Vintage Wear

titled Pearls Delhi Couture week was changed to Pearls Infrastructure Delhi couture week. The shift came when the Delhi High Court on Monday restrained the organisers of the inaugural Delhi Couture Week from using the word ‘Pearl’ —the name of their title sponsor. Due to allegations of trademark infringement,the organisers have changed the logo and are supporting it with a disclaimer. “We notified FDCI in June end and when there was no response from their side we filed the notice,” said AKG Nair,Group Director of the Pearl Academy of Fashion. Now,at all the display boards,the word ‘Pearls’ has been replaced by Pearls Infrastructure Projects Limited followed by a disclaimer.

Meanwhile,the show progressed as usual. The swish set went chromatic for Mukherjee’s opening show— turning up in khadis and Bhagalpur silks as loyalists for the opening show. The only exception was actor Rani Mukherjee,standing out in her bleakish black Halston jumpsuit. Actor Vidya Balan sported a dusty red Sabya sari while Sabina Chopra was kitted in “Sabya from crown to toe”. “He is the only designer I stock. I would like to believe that I am his muse,” smiled Balan,who walked the ramp along with Mukherjee before the show started.

The collection,much lauded for its “museum like quality” saw models trussed in saris,suits and high-on-embroidery blouses in muted red,pale green and rustic orange,walking past antique trunks and vintage photographs that was part of the backdrop. “The show seemed straight out of the Victoria and Albert museum. The collection,was as usual,very textile driven,” said the designer. Indigenous textiles like khadi from Bihar and silk from Ahmedabad was showcased,as were crafts like block printing from Andhra Pradesh. To add to the retro feel,men walking the ramp sported broad-rimmed spectacles and mustaches. “The show was spectacular and he is undoubtedly the best designer,” gushed Chopra. Mukherjee preferred Sabyasachi as he made “Indian clothes more receptive”. At Sabya’s store,the nine-yard wonder cost Rs 1.5 lakhs. “Sari is the most potent form of couture,” Sabyasachi asserted.

Meanwhile,Bollywood designer-in-residence Manish Malhotra wants us to believe that it was a magic red carpet ride at his first day show— sans any showstopper. The front row watchers,the svelte Priya Chatwal,the Thapar sisters Nitasha and Ayesha and Page 3 fixture Tanisha Mohan were as eagerly awaiting the presence of a leggie Bollywood beauty as the frenetic cameramen. “The trend of showstopper has been done to death. In fact,I am the one who started it. Tonight,I am the showstopper,” Malhotra said through the frenzy of cameras after parading his “opulent” collection that saw 21 dresses— all finished high on embroidery.

Malhotra’s palette was jewel-inspired,with ruby,jade and lapis infused with gold and copper. The lehengas were fiery red,hand-embroidered with hundreds of thousands of beads and crystals,accompanied by embroidered jackets cut below the waist and Malhotra’s trademark saris. The models walked down to a 12-minute music piece put together DJ Whosane.