Kolkata Fashion Week started with a bang on the 14th of September at The Park, Kolkata.
The main sponsors, Signature Premier, & Gingerclaps (the event management company) had invited all the Kolkata fashion & lifestyle bloggers to cover the event on all the 4 days. But I couldn't manage to make it to the event on the 14th, so headed that way on the 15th evening.
Needless to say, we all were pretty excited to be a part of one of the major fashion events of the city and that too, on invitation! :)
Being a fashion designer myself, I have attended numerous fashion shows in the past (in Kolkata and even out of town), but always as a part of the fashion fraternity, as a friend of whichever designer was showing or as a part of the fashion-conscious audience. For the first time, I was attending fashion shows as a blogger to cover the event from a fashion writer's point of view! And I was pretty stoked at that, I must admit!! ;)
Needless to say, adding fuel to the fire of excitement & enthusiasm was the ID card the organizers had ready for me, complete with picture, name & free access to all areas & all shows. I felt like a part of the Press/Media (which is exactly the role I was playing...but found it hard to digest!).
Day 2 of the Kolkata Fashion Week saw shows by quite a few talented designers. I attended the last 2 shows of the day: Agnimitra Paul & Monapali.
Agnimitra Paul's show started on a boisterous note with typical Bhojpuri songs, remixed by the resident DJ, blaring out at full volume as the models entered the ramp dancing to the rhythmic beats. Madhubani paintings, being the theme of the show, the influence of Bihar, the place of origin of this art form, had to make its unmistakable presence felt all around - right from the bright orange vermilion smeared on the foreheads to the multicolored ribbons braided on to the plaits to the paan the cheeky models bit into as they sashayed on the ramp.
The collection was a contemporary take on the traditional art form of Madhubani paintings which Agnimitra used as prints on sarees, lehengas, kurtas, dresses, jumpsuits, jackets et all. There was the right balance of colors, prints & textures, while the various silhouettes were smart & quite wearable. Black, juxtaposed with bright splashes of red, turquoise, yellow, green, pink & purple presented a color story as diverse as the silhouettes. Frills, gathers, flares & layers created drama as the models jigged & swayed their ways on the ramp. All in all, a nice collection with a few noteworthy pieces which should make their presence felt in a fashionista's wardrobe!
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| Madhubani paintings consisted of the theme of the collection |
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| The line-up |
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| The show-stoppers for the evening - all renowned football players |
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| Designer Agnimitra Paul takes a bow flanked by her show-stoppers! |
The dynamic duo of Mona Lamba & Pali Sachdev presented a collection that was high on colors & textures. The dresses, sarees, lehengas, kurtas, cholis, pants, kaftans & capes all had the touch of the traditional in them. Exquisite hand embroidery work in vibrant colors embellished surfaces, while detailing like pleats, tucks, fringes, layers & gathers created interesting textures & patterns. The silhouettes being very flowy & loose, the fabrics draped & swirled around the models in cascades of elegance.
Smokey eyes, nude lips & tied back hair made sure the focus was on the clothes. But the beauty coupé was the long swirly bindi inked on each forehead that was actually the name of the label written with calligraphic flair. And of course! I can just go on & on about those shoes!!! I have lusted after these unique pieces many an afternoon, standing in front of the window of the Monapali store on Loudon Street, where these shoes are displayed in all their kitschy glory. And seeing them on the feet of the models, perfectly complimenting the outfits just took them higher up on my lust list! These beautiful pairs were bold enough to stand out even from beneath the vibrant opulence of the clothes. I would love to own one of these quirky, cleverly crafted, embellished pairs of fabric shoes, not to wear them, but so that I can display them as drool-worthy pieces of art.
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| The stage is set for the Monapali show |
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| Embellished fabric footwear - the perfect accessories for the outfits! |
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| Models had the brand name written on their forehead giving the look of designer bindis! |
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| The designer duo walk the ramp |
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| The final line-up |
Photo credits: Anupriya DG
All pictures copyright to Chappals Vs Stilletoes
All pictures copyright to Chappals Vs Stilletoes
All in all, I enjoyed both the shows, the front row celebrity sneak peeks, the glamour of the whole event and the awesome time I had gossiping & giggling with my blogger pals.
Absolutely looking forward to going back there tonight for some more shows & more fun!!! :))
Ok...I must rush now...or else, I'll be late...and you all won't like to miss out on the updates, will you??? ;)
Ta-da!
Anupriya DG