Kunal pursues Patolas
Kunal Rawal introduces Patola-inspired weave for grooms, turning tables on traditionality; he serenades us with denim dhotis, and comfort, to make sure reusability, and functionality co-exist at ICW 2024. By Asmita Aggarwal Remember Ranbir Kapoors hybrid dhoti, well, Kunal Rawal is the one to take risks. Even though he is young in couture, he believes he has found his feet, and often says, India is 14 countries in one the craft is diverse, and so is the market. We are a country of celebrations where marriages are auspicious, and grand, so why shouldnt couture be personalized, to suit the psyche more than the body type? Star Arjun Kapoor may not have the abs like the rest of the Bollywood toned gang, but he does have a winning attitude, whether it was giving up his seat for a lady during the show, or posing freely with his fans, he has no starry airs. Well, Aditya Roy Kapoor, is a different ball game he is suave, unshackled and seems to have fun in whatever he does, he was the ideal showstopper for Rawal. Kunal gave us mogras, the sweet smell wafted through the hall, and cushions to sit on, creating an oasis, with birds chirping and greenery. In his unique style, the show began with Gurmukhi, and then it was raining men —bearded, wearing earrings, kundals, ponytails, turbans to delicious curls. As Kala Doria played with IP Singh and Akshay Raheja, women walked in sherwanis armed with silver-edged swords. The turning of tables wasnt restricted to just shapes, Kunal convinced Aparna Bahl, the choreographer to take the cue and walk the ramp. Kunal got older, bulkier models in dhotis, he does know how to add drama, music played a big role in the presentation which had everyone foot-tapping. Culturally couture is the richest, and GenZ demand a hand-crafted product, which has a fresh thought, can be reused, has real value, comfort, of course, is king, says Kunal, adding, couture is mostly looked at for women, men were never in the game, only for the last few years, there has been a shift. Menswear, he believes, is a specialists job, thats why he admires Rick Owens for his ingenious concepts, and what Alessandro Michele did for Gucci, almost giving it a new identity. Men have clarity, are strong minded, they are loyalists, now unlike earlier, they take a keen interest in what they want to wear, he admits. For ICW 2024, the overall theme revolves around union of two minds thus, the title Sehera, the science behind auspicious dates intrigued Kunal. You want to make sure, a marriage has positivity, good energy, and favorable omen, he says. Thus, his motifs are inspired from this sentiment — betel leaves, evil eye, coconuts, wedding are soaked in a robust layer of culture, they have a distinct spiritual side. To fructify his thinking, he has come armed with a treasure trove of textileshis most potent armour is the Patola-inspired, hand woven, weave, traditionally women have loved. He has delved into Chikankari for the first time, brocades, and Bandhini are all time favourites, he created unique block prints, used silks and Ajraks to craft safas to stoles. For me, a line is successful only if it is comfortable, he adds. You can see how effortlessly his deconstructed sherwani works, or Patiala, breeches, pants are done in stretch, linings are sweat absorbent, fabrics weights are lighter, and come with an exquisite fall. The paneling in the bandhgala, is cut closer to the body, making way for exciting shapes. There is no cookie cutter method we follow, it is all about pattern play, he admits. He works on technicalities, jersey sleeves add ease in movement, he urges grooms not to go in for a mannequin look, but customize it. Taking it a step further, there is personalized lining on offer, cusping used to join pieces together, ensuring smoothness in wear. When I started, I felt there was a uniformity in menswear for weddings, the product was boring, men were dictated how they need to look. Now there has been an evolution, he explains. Personally, he admires drapes, but has only attempted a few, this time he has dhotis, even though flares are in trend, Kunal has not worked with them. He introduced nifty dropped crotches, six types of Aligarh shalwars, in modern iterations. Everything comes with lots of pockets, he reiterates. After design, music is his love, this year for the ICW 2024 show, he created five new tracks, he believes storytelling in the format of weddings excites him tremendously. Aesthetically groom wear is altering; hand crafted products are being appreciated. As a designer, I feel fortunate to be able to access varied textiles, seeped in history, he concludes.
Tytler’s Echoes of Roman Grandeur
Taking us back in time, to the Roman empire, replete with its imposing iconography, Siddartha Tytlers dark, grand line played with asymmetry, sheer and glimmering rhinestones at the ICW 2024. By Asmita Aggarwal He is the quintessential Mr Handsome Rahul Khanna, it has a lot to do with his genetics, being the son of Bollywood dreamboat Vinod Khanna, but unlike his father, he is doing fewer films, and is mostly setting Instagram on fire. At 50, if he can sizzle like that it is more to do with just looks! Mr Khanna was the showstopper at Siddartha Tytler ICW 2024 showcasing, where he told us through his line, Caligulas Feast, how decadence can be translated through extravagant ensembles, bursting with shimmer. Giving us a lesson in history — Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, a Roman emperor, was assassination in 41 AD, but till he lived he courted pageantry like none other. Tytler exclaimed, He lived life large; a bit like me. The ramp was converted into a debauched feast, with a revolving stage, and a Roman bust at the centre, overflowing with flowers and lit candles, it had all the theatrics of 70 MM entertainment, and in this glamorous mix was also Malaika Arora, dressed as Tytler said, as if she is going to war donning an armour. What I am wearing is stunning, I felt like a fierce goddess, exclaimed Malaika. For the Roman emperor, known for his debauchery, and ostentation, the show paid homage to how he was also the most amazing host —thus the huge spread. On a lighter note, preparing for a show can be daunting, but Mr Khanna seemed unfazed, he laughed, I only thing I check to see is if my zip is fastened, of course I always take a few deep breaths. Khanna, who is a star amongst his fans, wore a velvet sherwani, with placement embroidery, though Aroras cutwork gown accentuated all the curves, she so diligently worked out without fail! My shoes should fit right; I should feel comfortable. I always say a prayer every single time before I hit the runway. And this garment is in addition to the many blacks I proudly own, she said, adding, I get FOMO if I dont walk the ramp. Tytlers draped gowns, complemented the imposing sets, exaggerated sleeves, charcoals, velvet as his sherwanis came with mythical golden birds flying on jackets with their beaks glistening with rhinestones. He thoroughly enjoyed adding asymmetry, played with layering and gave Malaika corsetry in gunmetal embroidery, depicting the strength he admires within her. Interestingly, the kurtas had metamorphosed, got many cousinshigh low hems, draped, pleated et al. He included faux fur, introduced cropped jackets with pants, asymmetrical dhotis, liquid fabrics that hugged the waists, and created the mood with Roman leaf-shaped emperor headbands. The dupatta draping aped the extravagance of the erstwhile kings. White and gold remains a winning combination, fabric manipulated into high-waisted skirts, more than lehengas there were options you could choose from. Kaftans as well as abundance of sheer teared through in body hugging gowns, skirts, exaggerated sleeves, exposing washboard abs and endless legs. Heavily jewel-toned jackets, large floral printed pant suits— bold was the mood. As flowers were everywhere, it was if you entered the garden of five senses, Tytler balanced louder pieces with frothier prints, rather than zardosi. Grand, dark are themes which interest me, concludes Tytler.
