adding splashes to colour in their swimwear line. Hot pinks, flaming oranges and of course, the black swimsuit sari that you can jump wearing into the pool, were all given a dash of digital prints. But it was undoubtedly Kanishtha Dhankar, who carried off the plunging neckline in the one piece swimsuit with the ease of a pro that made her the censure of all eyes. With a vibrant colour story, Shivan says that till today his bikini sari is his most valued creation that dries quickly after you take a dip. A lot of people think swimwear is not for them, but we customize it for you, that way, it is adjusted to your curves, he adds.
Calmly and efficiently, Shivan and Narresh added and subtracted belts and brooches in their linen one shoulder, linen dresses to create a winter holiday mood of their resort wear line. It is summer in most parts of the country, we are focusing on the domestic market and the latex clutches add subtle drama to the modern, high cut swimsuits that every woman will love. And for those who like it a bit modest, there are also full sleeve swimsuits that guarantee comfort factor and cover up problem areas, says Shivan.