Beauty of Banaras displayed at LFW

The splendor of Banaras silks were brought to centre stage by top designer Krishna Mehta at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2015 with her ‘The Gold and the Ganges’ collection. The inspiration was Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, Morocco.

Presenting a beautifully crafted couture collection, Krishna displayed hand woven tanchois, jangla and Jamawar silks. She further added her trade mark Shibori, tie-n-dye techniques and then splashed the fabrics with gotta and zari work.

Shades of vibrant pink, yellow and soft green came together with pastel tones. Gotta and zardozi added a refreshing touch. 3D flowers, hand painted panels and detailed tassels were a great addition.

Krishna’s silhouettes were a contemporary ode to traditional shapes. Intricate pleating and patchwork gave lehengas and draped saris a New Age Aura. Pants were teamed with overlapping peplum blouses and jackets to create a comprehensive festive offering.

A mix of drop crotch pants, draped dhoti salwars, cowl pants with kurta or mini kurtis were a colourful option. A peplum blouse had an attached waistcoat, while ponchos looked feminine over floor length kurtas.

Flared cropped shirt-collar tops, belted mandarin collar blouses and the final red bustier teamed with a lehenga and dupatta was lavished with ornate embellishments. Bringing in her unique form of layering, Krishna ensured that the collection offered a fabulous line up of Indo-west ensembles to the discerning buyers.

When it comes to a glorious blend of Benaras textiles, impeccable layering, texturing and embellishments, Krishna Mehta was the undisputed master of the forms with her ‘The Gold and the Ganges’ collection. Inspired by the history of Indian textiles and styles, Soumitra’s ethereal collection was crafted in the most exquisite fabrics.

Khadi appeared in various forms – silk, zari and Jamdani. Paying creative homage to the colour red, Soumitra ensured it was the prime hue in his collection. But he added a few contrasts with violet, orange, pink and gold to ensure a stylish balance.

Embroidery was the highlight of this festive collection and added that distinct elegance and regal vibe. Soumitra displayed a stylish line that started with the eternally popular 6-yard wonder – the sari - and then moved to glamorous anarkalis, ‘A’ line kurtas, flouncy lehengas, and well-constructed short jackets.

Opening the show with an all-black collection of long sleeved gowns, kurtas, sari and sherwani with churidars; Soumitra, moved to hot colours like red, orange, shades of fuchsia and gold. Splashing the saris with intricate floral embroidery, the creations remained simple in silhouettes and construction.

The bolero on a panelled gown, the luxuriously embellished silk lehenga and choli and the final trio of bridal wear was ideal for a wedding trousseau. The saris remained traditional with simple blouses – both dappled with lush craft.