The recently concluded India Couture week was a fashionable feast for the eyes. Eleven of India’s finest designers came together to showcase beautiful craftsmanship and new fashion styles.  The celebrity showstoppers added a glitzy touch to the festivities, giving fashion blogs much to write about. The shows offered plenty of inspiration for wedding season fashion. Here are some highlights from the week and the latest fashion trends fresh off the runway:

Manish Malhotra

Opening for this year’s show, the designer who dictates Bollywood fashion trends pulled out all stops. ‘The Persian Story’ was set against the backdrop of an elaborately decorated set, transporting the audience back in time. He presented the ornate style of Persian rulers in modern fashion; clothes with heavy embellishments ruled the runway. With the abundance of vintage styled velvet dresses, 2016’s fashion diary certainly looks grand. Deepika Padukone and Fawad Khan enthralled everyone when they strutted down the runway in elaborate creations - she in a captivating lehenga, and he in a dapper sherwani.

Anamika Khanna

With her show titled ‘When Time Stood Still’, the designer took to live model installations for a unique touch. The collection offered new fashion styles that still had a foothold in tradition. Elaborate work like zardosi, kalamkari and dori work accentuated the contemporary silhouettes. Adding dazzle were the delicate pearls that adorned the trendy clothes. The color palette was mainly pastel with a few vibrant accents thrown in for an element of interest. In the front row, garbed in an embroidered half-sari was Sonam Kapoor. Fashion trends presented in an enchanting manner sum up this show perfectly.

Anita Dongre

‘Epic love’ was a celebration of romance with a bohemian twist. The designer, famous for her high street fashion labels, AND & Global Desi, presented what she called the ‘Gypsy Princess’ bride. The fabrics were light and silhouettes were elegant, offering a lovely demonstration of how to look smart casually at one’s wedding. The wearable collection included innovative fashion styles such as lehengas featuring pockets. Intricate gota patti, phulkari and dabka work added an ethnic charm, making the high fashion clothes the perfect fusion of tradition and modernity. It’s fluid fashion was presented in vibrant, rich shades.

Tarun Tahiliani

Featuring a performance on Darbari Kathak by leading classical dancer Manjari Chaturvedi, ‘The Last Dance Of The Courtesan’ beautifully encapsulated the elegant fashion styles of the royal courtesans from yore. Setting a new trend in fashion for bridal wear, sheer fabrics were aplenty. The delicate tulle, see-through silk and light jacquard served as the ideal backdrop for the Swarovski crystal embellishments. Adding sophistication to fashion, clothes went down the runway in a mélange of refined muted shades and deep, glamorous hues. The contemporary silhouettes added to the allure of the timeless yet trendy clothes.

Gaurav Gupta

Renowned for his penchant for western silhouettes, Gaurav Gupta presented his nature-inspired ‘Scape Song’ on an ethereal cave-like runway. The designs captured the fluid fashion of sand and water, reflected primarily in the color palette. Presenting glamour in an enchanting fashion, clothes sported beautiful ruffled detailing. Adding a generous dose of sparkle to the hot fashion trends were the Swarovski crystal embellishments in creative shapes. The showstopper of the evening, debutant Saiyani Kher, flaunted a decadent gown fashioned from a crystal mesh fabric, sure to be a favorite among wedding season fashion.

Rohit Bal

The highest place in the galaxy, or ‘Kehkashan’, ended the latest fashion week on a grand note. The collection displayed a novel fusion of Russian aristocracy and Kashmiri opulence, putting an innovative spin on the latest fashion trends. In an ornate fashion, clothes featured vibrant detailing, primarily Bal’s signature pleating and motifs of flowers and peacocks. The heavy, structured fabrics were in monochrome and wine, serving as a stunning backdrop for the embellishments. With floor-sweeping silhouettes and debonair jackets, the veteran designer showcased fashion styles that left the audience awestruck.

Picture courtesy - vogue.in