Best of LFW: Part 2

Tarun Tahiliani

Summer 2009's collections heralded the beginning of Grecian and draped dresses on the international ramp. Tarun Tahiliani took this trend forward with his LFW collection. But while the international designers chose pristine white and fiery reds, Tahiliani opted for black and gold, wine and champagne. Despite the similarities, he Indianised his clothes with his magical touch. Once again, Tahiliani proved why he's called the master of drapes in the Indian fashion scene. Throughout the show, the designer's partiality toward gold and earth colours was clearly visible, right from the copper lace sari to his shimmery togas.

Even with the drapes, the designer sought to complement the hourglass figure. He created faux waistlines with cummerbunds and belts, and buckles and brooches on gathers. And it weren't just the dresses that were glamourous. Tahiliani's jackets and sequinned pants oozed evening glamour for those who wanted to keep it casual for a Saturday night in the city.

His collection may come as good news to well-endowed women, as he highlighted the sari blouses of the season -- decollete and pave necklines. And just when we thought we had kissed Yash Chopra's shaded saris goodbye, Tahiliani brought them back, though sans the chiffon. Colour graduation was spotted everywhere -- on tunics, kameezes, sherwani coats and saris.

Tahiliani's showstopper saris were a pleasant surprise -- made of lace, they stood out from the rest of the collection. Indrani Dasgupta's six-yard was encrusted with Swarowski crystallized rubies, pearls and diamonds even as the other three looked extremely wearable, subtle and sophisticated. He paired the lace saris with sequined corsets and bustiers. And that was not all -- lace earlier appeared as a thick dupatta and ghagra border and sleeves.

How to wear it: It's always the right time to experiment with your sari draping. If not the adventurous kind, then opt for saris in cream, beige or peach lace with daring blouses. Or the simplest of all -- get 'shaded'!

Best of LFW: Part 1

Vikram Phadnis

In fashion, we all seek the avant garde, the cutting edge. But great fashion isn't always cutting edge or avant garde. Great fashion is clothes that are given a fresh appeal, looks that alter your perceptions of a garment, and those make you think twice about what you've been wearing. Vikram Phadnis did all this and more.

Phadnis played with colours, silhouettes and fabrics to create a stunning bridal collection. The dazzling colours were put together in unusual combinations -- unexpected even in the era of colour contrasts. He mixed purple and blue, maroon and cream, sky blue with sea blue... Imagine the stunning effect of a long green kurta and an indigo textured ghagra teamed with an orange net dupatta.

The luxurious fabrics became richer with zardosi embriodery and crystal work, and the added length of kameezes. In contrast to the elongated kurtas were the very short and sexy cholis, designed to make men at a wedding drool.

The oft-neglected dupatta of a bridal outfit, usually just a slightly modified version of the lehenga itself, was reborn with a new personality. Phadnis showed the world how a dupatta can transform an outfit, like a whole new layer to your clothing. It isn't just an accessory, it's a garment -- he seemed to be saying. There was variety in draping, embroidery and colours. His dupattas are something I would want to carry, despite the heavy lehengas. The best dupattas were those of net, complete with exquisite borders and sprays of crystal or embroidery work.

Phadnis mixed silhouettes using fabrics and patterns -- like brocade and velvet; or like the modern wave pattern blouse with zardosi on a velvet maroon lehenga. And then there were voluminous ghagras with sherwanis and saris with sherwani-style blouses. Who thought that Indian garments could be layered like this?

How to Wear It: When you get dolled up this festive season, carry a dupatta that does not match. Because, as Phadnis has shown, it really does.