Amazon India Fashion Week 2015: A Sneak Peek

We can’t believe Divaly is going to be 1 year old in almost a week!! Wow time sure flies! So to celebrate our one year birthday, we wanted to reach out to our fellow bloggers and friends to celebrate with us.

Today, we have the multi-talented Priyanka Bhansali from India, she was our very first guest blogger. Priyanka is a fashion stylist, personal shopper, content creator and social media manager! To find out more about her work click here!

We are excited to have her write for us again, where she is covering the Amazon India Fashion week, read on for the gorgeous show stoppers and designs :)!

The Amazon India Fashion week got a dream kick start with Sabyasachi’s dreamy collection and joining him was the brilliant shoe maker Christian Louboutin, it sure seemed like a dream team. This was just a beginning to the fashion forward week and every designer left us mesmerized by their unique take on cuts, fabric and opulent craftsmanship. The cherry on the icing were our very own Bollywood divas, who completely stole the show.

Here’s a sneak peak.

SABYASACHI MUKHERJEE

       

The opening act by leading couturier of India, Sabyasachi unveiled his bespoke tailoring and embroidery that was spell bounding and the gloomy design of the ramp was justified so as the luxurious garments in blacks, red and beige sparkled in the Goth atmosphere. Joining him was Christian Louboutin who created exclusive line that goes in sync with the collection for a royal bride that he is best known for.

RAHUL MISHRA

The internationally acclaimed designer and winner of the Woolmark prize, Rahul Mishra’s collection was for the women of 21^st century. Mishra’s vibrant line had intricate floral embroidery; sheer fabrics with sharp tailoring combined with handwork of subtle rural crafts gave us a glimpse of the bygone years.

GAURAV GUPTA

With no surprise Kalki Koechlin was the showstopper for Gupta. Expect royal outfits exploring and celebrating the femininity in you. Shimmery outfits with a color palette of blue, silver, peach, nude and light gold casted a magical spell. Embellishments, cinched waist line, luscious draping added to the magic.

MONISHA JAISINGH

                 

Veteran fashion designer Monisha Jaisingh unveiled the glamorous collection calling it a ‘sailing bride’. We wonder, what would it be for a bride celebrating her perfect day on the yacht? The answer is not the typical; Monisha shows us the unusual with paneled skirts, pre drapped sarees, lehenga gowns, crossover brallets, voluminous gowns, embellished cigarette pants and structure jackets. Showstoppers Kriti Sanon showed a rebel side of the bride finishing the look with sneakers and fashion entrepreneur turned stylist turned actor Pernia Qureshi entered in a baby blue gown.

ROHIT BAL

It was all floral for Rohit Bal, showcasing us red roses and marigold that had blossomed beautifully and were placed on floor sweeping lehengas, gowns and accessories. As expected the collection was luxurious and grand.  Rich velvets, royal silk embroidered with heavy zardozi looked opulent and seamless.

MANAV GANGWANI

Models showcasing ethereal pieces accentuating in gold, vibrant colors in elegant Parisian style as to what was called as “Le’ Amoureuse” collection. Seen were new to the eye fabrics like sequined georgette, sheer tulle with shades of gunmetal, sensual purple, peachy coral and aqua. Kangana Ranaut, the reigning queen of bollywood looked spectacular in a purple gown as she discerned like a true diva on the runway.

VARUN BAHL

The designer dedicated the show to the flower blooms which were seen in heavy embellishment in his bespoke collection. Weaved thickly and intricately on lehengas, dupatta’s and anarkali’s and for the men it was all ill fitted pants with structured jackets, and that is how a royal luxe collection concluded.

RIMPLE & HARPREET NARULA

Shilpa Shetty showing off her envious curves (how does she do that??) in gold lehenga was absolutely resplendent and she looked ravishing like always. The entire collection oozed monarchial vibe with garments in fine woven embroidery, rich fabrics infused in colors of the royalty.

REYNU TANDON

Reynu Tandon showcased a vibrant collection featuring the sartorial splendor of Persia. Seen were heavily embroidered lehenga’s and anarkali’s that gave us a sneak peak of Persian weaves. Showstopper Richa Chadda showed us what a Persian Princess looks like in a gold and red lehenga.

