Ikkat, raw edges, and mirror work resonate with Virtues, Dhruv Kapoor and Malini Ramani

By Asmita Aggarwal

Ikkat seems to be making a quiet comeback this season, with four designers creating a stir with their rendition of this mathematical weave. Whether it was Kiran Uttam Ghosh or Rina Dhaka and on day 2 at AIFW the trio from Gujarat, of the label Virtues, each had a soulful story to tell. Ashish, Vikrant and Viral, paid homage to Patan Patola or the double ikkat weave complete with a septum ring. Beautiful quilted robes in sea green executed in Mashroo accompanied red angarakhas for men enlivened with dori work.

2620f308-3f60-4c1b-b474-05354e5ad2f0

The wonder boy of the day was undoubtedly Dhruv Kapoor, who on the catwalk complete with tube lights set the stage for drama with his frayed hems on denims and crisp, white shirts as pinstriped cropped pants along with woolly jackets made it an evening to remember. The leather pants were cool and so were the charcoal black shimmering dresses, which came armed with combat boots.

588180f1-20a7-4130-b85e-a7fafcc63949

Cutwork edges on striped dresses and leather shirts in warm browns and exaggerated pockets, kept it captivating, with gelled back hair. Baby blue merged with royal blue as he attempted a bit of shine with his silver cropped jacket that he paired with a mini as bomber jackets came fastened with industrial looking broad belts.

The AIFW A/W’16 stage has been one, which has seen opulence and also oodles of fun, but the set that caught everyone’s attention was Samant Chauhan’s ode to the Silk Route, capturing snow capped regions in pristine white with bare trees. This season, the play has been with the length of pants as they seem to be going higher, as Samant played with the high-low hem and his embroidered leather hold alls accompanied floor length tunics, in subtle pastels, with flying embroidered birds.

90fd0766-1954-401e-b761-479107046e92

Day 2 was a mixed bag, and the one who hasn’t abandoned neither mirror work, nor bohemian musings is Malini Ramani.  From her love for mirror work, the humble Kolhapuri or the cutout dresses, and not-to-forget thigh caressing high slits, she remains true to the free-spirited girl. The ubiquitous dhoti pants were as interesting as the tie and dye draped dresses. On the other hand, Nikasha immortalised kedia tops and buttery white dhoti pants on the soothing notes of Abida Parveen’s inimitable Chaap Tilak Sab Cheeni.

7DM20831

25292d0b-0599-4746-877b-bb99e259685c

Click here to watch #Virtues at #AIFWAW16

Click here to watch #DhruvKapoor at #AIFWAW16

Click here to watch #SamantChauhan at #AIFWAW16

Click here to watch #MaliniRamani at #AIFWAW16