Pria K Puri/ Lina Tipnis

Pria K Puri showcased a beautiful collection of gypsy looks. She works with deep, burnished, Persian colours- olive, tangerines, pomegranate, coffee, slate, topaz and corals, in patterns of exotic carpets, embroideries from Kahmir, Nepal, Gujrat and Rajasthan, and tie-and dye fabrics. The ensembles comprise of sumptuous layering of fabrics like tulle, chiffon, all over zardozi embroidered panels, cottons, and faux fur. There are kaftans, churidars, off shoulder dresses, easy calf length pajamas with cuffs, jackets, kurtas, cholis and long fish-tail skirts. The gypsy elements were added on with the use of elaborately embroidered and mirror-worked belts, braided fabric ropes, silver-jangling jewellery, and elaborate head gear with tulle drapes. Simpler options with desert embroideries and mirror work were also shown.

Linarika by Lina Tipnis was a simple and elegant collection showcasing informal shirts in cool white linens mixed with panels of acid-printed cottons with coin sized circular patterns, with detailing in form of brocade yokes and striped cuffs. Stone coloured nubby textured cottons are layered with turquoise and rose coloured chiffons, and sheer stripes in asymmetric skirts and blouses, trimmed with ruffled ribbons squiggles, ideal for day wear. The evening wear options came in form of elegant separates of knee length asymmetric skirts, deep necked blouses, dresses, and pants, made of printed sheer knits with chocolate-bit prints in henna and redwood colours and embellished with sequins. The formal wear line was in classic black and white stripes, enhanced with the use of tissues, brocade insets, and baby ruffles. Churidar pants, Jodhpur pants, bustiers with lace-up detailing, and blouses created a chic look.

Lalit Jalan' by Lalit & Sunita Jalan / Neelam Saxena

Sunita and Lalit Jalan’s collection for men displayed an array of fabrics like silks, jacquards, twills, handlooms, gabardine, corduroys, heavy knits and slub yarn heavy weight fabrics. A wood bark like printed texture is given to the fabrics, in addition to the colour palette which is derived from the colours of the woods- moss, emerald, brown, twilight blue, redwood and cedar. Smudgy potato prints in yellow, red and blue enhance the rawness of the embellishment. The silhouettes are fitted to the body, and consist of well-worked shirts, kurtas, pants, jackets, and long coats. Dori work, embroideries, boxy pleating, and symmetric paneling were used to augment the three-dimensional textured effect. Stoles and scarves accompanied most of the ensembles, adding a degree of warmth to the look. The women’s wear was on similar lines, comprising essentially of jackets and pants. Somewhere, the collection was successful in transcending the lines of division between ethnic and western wear, and created interesting, out of the ordinary clothing.

Neelam Saxena is known for designing fabulous men's suits. Nels by Neelam offers men an extra fashion edge. Colours of slate, pigeon, grey, brown, black and white are used in the ensembles. The suits are well-fitted, single breasted or open front, with minimal yet effective embellishment in form of seam and panel detailing, wood buttons, twists of fabrics, and patches of tiger print velvets. Of special mention are the optical illusion fabrics in red and black, and gold and black, which were used to craft fusion –wear sherwanis and long jackets with pointed collar and cone-like neckties. Formal evening wear shirts in black, gray and ivory had tone on tone embroideries and diagonal marbled paneling.

Namrata Joshipura / Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Namrata Joshipura's collection was glittering and sparkling all way through with gold, antique gold, and gold dust, in conjunction with coal black, baby tan, mud, and bark to set the mood of urban nightlife. She used stained and distressed leathers with unfinished visible seams, metallic nets layered with chiffons, and disintegrating wool crochets and knits. The silhouettes were contemporary. Off-shoulder tunic dresses elasticated at the waist, poncho blouses made of dark leather pieces and wool, wicked handkerchief hem georgette skirts, gathered tights ablaze with black sequins, tops with ultra-wide rib knit waist-panels or wrap and tie closures, and ruched skirts with scraped-off paint prints were crafted to perfection by Joshipura.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee showcased a old world charm in his collection. Frail velvet tops with puff sleeves, rose embroidered saris in georgettes, crochet shifts, layered and gathered cotton skirts with frayed ruffle hems, jackets with appliqués and feathered ribbons, patchwork blouses with duchess satin sashes, printed and crinkled chiffon tunics, sueded waist-coats, and A-line skirts with pom-pom embellishments constitute the separates, often getting layered into one ensemble in Sabyasachi's signature style. He uses muted and subtle colours of faded orange, lapis lazuli, henna, tea rose, rust and berry in the solids, and multiple antique floral wallpaper prints that gently merge into one another.

Anju Modi

Anju Modi presented a collection that unfurls like a summer romance. The line consisted of lean and fitted kurtas with asymmetric necklines, layered tunics, shifts with cabbaged edged ruffled hems, deconstructed skirts, and sarees with wispy choli-blouses. They were embellished with shadowy tone-on-tone and orange appliqués of leaf motifs worked on from the reverse side, silver circular prints, steel meshes, sequin panels, and sparkling crystals. The soft cottons, crinkled, plain or printed in white florals added to the cool summery look. It was followed up with a line in crinkled white sarees and kurta-churidars with borders in bronze, orange and gold. The innocent whites then gave way to reds, browns and golds, which were used in the tissues, crepes, and georgettes to create semi-formal evening wear. Lehenga-choli-duppatta ensembles with delicate patti-work embroideries, tissue sarees with brocade bra tops under deep-necked blouses, kurtas with controlled volumes were part of this line.

Balance by Rohit Bal

Rohit Bal showcased a spectacular men’s wear collection 'Balance'. He began with pure white cable-knitted full-length jackets, skirts and pants, and moved onto the black dhoti inspired wrap-flap pants and elaborately embroidered jackets in brown and burnished red. Magnificent capes and ponchos, and crocheted wraps were used as accessories. Outstanding was the of use bird motifs as embellishment- with soaring Navajo eagles and hens predominating, in form of embroideries and prints on almost all the ensembles. Other jackets, equally imposing included those made of richly coloured pink, orange, blue and multi-hued quilted silk brocades, embroidered to princely perfection with fine silver and gold threads, as well as Christian priest-like cassocks in jet black; tribal red and black pants and jackets; and Kutchi embroidered and mirror-worked bombers. A multitude of long leather straps and silver buckles appeared regularly, creating a sense of bondage and authoritarianism. The jackets were teamed with massive crinkled skirts.