AIFW 2015 high on design, less on B’wood drama

A whimsical world of fantasies, silhouttes straight from fairy tales and 25 style gurus coming together to pay an ode to the rich heritage of India at the finale - the 25th edition of Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) in New Delhi laid out bold, edgy, innovative style statements as designers rolled out varied styles in pastel shades of winter. However, the edition witnessed less of Bollywood - which was a good thing.

The fashion extravaganza, which started on March 25 at Pragati Maidan, saw a fitting finale on Sunday - there was music, dance, drama and style with 25 designers like Raghavendra Rathore, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal and Sabyasachi Mukherjee splashing colours on the blank canvas with theme 'Crafts of India' to express their interpretation of Indian culture.The autumn-winter edition was special in many ways - a new title sponsor in Amazon and 25 years in the world of fashion.

Vikas Purohit, head, Amazon Fashion, India, said that the online platform plans to act as a bridge to minimise the communication gap between buyers, sellers and designers. "The genesis of the event was consumer needs. So we thought what is the best medium to provide service to consumer and designer industry. The association with FDCI is on a larger scale and fashion week is a part of it.

"New talent is provided through fashion week. But then they need a platform to sell and also need data about what is in demand. We aim to bring all those things on table," Purohit said. FDCI president Sunil Sethi lauded the magnitude of the finale a press briefing, saying: "I salute them.There was no better way for the finale. Even though it was celebration of 25th edition, let's say it was the first edition and look how we celebrated."

Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh set the ball rolling for the fashion event on the opening day with a black-and-white collection injected with bits and pieces from the medical industry like surgical caps and masks. He paid homage to medical practitioners through his line. Other names who created fashion trends through their collection were Sonam Dubal, Poonam Bhagat, Aneeth Arora, Pia Pauro, Malini Ramani, Rina Dhaka and Samant Chauhan.

While Shraddha Kapoor launched her fashion label 'Imara' on the first day, Sushant Singh Rajput presented an apparel line titled NOIR 43, inspired by his forthcoming crime thriller "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!". Actress Sonal Chauhan added Bollywood quotient when she walked the ramp for designer Nikhita Tandon.

Trends that stood out at this edition were layered clothing, asymmetrical hemlines, flared sleeves, new cuts, slits, capes and utilitarian outfits. Inspirations were also galore and varied.Designer duo Hemant and Nandita showcased the timeless allure of the Kashmir's Gulmarg resort through their range that personified undying techniques, embroideries and extravagant handicrafts; while designer trio Viral, Ashish and Vikrant captured the romance between steam punk and military, Aneeth Arora tried to explore how life changes after putting on a uniform with her military-inspired couture.

Designer Anju Modi sketched a world of fantasies with her range 'How to write a fairy tale'; and Dubal became a dream merchant with his 'Dream Sequins' collection. AIFW is not all about fashion and style, but business as well. The business side was smooth with multiple domestic and international buyers. Japanese buyer Tomoko, a regular at the fashion gala, said that the event was high on creativity. "I thought that some of the shows showed great progress in terms of creativity," said the fan of Manish Arora's designs.

Designer Gautam Gupta said: "I have queries from Australia and Middle East. I stick to resort wear and bright colours. All those areas and all those countries which have that kind of need, is my target so things are going fine. Australia is the addition and one from Middle East this year. We have been approached by lot of online portals."

Chauhan, who made a white-hued statement with his collection 'Rajputana Kumari', said he concentrated on one destination for his brand. "We don’t want to sell it to everyone. If you keep switching your sell point, then it confuses the clients. Or if you are selling it at two places, then by the time you go to one place, buyers change their mind and go to some other place. So we have decided to spread ourselves in Kuwait,” he said.

Accessories were also a highlight of the edition with illuminated headgear, elaborate head dress with intricate detailing made of feathers of different colours giving a tribal feel, spectacles, turban, linear headgear and miniature dolls. FDCI has already announced dates for the next seasons of Amazon India Fashion Week with spring-summer edition scheduled for October 14-18 and autumn-winter from March 16-20 next year.

By Sugandha Rawal