The second edition of the Rajasthan Fashion Week 2013 ended with great pomp and show amid much regalia at the luxurious yet tranquil premises of Fairmont Jaipur.
The three day fashion extravaganza saw an emerging crop of designers showcase well themed and conceptualised collections. There were some interesting fashion trends that this new breed of designers brought to the RFW ramp; while one reinterpreted ‘royalty’ by adding a zing of ‘sportiness’ to his collection, the other innovated a cocktail bridal ensemble and draped chiffon sarees over georgette ghagras.
Let us try look deep into the repertoires these budding designers are all set to build and take to a competitive level in the fashion industry in the years to come.
Sonaakshi Raaj: All about opulence, yet understated
Glamour may not be over the top at all times but can go soft and sheer, believes Sonaakshi Raj, a fairly young designer who works toward creating styles that never age. A beginner in the world of fashion, Sonaakshi has already established a name in Bollywood by dressing up youth actors like Aalia Bhatt, Evelyn Sharma, Shraddha Kapoor and Shazahn Padamsee among others. About her ensemble range, Sonaakshi says, “My spring-summer collection is a celebration of femininity in all its playfulness and sensuality at the same time. It is romantic in feel and fervour. There’s a lot of lace, floral motifs, tussles, sequin on a colour palette that includes moss green, apricot, lavender and oyster.” With her meticulous emphasis on fabric, cut and colour, Sonaakshi Raj is definitely a designer to watch out for.
Conquering the man’s world: Kirti Rathore
Coming from a traditional Rajput family, Kirti Rathore had to negotiate negative comments once she decided to design menswear being a woman. However, the perceived audacity soon turned into praise when she bagged an opportunity to dress Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan for special episodes in KBC. Kirti has not looked back ever since. Her collection at the Rajasthan Fashion Week was dedicated to actor Rajesh Khanna. She used a lot of linen in her print designs and chose a colour palette comprising pastels.
With Imran Khan, Vivek Oberoi and Abhimanyu Singh as some of her celeb clients, Kirti Rathore wishes to open her studios across the world and showcase at prestigious fashion weeks in Paris, Milan and London.
Poonam Patel and Surbhi Shah: The rooted designers
Their immense love for Rajasthan seamlessly translates into fashion and their fearless mixing of colours, textures, techniques and fabrics takes many by surprise. Poonam Patel Nathadwarawala revived Rajasthan’s tribal fashion with a unique twist. Models in earthy and pastel colours sauntered in wearing ghagras-cholis in georgettes glamourised with brocades and attractive borders. Poonam draped chiffon sarees on textured ghagras and gave the ethnic wear a unique twist. Surbhi Shah on the other hand presented a collection meant for those who are enthusiastic to attend their best friend’s wedding but are often confused what to wear. With a range of lehengas, gowns-cum-anarkalis, collared jackets over anarkali suits in tie-dye techniques and a delicious colour palette including shocking pink, lavender, lemons and indigos, Surbhi succeeded in presenting a collection true to the theme of ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’. Poonam Patel has a boutique in Gujarat by the name ‘Womenza’ since five years and now she plans to start her own label in London.
Sports and royalty: A unique fusion by Himmat Singh
Shining crowns, lengthy robes and heavy jewellery are no longer symbols of royalty and Himmat Singh infuses a chic and sporty element to his ensemble range. Models in safari suits, cargos, coats, bandhgala jackets, polo hats and boots looked smart, chic and royal at the same time. Polo matches are often considered royal pastimes and designer Himmat Singh approached this sport through a fashionista’s eye. Women essaying the look of Polo and golf players accessorised their outfits with gold and diamond jewellery that added a royal charm to the appearance. A native of Jaipur, Himmat Singh has stores are in Rambagh Palace and Maharani Farms and his creations have been worn by the Maharajas and princesses of Jodhpur and Jaipur.
Pink-and-purple is Ramesh Dembla’s signature style
Wearability is Ramesh Dembla’s supreme concern when he’s designing clothes for his clients. He is a favourite among many Sandalwood actors in the likes of Sudeep, Pooja Gandhi, Ragini and others and has designed for several movies as well. He is one of the few newcomers who’s had Hollywood showstoppers like Ronn Moss (Bold and Beautiful fame) walk the ramp. His pink-and-purple collection at the Rajasthan Fashion Week was declared a hit. Tunics with zippers, ruffled and multi-layered short dresses and one pieces complemented with diamond and emerald jewellery comprised his ‘feminine’ collection.
Passionate about fashion: Shivangee Sharma and Sharad Raghav
Without any formal training in fashion, Shivangee Sharma pursued her dream to be a designer by starting small projects in terms of creating outfits for friends and herself. The Bhopal-based designer soon thought taking her passion a step forward and started some serious fashion designing by launching her label ‘Shivali’. Assignments began flowing in and very recently she got an opportunity to design an ethnic piece for Miss India 2013 finalist Anukriti Gusain. Fish-net gowns, puffed dresses, heavy embroidered corsets, sleeveless shimmery one pieces were Shivangee’s prominent designs that she tried to present in an Indo-western way at the Rajasthan Fashion Week 2013. “My silhouettes are rich in colour, trendy in makeup and unique in cuts and framework. The gowns that I design are wearable and suited to party occasions at the same time. Modernity and tradition go hand-in-hand in my creations,” said Shivangee. Designer Sharad Raghav would scribble rough drawings of cuffs and collars in his textbooks as a child until they translated into real fashion illustrations years later. His collection at the RFW 2013 was dedicated to the Delhi gang rape victim and hence monochromatic in appearance. An all-white and beige-based clothing line, Sharad brought to the ramp anarkali suits paired with Nehru caps, chequered coats worn over loose salwars and ghagaras. Gold work on dupattas, dhotis, pearl-studded belts, velvets jackets and long skirts with tassels completed the overall look.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/designers/New-and-upcoming-designers-at-RFW-13/articleshow/20047322.cms