Suneet Varma’s ode to shine
Mirror work, to mokaish, shimmer has always been the highlight of Suneet Varma’s oeuvre, even as the designer, who was trained by Yves Saint Laurent announces, there is nothing better than being in the spotlight on your D-Day at ICW 2024! By Asmita Aggarwal What I really look forward to in a Suneet Varma show is his jig at the end of the showcasing—and let me tell you he has the moves! Suneet likes constantssexy, shine, glamour, and decade-old friendships. When we talk of shimmer, there is no one who can light up like Suneet—a tree stood in the middle of the runway, and the show began with Urdu poetry, thus the title Nazm for the Hyundai ICW 2024. Few know that Suneets mom, Indira is an avid lover of Urdu shayari, and they both bond over classic Hindi numbers. Over the years she has offered him unflinching support! From the 60s Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani, and a song by Kishore Kumar….Sama hai Suhana Suneet gave us a taste of vintage Bollywood with a dash of gold through his pre-stitched sari-gowns. Pearls were strung together to form blouses, cutwork flowers, rested on nimble shoulders, he used various techniques in the library of sparklemokaish to mirror work. Now that old is really gold— and Zeenat Aman is everyones It girl it was only apt to pay a tribute to her hipster pants era and strumming a guitar, in Chura liya hain tumne jo dil ko in the inimitable voice of Asha Bhonsle and Rafi saheb. There is undoubtedly no one as fashion-forward as Zeenat, thus models came armed with pixelated sequinned saris in white. Interestingly, he had socialite Shalini Passi almost dressed as a Barbie, only ruffled, in a sari. Bollywood chart-toppers kept the rhythm divine, from Aao na gale lago na, conjuring up images of Helen moving like a dream with heartthrob Rajesh Khanna, serendipitously also dressed in pink and gold! Faux feathers, bare backs channelled sexy, as the ramp was overtaken by mirror work, gotta borders, as if we had entered a house of illusionthrough tiny mirrors. The veil is enjoying its moment in the spotlight, and the Suneets fully beaded bustiers, and draped saris, reminding you of the ones that yesteryear actress Mumtaz wore, made vintage appealing. Palazzos offered ease, with tunics cut away from the body, as draped dhotis in ash grey, were worn with flared sleeve blouses. Sequinned sheaths, asymmetrical tunics teamed up with shararas, even if you switched off the lights, the garments will shine unabashedly. Surface ornamentation was Suneets way of welcoming a bride, who wanted to make sure she was the highlight of her D-Day!
Retro Revival
Think disco, bell bottoms, Manhattans Studio 54 and Ashish Sonis play with the oversized, androgynous look -strong shoulders and suiting materials as his forte tailoring, takes centerstage. By Asmita Aggarwal
Khadi Sutra
His take on the South Indian Mundu with the woven border kara, pleasing monochromes, delectable stripes, and restrained shine, just like the couturier Rajesh Pratap Singh was befitting at his first outing, redefining luxury at ICW 2023. By Asmita Aggarwal
Pearls of Wisdom
Dolly J uses the radiance of pearls to add glow to her army of gowns, as couture transcends from glitter to subtle. By Asmita Aggarwal
Aroma of Roses
Isha J debuts with a line with the perfect showstopper the curvaceous Vani Kapoor, displaying a collection that combined Chikankari with lace, and of course sinful washboard abs. By Asmita Aggarwal
Layered Intrusions
Serenading layering, separates and fluidity the market-savvy brothers Shantnu and Nikhil, complete 24 years with almost 16 stores domestically. At ICW they managed to add dollops of deliciousness with Aditya Roy Kapur and the pint sized beauty Sara Ali Khan. But the coup was Nikhil Mehras 16-year-old son Vivhan, making his catwalk debut. By Asmita Aggarwal
Royal Hues
From the Taj Mahal, Shekhawati, Qutab Minar to the banks of the river Sabarmati and the historic Port Jail in Goa, the FDCI has effortlessly paid a tribute to traditional techniques, by synchronizing them with presentations at unforgettable heritage sites. By Asmita Aggarwal
Cultural Values
From mixing denim with silk, motif manipulation to paying homage to pure metallic yarns, eight designers changed the design vocabulary of Made in Benaras at the FDCI curated show at Surajkund Mela. By Asmita Aggarwal