Day 3 of Lakme Fashion Week started off setting a solemn mood with designer Dhruv Kapur’s Half Alive collection. Consisting of flowy black fabrics tailored to perfection with sharp cuts and straight lines, the collection ignored symmetry to embrace slant cuts.

The next show, Huemn by Pranav Mishra and Shyma Shetty, continued to extend the mood by playing with grey and white tones, steering away just a bit to include earthy hues. Simple and understated with straight cuts again, the collection was wearable and safe Giving the ramp an instant face lift, designer Richa Aggarwal’s collection brought in a splash of neon. Inspired by the fusion of “sportswear meets couture ideals”, the collection consisting of dresses and skirts with chekered prints mostly,was breezy and funky with the models ditching high heels for some comfortable sneakers. What followed was Kanika Sachdeva’s Square Loop label inspi-red by the theme “recomposed reality”. Dominated by smart formals in browns and beiges, it was a classic collection that would make for an appropriate fit in almost any office surrounding. Teamed with satchels, backpacks, portfolios, totes and shoulder bags the collection showed a complete formal ensemble from head to toe. Making a colourful splash with monochromatic tones, Nupur Kanoi’s Eccentricity Tour was a classic and understated experiment that fused traditional cuts with Western aesthetics. An extremely feminine collection dominated by silk and chiffons, Nupur beautifully captured an international essence while maintaining the Indian patterns. Creative use of zippers as embellishments gave the clothes a metallic and rustic feel at the same time. It was an extension of the thought when Payal Khandwala’s A Fine Balance, took to stage with the designer maintaining her signature bohemian chick look. A fine mix of rather contrast materials — leather and silk — the collection brought together two diverse styles in one ensemble. Traditional silk saris worn with cowl collared blouses made for a bold and successful experiment. “With a distinctly Indian soul, a ‘Payal Khandwala’ woman’s style is effortlessly global; and in a way that is not predictable or overt, her aesthetic is subtly rooted in her culture. An intelligent woman with a refined sense of luxury, and one that will not sacrifice her comfort for it”, says Payal describing her work. Next in line, Amit Aggarwal’s collection inspired by three themes — moulding, metallics and magic — played on mermaid cuts. Downwards from the waist, the dresses flared to give dramatic fish cuts embellished with metallic rims. Giving the ramp a dramatic makeover was Anita Dongre’s AND and Glogal Desi collections. “The Global Desi collection evokes the spirit, energy and fashion sensibilities associated with music festivals all over the world. The collection derives its inspiration from the exuberant fusion of indie and hip hop music complimented by the vivacious energy at a music festival. For AND, the look is all about the 70’s retro fashion, with ensembles that easily transform from a day to evening look,” says the designer whose signature geometric and symmetric prints dominated the collection. Formal jumpsuits featuring Palazzo pants were the highlight of collection. Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari was the showstopper for this one.
Pria Kataria Puri and Vikram Phadnis were the last designers to showcase their collections on Day 3.