Stars sparkle at the India Couture Week 2014 with Rina Dhaka and Anju Modi giving us many moments to remember
By Asmita Aggarwal
Mannequins and models along with two showstoppers Malaika Arora Khan and Nimrat Kaur, it was Rina Dhakas day out at India Couture Week 2014 as she combined the beauty of dull gold with the vivacity of gotta-patti.
Wanting to do a retrospective, with a press preview, Rina knew that Malaika has been a photographers delight for years so the gotta-patti skirt sari (similar to the Emanuel Ungaros wife Lauras jacket that she picked up on her recent trip to India at the WIFW show), was given an ethereal appeal, in a watery nude hue, with sharp silver and bigger leave motifs added to make a quiet statement. Malaika is petite with a fabulous body and this kind of accentuated her look, the trail was the drama element, says Rina.
Nimrat Kaur, on the other hand, flaunted a gypsy-esque chiffon foil printed, layered lehenga, and the kalgis which ran constant in the line, in terms of motifs and jewellery created the mood for couture. It was Rinas heady combo of zardosi and lace which vivacious hues, an Indian bride cant get enough of, which made it Rajasthans pride.
Kangna Ranaut amped up the style prowess for Anju Modi with her pure black lehenga as the Queen, created a flutter in a line aptly titled Manikarnika, a woman from the past, who is attempting to keep the ethos of simple times alive set in circa 2014. The long sleeve blouses, cobalt blue velvet lehengas, high necks and sheer tunics solidified Anjus position as one of Indias top designers.
I must better myself each time, undertake R & D to make it invigorating for both myself and my clients. Therefore, I have attempted to make costume hair jewellery, all done in-house this time, as well as maang-tikkas which are not traditional-looking, she says.
Couture for Anju is not limited to wedding clothes, rather it is the attention to detail, no compromise on quality, hand woven and hand done embroideries which make it a sizzler. I think couture is time taking and that why it is a labour of love, and this time I have cleaned up the silhouettes, used less fabric and made them no-fuss, she adds.