DEBARUN MUKHERJEE

                           

The show started with pretty girl Aditi Rao Hydari in a sepia toned cocktail lehenga which gave us a cue that the collection takes inspiration from various styles of bollywood glam right from the 1940’s to the current time.  We saw an interesting interplay of colors fused with fabrics and embroidery which added to the runway drama. Though shades like black, sepia, pastels and some romantic tones reflected the era back then, the modern silhouettes made it look modern and contemporary. Finishing the show was the dusky beauty Chitrangada Singh looking lovely in a bridal avatar.

MANISH MALHOTRA

What started with a bang the end to the glitzy week was even better. The couturier brings a style soiree called the Empress Story and by the means of it, we knew what was coming. The old world charm, captivating drapes, stunning weaves and raw bold hues just added more than enough perfection. Behold now, the real Empress, the stunning and evergreen beauty Aishwarya Rai walks in his best and the end to the show couldn’t have been this grand.

We hope you enjoyed these, tell us your favourite looks?

Image source:

India.com | Vogue.in | luxpresso.com

Adieu to Fashion Week

And it all comes to a close. It was a bittersweet final runway for Hermes – while they had the honour of closing Fashion Week, they also bid goodbye to Christophe Lemaire.

The Hermes runway oozed glamour in a very understated way. Instead of tailoring, the creative heads let the draping do the talking for them. Do you notice the sari inspired dresses? And the last outfit with the long top which seems inspired by a kurta. Check out collections from Joy Mitra, Payal Khandwala and Sougat Paul from a few seasons earlier, to pick up similar designs at a much more reasonable price point.

                                                                 Hermes

The little sister brand of Prada – Miu Miu stuck true to its aesthetics and presented a fun and quirky collection. The bags reinvented the wheel and there was nothing new in terms of shape. The shoes were quite interesting, but I still feel their glitter heel shoes were much better.

                                                               Miu Miu

And finally, the brand that brought Ally and me together. There was a new bag shape presented on the runway. It looked very inspired by the Mulberry Lily to me. And the black quilted bag looks like a feeble attempt to pay homage to the Miss Dior and the Chanel Flap. On the other hand, I love their outfits. The knit dresses are absolutely gorgeous and I cannot wait for a high street version of these dresses (unless of course someone wants to buy me some of these outfits).

                                                           Louis Vuitton

What was your favourite runway? I am torn between Oscar De La Renta and Elie Saab. Who gets your vote?

Whistling Away

Before you read today’s post, I would like you to take a minute and remember Tiger Shroff – yep the guy who looks like Kareena Kapoor. More specifically remember this…

British brand Alexander McQueen presented a stellar collection. If you haven’t ordered a pair yet, now is the time to actually go and buy a pair of calf length gladiator sandals. It is definitely the next big thing. Notice how the hemlines are balanced with the high footwear. I loved the nude top dress and can’t wait to see the outfit in real life.

                                                       Alexander McQueen

Gladiator sandals made an appearance again on the Valentino runway. As always, there were some gorgeously embroidered dresses. What has completely thrown me though is the lack of light, bright, summery colours on the runway. I’m not complaining – when the designs are this good, anything goes.

                                                              Valentino

And finally, why I thought of Tiger Shroff. The Chanel runway was inspired by protest, and featured a whistle on a chain as a feature accessory. While I understand the reason and thought process behind the runway, I don’t quite get the accessories. If you are going to drop close to £3,000 on a bag, I would still suggest going in for one of their classic designs.

                                                                Chanel

Impeccable tailoring looks like this

We are nearly at the end. And what an end it is. From the material choices to impeccable tailoring, the best designers in the world today showed why they are the best in the business.

Stella McCartney presented some easy-breezy dresses on the runway. I absolutely love how she interspersed hard and soft by way of large buckles on the shoulders. The second dress on the second row is the perfect lesson is cut outs done right. And I know my mom and dad will definitely be happy with the fact that flats are most certainly in.

                                                         Stella McCartney

Hedi Slimane landed at YSL with a bang of epic proportions. While his changes didn’t go down too well with the fashion pack, I think this collection cements his place in the fashion books. He stuck to what the brand is known for – androgynous styles and presented them in a delightful manner. I would have liked to see more of the dresses but they were all covered up with some amazing jackets. A special mention for the first dress on the top row – it is absolutely stunning.

                                                          Saint Laurent

Elie Saab redefined tailoring and ready to wear. Each and every one of the pieces sent down the runway can be worn (of course only if you have the figure of a supermodel) without any alteration. Even under the harsh camera flashes, I am hard pressed to find a single tailoring or fit flaw which is very unusual for any runway show. I’m waiting for a real life spotting and if there is a genie somewhere listening to my wishes I would like to ask for the ombré black and white dress. Pretty please!

