A key ingredient to a fabulous showcase is a distinguished and extraordinary backdrop. The ambience creates the mise en scene where a designer tells his fashion story.
The setting determines the mood, the pace and the aura that surrounds a couture collection. India Couture Week has produced some of the most monumental, quirky and memorable stages in the business. A retrospective of unforgettable runways from seasons past include Parisienne streets, intergalactic space, a vintage train and Heritage sites.
Manish Malhotra’s 2014 Couture Show ‘Portraits’ had a timeless setting replete with candelabras, picture frames and a 3-tiered larger than life chandelier that captured the opulence and decadence associated with modern luxury.
A study in understated elegance, Varun Bahl’s ‘India Moderne’ 2014 Couture show featured a mesmerising painted Victorian frame which complemented his elegant collection. His signature rose motif was worked into the backdrop creating a distinctly feminine and contemporary runway.
It was nothing less than a dramatic light and sound show for Gaurav Gupta’s fantasy ‘Wink of Nyx’ 2014 collection. He conjured the Goddess of the Night with shadows dancing in the background. Hyperbolic couture was eclipsed in swirls and whirls of light and drama.
Manish Arora’s psychedelic world gets ‘trippier’ with every season. Couture fashion travels through intergalactic spaces, to industrial warehouses and ends up in the land of a kitsch Indian circus. Arora’s stage always makes a colourful, creative and outlandish statement .
Designer Sabyasachi takes a walk down memory lane to an era gone by with his celebrated vintage runways. The designer adds a whimsical touch with quirky motifs, actors in role-play, boudoir spaces and peculiar settings. He pays homage to textiles and workmanship by reworking the theme onto his runway as an ode to old world charm.
Monisha Jaising adds a touch of Bollywood glamour to her ramp by recreating locales from across the world. Joie de vivre is depicted via Parisienne streets, European architecture and multiple acts on stage.
Anju Modi’s larger than life heritage sets provide a befitting backdrop to her earthy and organic collections. Her 2014 couture show ‘Manikaranika’ is a reincarnation of majestic cities, age old crafts and traditional techniques from an ancient land.
