Delhi-based designer Rina Dhaka opened the second last day of the WLIFW 2013 along with Sanchita from Bengaluru. If Rina Dhaka’s collection honoured the ancestral Indian textiles, Sanchita fashioned an imaginary world inspired by the Panchatantra tales. Dhaka started the show on a sombre note with lots of black and grey before moving on to maroon, gold, hint of yellow.

Chiffon, georgette, organza, silk, tweed and stretch leather were bedecked using lace, embroidery and controlled bling in straight shifts, drop waist silhouettes, empire and halter dresses.
Whereas Sanchita had bejewelled monkeys, hand-painted florals from mythology do the talking. Her show was divided into two segments. Camouflage prints, military influences, animal prints and manga kept the shirts, fitted pants and jackets busy for men. Whereas forest-inspired prints and embroidery patterns were noticed on dresses, tunics, shirts, capes, pinafore and sheath dresses. Leopard print made ankle boots, sandals, totes and shoulder bags interesting.
Apart from the regular faces and actor Dino Moreo in the front row, we spotted well-known author Rana Dasgupta, who had brought his young daughter for a fashion outing.
Fashion turned one shade darker with Anand Bhushan’s collection “Block” who has made a shift from the perky and quirky to serious and allowed his clothes to show the maturity he has attained. To convey the loss of innocence, he used Lego blocks and let them shape their space. We saw knee-length, long and tube dresses in sheer, organza and leather with black as the reigning colour. The shapes were kept neat and faux fringes, eyelashes kept the audience engaged. It was now designer duo Shivan and Narresh’s turn to infuse some happiness into the atmosphere through their happy hues and stylish resort wear. In contrast to Bhushan’s theme, “Naïve”, the duo’s collection rejoiced the delights of simple and minimal.
After an array of maillots — zipped and stretched — in abstract prints and neon colours, came dresses, skirts and maxis in linen. Latex was generously used on collars, cuffs and jackets.
Kolkata boys Dev R Nil showed that one can do wonders with just the right amount and tactical placement of embellishments. Delhi designers, who love to embroider, decorate and add truckloads of sequins to the garments, should take a lesson or two from the duo.
Talking of the collection, after dollops of Che Guevara, sunglass, taxi and heart prints, rose as well as fern prints were splashed on hems, sleeves, blouses and even stockings.
Gowns, jackets, dresses, pleated shirts, jumpsuits, maxis in crepe, wool, silk and organza looked pretty in icy blue, mint and teal. Ombre was utilised to visually enhance the effect of a simple pattern. Sheer was put to great use to add some fun to the otherwise print-busy garments. Brai-ded hair, tasslled headgears, geometric patterns and simplistic shapes were the highlight at the next show by Paras and Shalini. Ruffled and pleated forms with surfaces resembling inter-galactic rock formations looked clean in velvet, tulle and wool.
Their showstopper Shazahn Padamsee waltzed in like a Greek goddess in a shimmery outfit.