Anita Dongre ruled the roost with her gypsy-inspired collection at FDCI India Couture Week 2016. She talks to
Karan Bhardwaj in a vlog
For the last few months, Anita Dongre has been a roll. From showing her India-inspired collections at Make in India events to her speech at Harvard Business School, the designer has been making news for all the right reasons. At the FDCI India Couture Week 2016, she took fashionistas on a heritage tour with a collection inspired by many cultures. Gypsies and folk traditions of Rajasthan, however, dominated the design philosophy of the outfits. Skirts, lehengas, kurtas and achkans had a lot of gotapatti, dabka and phulkari work!
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We spoke to Dongre post her show, on a swinging bench, which was used a prop in the background. To our surprise, the prop was quite strong and didn’t falter much during the conversation. Watch it below:
The show opened to a plush garden of a Rajasthan palace, recreated on the runway. Gaurav Raina’s melodious blend of Indian classical and folk with electronic music ‘Indian Electronica’ set the mood for the evening.
The distinct signature scent of all Anita Dongre stores, with notes of jasmine and rose, announced the unveiling of the Epic Love – the bridal couture collection that marked her debut at the India Couture Week. The sheer grandeur of the architecture set with the playful jhulla, pink bougainvillea, water fountain, the famed hand done thikri craft transported the audience into a luxurious Rajasthan palace garden.
Adorned in heirloom-like pieces from the designer’s jadau jewellery label ‘Pinkcity’ and antique silver pieces added to the folkish charm of the show. Stunning maang-tikas, large nose rings, intricate haath phools, chunky chokers and necklaces ornated the outfits.
Moving gradually on to a regal palette, jewel-toned solids in rich wine, orange and the classic reds, creams and golds took center stage. Gotapatti work was seen across the collection – first on the prints and then teamed with thread work.
The front row was graced by actors Shabana Azmi, Pernia Qureshi and Bhumi Pednekar.
