Smaller labels stood out on Day 3 of the Wills India Fashion Week

The Look-at-Me Show: There was little that was melodramatic about Varun Bahl’s show, except, like John Galliano’s collection, Bahl too contemporarised yesterday’s flounces and pleats and made draping a flirtatious enterprise this season. Severe military pleats on trousers contrasted sharply with the easy sophistication of the ruffled tops. Fabrics like organza and georgette in silver, dusty pink, blue and grey were embellished with cutwork and applique, with just a hint of shimmer in them. Each outfit brought a fresh burst of cheer from Bahl’s peers, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Manish Arora, Namrata Joshipura and Manoviraj Khosla, watching from the stands.

The Standout Line: Lip cloud shifts, butterfly zippered jackets, fudge hearts on tops and drawstring trousers with multi-panels — Bangalore-based designers Jason Cheriyan and Anshu Arora returned to the FDCI-organised fashion week with a winner called “Na Ati” (Not This). Dreamy colour-bursts blended with shifting silhouettes, creating whimsical but easy-to-wear ensembles. On a day when the ramp saw neat collections from designers like Vineet Bahl, Namrata Joshipura and several others, the quirkiness of the Small Shop collection was charming and very refreshing. The mood was set by Sonam Dubal, who showed ahead of the duo in the same show. His use of batik and block prints, patchworks and embroidery on fabrics like khadi and chanderi brought an ingenuous twist to western silhouettes. We loved the bias dresses, the kaftans and the chanderi bags. Quietly elegant.

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