                                                             Elie Saab

Masters of their Craft

We are nearly at the end of fashion week and it is ending on a crescendo. Stalwarts like Givenchy, Celine and Chloe sent some amazing designs down the catwalk. Head to our Facebook page to get your hands on a budget version today.

The designs from Givenchy were in one word – ‘fierce’. Absolutely fantastic wearable designs with minimal alteration. And none of these would look ridiculous of the runway. The runway was absolutely a lesson in ready to wear done right.

                                                            Givenchy

Gladiator sandals made an appearance on the Chloe runway. I absolutely need to buy myself a pair in the sales. I love the pheasant blouse and shorts look. It is perfect for a summer boardroom or a walk in the park or drinks in the evening. Lace and A lines are definitely in for Spring Summer 2015.

                                                                  Chloe

And finally the queen of minimalist Phoebe Philo and Celine. I’m on the fence with the new bag shapes and as always hate the footwear on the Celine runway. I love the ruffled hem dress which is gorgeously girly. The white jumpsuit with offset buttons is very interesting and it would be an amazing off the runway off duty look.

                                                               Celine

Goodbye JPG

On day 5 of Paris Fashion Week, we bid adieu to the enfant terrible of fashion – Jean Paul Gaultier. The Spring / Summer ready to wear is the last collection of such a nature by this exceptionally talented individual. What this translates to is the fact that apart from his fragrances, mere mortals like us with limited budgets will not be able to afford most of his wares. I also think it was a brilliant decision to say goodbye. I mean, who on earth apart from lady gaga would wear these outfits?

                                                       Jean Paul Gaultier

On the other hand Olympia Le Tan was a breath of fresh air. The brand burst on to the scenes with their famous novel clutches and their latest collection of bags pays suitable homage to their aesthetics. If you want to get your hands on one, hot foot it to Moda Operandi or add yourself to the Net a Porter wishlist asap.

                                                            Olympia Le Tan

The trend masters

Today’s Paris fashion week coverage is all about trends and the brand that made these trends stick in our minds, one with footwear that became an instant rage and the other with some iconic bags.

If you’ve bought a pair of wedge sneakers, you’ve subscribed to the trend that Isabel Marant launched last year. This spearheaded the brand into unprecedented limelight and made them a go to for the next big thing in fashion. Going by the latest runway, it seems the brand is standing firmly behind fringes for the coming season. I think that the fringed skirt looks very chic (especially styled with a tunic and broad belt to cinch the waist), but beware of buying a cheap H&M version as it can go downhill very quickly. What again catches my attention is that gladiators are definitely on next summer and flats can be worn with anything.

                                                         Isabel Marant

Moving on to Christian Dior. Before I move on, I must say I love the design house and am absolutely biased towards anything Raf Simmons sends down the runway. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, it’s good to see that the Miss Diors have been given a sort of face lift with contrast stitching and patterns – something that was seen on the Lady Dior in the previous runway. Also, notice how Mr. Simmons plays with volume. I would say get a high waisted skirt – something that sits at the thinnest part of your waist and get it to flare out dramatically. Watch out for the length though. Apple shapers should probably go for mid calf rather than ankle length.

                                                           Christian Dior

Mera Bharat Mahaan!

Day 3 of Paris Fashion Week was a big day. There were lots of designers and some amazing designs seen on the runway. So get a nice chilled glass of wine before you delve further into the post.

Lanvin completely refined boardroom chic. Easy flowing dresses which screamed ‘in control’ walked down the neutral toned runway. I want to make a special note of the shoes – pointy cap footwear seems to make a strong appearance for the coming season. Secondly, if you are Indian, like me you clearly remember when you matched your shoes to your clothes which matched your handbag and headband. Which that was ‘match way too much’, same tone matching is definitely in. Notice the blue dress and how it is paired with blue heels and a darker blue belt.

                                                                 Lanvin

Nina Ricci took the boardroom aesthetic miles further. I absolutely loved the mixing of prints. If you need to have some of this in your wardrobe now, Oasis has some lovely prints that you can mix and match. Also, notice the hemline of all the garments – so far across all runways, below the knee seems to be the order of the day.

                                                            Nina Ricci

And what do I say about Balmain? The design house took cutouts body toned fabrics and neutral striped and ran with it in a direction that only a master can do. While Reem Acra managed to make a complete mess with her fabric choices, Balmain shows how it is done right. If I ever have a super model body, I will try out the last white outfit in the first row. It is beautiful. And again, gladiator like footwear is definitely in. Invest in a pair to and wear them with the girliest dress you have in your closet.

