Real India on the ramp: Off the ramp and away from the lights, fashion can be found in the mundane and the every day. You realise that when you meet Nitish Bal Chauhan from Chamba in Himachal Pradesh and Atesu Sekhose from Nagaland, debutants at the Delhi week.
Fashionistas loved the ensembles that Chauhan put up at the London Fashion Week last season. For the Delhi week, he has worked with Himachali tribal folk traditions, giving them an international Gothic twist with crisp cuts and toned silhouettes. “I’ve used a lot of wool, particularly the toosh variety to create the ensembles. The idea is to revive the dying indigenous traditions that have been a source of sustenance for the villagers in these regions,” says Chauhan, who is actively involved in rehabilitating local handicrafts. Atesu Sekhose will display his Naga sensibilities when he showcases his collection at his Delhi stall. The former Tarun Tahiliani assistant has used handloom and silk fabrics from the Northeast and infused them with what he calls “Asian sensibilities with Western silhouettes”. Fashion’s tribute to incredible India.

Masters, Old and New: Rick Owens created a stir in Paris with his voluptuous jackets and his fin-shaped trouser bottoms. The message was loud and clear: if you have to make a statement, there’s no better way than to do your thing without ruining the effect. Nouveau designer Prashant Verma has got the message. At this season’s fashion week, his inspiration has been human failings—aggression and rage to be more specific. He has put together a collection with hand-crafted dresses created from fabrics like crepe that resemble delicate bandages. “It looks like a wound that has been treated. Youth is fashionable, whatever you might have to say,” he shrugs.
The bandage dress finds resonance in Ranna Gill’s collection this season, even as she forays into unchartered territory with pants and trousers. The Parisian hangover continues for Manish Arora and Rajesh Pratap Singh. Watch out for Arora’s encore act with his warrior theme. Singh endorses his native Rajasthan through his hood-dresses—petite ensembles with hoods shaped like ghunghats.

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