The Seven Somethings
While many of us are still struggling with the February Already syndrome, India’s first fashion week of the year has come and gone. Held at Mumbai’s JioGarden from February 1- 5, Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017 transported me to a mostly Mai Tai state of mind. I say mostly because sometimes I found myself in a sangeet.
Anyway, a little over a week later and here are the seven things that I still find myself thinking about…
1. You Go Gen Next!
Starring a bunch of talented designers, LFW’s Gen Next Show kickstarts each edition. Some of these debutants go on to launch super successful labels, others win coveted awards and a few manage to do both. Two labels that caught my eye this season were Soumodeep Dutta for his unmistakable Bengal school of fashion vibe and Poochki for their billowing breezy separates.
Soumodeep Dutta (Left) And Poochki
2. The Exploding Galaxy
Not the Samsung phones but just the ridiculous number of stars that descend down on one fashion week. (The ridiculous number of fashion weeks is a whole other column). Sushmita Sen, Bipasha Basu, Tabu, Diana Penty, Malaika Arora Khan, Daisy Shah, Padma Lakshmi. Sophie Choudry, Vaani Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari, Nimrat Kaur, Preity Zinta, Swara Bhaskar, Ayesha Takia… Showstopper. Overkill.
L To R: Anushka Manchanda, Nimrat Kaur, Diana Penty And Vaani Kapoor
L To R: Sushmita Sen, Malaika Arora, Aditi Rao Hydari And Swara Bhaskar
L To R: Bipasha Basu, Disha Patani, Tabu And Preity Zinta
L To R: Daisy Shah, Karisma Kapoor, Padma Lakshmi, Sophie Choudry
3. I Need Some AM.IT In My Life
Patola fused into plastic in AM.IT by Amit Aggarwal’s collection aptly titled Seamless. His pieces occupy the top 10 spots in my wishlist. Discarded saris, signature metallics and green means (and end) of fashion, this collection makes the right noises and looks equally fabulous. Now if only I can pre-order one of those dramatic pieces. And then find an OMG enough place to wear it to.
AM.IT
4. DeBo IS A Thing
Thanks to my blogger friends Priyanka and Payal who very helpfully coined the acronym DeBo (Desi Bohemian ICYMI), I am now convinced more than ever that DeBo is legit. Especially since nothing else seems to describe some looks from Label Ritu Kumar’s Maharaja Pop.
Label Ritu Kumar
5 Ruffles Are The New Black
A so-now standout sleeve, a so-unexpected sari blouse detail, a flash of movement in the maxi or a whimsy little detail… Suddenly I want me some ruffle in everything!
Chola (Left) And Payal Singhal
6. Kareena Kapoor Khan: The Real Deal
The first thing I said when pictures of Kareena Kapoor Khan in Anita Dongre surfaced online was wow. Not the I-can’t-believe-she-just-had-a-baby-she-looks-aah-mazing-wow but the wow-she’s-human wow. Everyone online gushed how fabulously perfect she looked 46 days after baby Taimur was born. I just gushed how fabulously imperfect she looked. Makeup that didn’t do justice to her beauty and an outfit that didn’t flatter her one bit as she took cautious steps on the recreated runway in Bandra Fort. But she did look real. Oh. So. Real.
Kareena Kapoor Khan For Anita Dongre
7. The Anamika Khanna Hangover Needs A Cure
Is anyone just as done as me with those Anamika Khanna dhoti knockoffs, sheer capes and embroidered capelets catwalking around? Can the fash frat move on please?
SVA
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Shradha Agarwal is a San Francisco-based fashion writer. Her work has been published in The Telegraph, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar India. When she’s not gasping in disbelief at the similarities between Mindy Lahiri and her, she can be found at happy hour. Follow her on Instagram here.