                                                               Balmain

I had some questions about the Carven runway. The clothes were gorgeous and if you need a pair of shoes that look similar to what was seen on the Carven runway, New Look and Zara have some footwear that is very similar. Now to my questions – why is Carven copying Victoria Beckham and her style ideas of sending bags down the runway with models holding them like boxes? If they wanted to copy VB that’s fine, but why make a bag that looks so suspiciously like the Alexander McQueen Heroine Satchel and use that in the so called pose? Having said that, I like the broad waist cinch with all the shift dresses – definitely something to keep in mind.

                                                                 Carven

On to Roland Mouret. The designer stuck to his aesthetic and sent some gorgeously tailored tailored dresses down the runway. Again note the gladiator sandals. I am really keen on getting a closer look at the tote bag in the fourth picture on the first row – it looks like a cross between a Prada Saffiano and a Fendi Tu Jours bag. I am going to get a shirt or a jacket with small puffy sleeves like the jacket in the third picture on the second row and pair it with a flippy skirt. If you must have a piece of Roland Mouret, there are some pieces from his collection with Banana Republic still available in the US and UK.

                                                        Roland Mouret

And finally – Manish Arora. After waiting for weeks, an Indian designer finally brings India to the fore. While we had dhoti inspired pants and long jackets like on the Indian runways, Manish Arora was unapologetically western in his designs. While the first outfit that walked the runway was drastically different from the last one, they all seemed to flow and looked like they belonged to the same collection. I absolutely loved the first outfit on the first row. The boho chic who has no cares in the world vibe of Manish Arora’s outfits make me want to forget all my concerns. I love the innate feminity of the rose print full skirt and the rose overlay tulle skirt. An India makes us super-proud – A collection by an Indian designer I can get behind. Loved each and every outfit. Do check out the rest of the collection online and let me know what you think

                                                            Manish Arora

C’est la vie

And Paris Fashion Week comes to the fore and shows why Fashion in Paris is serious business. Each and every designer showcased designs which could easily be worn off the runway. Even with a ridiculous amount of skin on show, it was more peek-a-boo than ‘I ran out of fabric’.

Let’s start with Balenciaga. The design house put on a monochrome show. The designs were amazing and we can definitely expect to see a version of the black jumpsuit and the maxi dress on the high street. The high waisted shorts are something you can probably pick up now on the sale rack. If you are looking for a long jacket, I would try a design house in India.

                                                                Balenciaga

The Vionnet runway seemed very ‘inspired’. Don’t get me wrong, the designs were gorgeous, but anyone remember Kareena Kapoor in a Tom Ford dress which had a belt very similar to Vionnet’s Belts? Or what about the knee high gladiators on the Hugo Boss runway more recently? It somehow feels very unsettling. I don’t get the dress with the harness top either – it mixes hard and soft very inefficiently.

                                                                 Vionnet

The Rochas runway seemed more like what Vionnet was trying to achieve but couldn’t. I love the school- girl vibe and the easy cut of the garments. I will be looking forward to spotting formal collars on casual dresses this coming summer.

                                                               Rochas

And finally, my second favourite runway of the night with Guy Laroche. I loved each and every look on the runway. The minimalist shoes, hair and make up were the perfect complement to the near-flawless clothes. I love the first two grey and white garments and am hoping to goodness they ‘inspire’ someone or else they go on sale on Net A Porter asap.

                                                            Guy Laroche

How do you like Paris so far? By the way, you can replicate the make up looks on the runway by entering our Birthday giveaway.

Bonjour Paris

And we finally arrive in Paris. After 3 whirlwind fashion weeks, the city of romance is tugging at our fashion heartstrings.

Starting with Anthony Vaccarello.  His collection looked perfect for the Kardashian sisters in the boardroom. He pushed pinstripe boundaries and had some really good architectural edges to his designs. While each outfit was unquestionably sexy, they all seemed wearable off the runway too.

                                                          Anthony Vaccarello

I was not impressed with the Jacquemus runway. The designer somehow forgot that you are supposed to remove one thing before you head out. There were yards of extra fabric, which made the collection completely unwearable and completely defeated the purpose of it being a Ready to Wear show. The only thing I remotely liked about these designs was the fact that were loose fitting and would suit a variety of body shapes.

                                                             Jacquemus

Here’s hoping for some amazing things on day 2.