Somewhere benea-th the ruffles, rouching and glamorous anarkali kurtas is a simple boy from Kolkata whose heart lies in reviving Kashmiri embroidery and paying tribute to the dying craft of block printing, Ajrak. Maybe that’s why designer Joy Mitra on Day 2 of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, in the capital, managed to convince yesteryear diva Sharmila Tagore, also his muse, to wow the catwalk.
On the notes of R.K. Narayan’s unforgettable Malgudi Days and the hummable tune Tana nana na, Joy sent models on the runway in hand-embroidered saris, long jackets and beautiful multilayered asymmetrical dresses. “I actually got the highest marks in my interpretation of Narayan’s work during my Nift Kolkata days, so I thought there could be nothing better than going down memory lane,” said Joy.
Interestingly, the humble safety pin, a middle-class life saver has been elevated by Joy and given the status of an embellishment and somehow for him it reflected his growing up years. “For me, it is fix all tool, so it kind of reflected my Bengali upbringing, austere, focused and artistic,” said Joy. So, the safety pin became a symbol of his emotions, how it connected him with his father, who was quite unwell and how he nursed him back to health.
Quite on the contrast, was designer Komal Sood, who courted the red carpet in her ultra glam chiffon gowns, with trails that almost made you miss a hearbeat, as models negotiated with them on the catwalk with the nervousness of a first time flier. The pleating was clean and the embellished bustiers sparkling, but India was missing and so was the endearing sari. You had to have a body of a 16-year-old, with those boyish hips to carry of these beauties in taffetas, georgettes and satins. It was a day full of surprises. The low-profile designers, who focus more on ensembles and less on air kissing mesmerised fashionistas with their clean cuts and fabulous tailoring, Ankur and Priyanka Modi of AM:PM. It was almost poetry in motion, with well-constructed satin wide legged pants, cutwork jackets and monochromatic short versions with exaggerated shoulders raising the bar for their contemporaries. Yes, there was colour, autumn-winter is no longer about aubergines and greys, as Priyanka made sure it has its flaming reds too, so Joey marched down the runway in the eye-popping hue flaunting her bony shoulders in a well constructed kaftan dress. “We have to value add as designers and I think luxury pret is the future,” said Priyanka, who is one of the few style gurus who takes pains to ensure a superb finish for each piece.
In a sea of designers there are always some who manage to tug at your hearstrings and Ankita of the label Saaj, did just that, with a line she dedicated to her growing up years in Leh and Ladakh. An Army kid, Ankita wanted to do something for those, who were left homeless after last year’s cloud burst, so she tied up with a local NGO and made stunning neckpieces to go with her ornate line. Each intricate piece took two days to make and was studded with uncut firozas and mongas to create livelihood for the less privileged. “It was my way of giving back to the people who made me feel so special and loved,” she beamed. Who said fashion didn’t have a heart?