Prabal Gurung: Sping-Summer 2014, New York Fashion Week

A "super stunner clothing cast" on the NFW runways, Prabal Gurung's show commenced in an empty warehouse on 33rd street. Indeed a bridge between "sporty-high fashion meets an explosion of colour", I am loving the below the knees style highlighting the ever classic pencil number.

Plunging necklines, dolman/ raglan sleeves, full-wasp-waists and cigarette pants were seen in the collection in an array of pastel shades, blacks, neons even, and the occasional bold digital print statement.

 Also seen was the use of transperant printed plastic without looking OTT which I thought was fabulous. And here's one collection guys that does evoke duchesse satin horrors in me!

"It was a celebration of women. I was thinking about preserving elegance, but making it modern and right for now - and with the right amount of danger," he told VOGUE UK backstage.

New York Fashion Week SS 14 - Trends We Love

Hello everyone! Once again, apologies for disappearing. The husband was on business in Belfast so I decided to join him there (my sister tagged along too!) after which we were driving around the Republic of Ireland exploring the Irish countryside. Between driving around in areas with almost no connectivity to trying to keep up to date with the New York fashion week shows (all thanks to the style.com application on my cool new Iphone) there's been literally no time. Tonight is my last night in Ireland and I am in Dublin where there's no connectivity issue thanks to wifi at the hotel so I thought I would do a quick run up on 4 of the most prominent trends (and my favorite too) on the New York runways.

1.The midriff baring tops. Too 90's you say? I doubt it. Almost every designer showcased at least one midriff baring/cropped tops so i say its time to get cracking on those crunches to show off a flat tummy by the time next summer is here.

L -R: Rodarte, Narciso Rodriguez, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Diane Von Furstenberg

2. Snow White and the .... This season, there was an abundance of white silhouettes throughout the shows showing that white (check out the Jason Wu show for head to toe white silhouettes, they are FABULOUS) is one of the strongest trends for SS 14. Some designers also reinterpreted the classic white shirt in numerous ways; with patches of sheer in between, laser cuts, shirt dresses, etc. I have always loved the simple white shirt and I am loving these cool new reinterpretations even more.

L-R: 10 Crosby Derek Lam, Alexander Wang, BCBG 

L-R: Diane Von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, Oscar De La Renta, Proenza Schouler

3. The sporty aesthetic. Spring 2012 saw a major sporty trend in high fashion and this is continuing well into SS 14. From sweatshirts to varsity style sweaters, the sporty look is definitely not for the tomboys anymore. Whoever says fashion can't be comfortable?!

L-R: Ralph Lauren, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Micheal Kors

4. Pastels always lighten up the SS runways every year and this year was no different. Minty green, powder pink and baby blues were seen in a lot of the silhouettes.

L-R: Tadashi Shoji, Pamella Roland, Prabal Gurung, Victoria Beckham

Of course these weren't the only trends but I do need to leave something for London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks! Bisous Bisous! 

Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013: Day 3 Trends We Love

While browsing through day three collections, I found some interesting trend angles that I decided to do -- in place of designer-wise collections. The first style that caught my eye was the exaggerated lapel, prominent in the collections of Drvv by Dhruv Kapur, Nupur Kanoi and Payal Khandwala.

Lapel trend, Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013

Zipped up, simple yet chic, lapels touched base to create some very sporty silhouettes. Kanoi's collection especially had a bunch of stylish collars on bold, statement colours.

Next up were the graphic prints. Abstract, stripped and scattered, prints embraced the collections of Priya Kataria Puri, Global Desi by Anita Dongre, Riddhi and Siddhi Mapxencar, and Richa Aggarwal. Neons, clubbed with androgynous silhouettes in Aggarwal's collection shone bright, and this has been one of the most fabulous shows till now in my opinion.

Prints, Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013

Post a lot of metallic shine in the previous shows, day three had it's fair share of the molten beauties in collections by Vikram Phadnis and Amit Aggarwal. Phadnis's collection has a mixed opinion from me; some of the ensembles were spectacular where as others were drab. I totally loved Amit Aggarwal's styles -- artsy with an overdose of super funk!

Metallic trend, Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013

This was Amit Aggarwal's  first foray into Indian wear away from his label Morphe, and his signature drape and sculpt touch was of course evident in most ensembles. With a palette where metallic tones overwhelmed deliciously, and touches of pop shades highlighted excitingly, I am just bowled over -- truly. A genre -- sculpture, futurism and drape -- where many attempt to execute complicated harmony, Aggarwal plays it up with perfection, and amazing flawlessness.

Here's some more Amit Aggarwal look variations to lust over:

Amit Aggarwal, Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013

Amit Aggarwal, Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013

Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013: Day Two Highlights

Bring on the accessories!!! As an avid lover of everything that is chunky, I looked forward to day two of Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013 with Little Shilpa, and Valliyan by Nitya showcasing on the ramps. And you guys should have seen how distressed I was seeing the state of things at LFW and I bitched with Hanadi for a good measure of time. I only like snippets of every collection and haven't come across anything that has left me going wow -- that has left me with shivers and brought me down to my knees in praise. Funny as I might sound, I consider fashion my religion. And those who think otherwise, I state the story of 'the sock and the salesman' (mail me if you would like to hear it too) to change their minds. Having said that, and looking at it all from a very non-biased point of view even though my professional work is related to a lot of international brands, where is the finesse at LFW? Little Shilpa has always been one of my favourite quirky accessory designers but her attempt at confluencing unconventional materials vs 'shabby-chic' falls flat on the ramp. It is one thing being whimsical, it is another being chaotic. Head gear overload indeed; one of course expects nothing short of exaggeration from the creator -- yet these left a lot to be desired. And saris were paired with men's shirts and the katori-choli was layered with bow-ties -- I do not even wish to comment anymore.

Little Shilpa, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Nitya Arora's pieces brought in influences of Art Deco crafted out of mixed media -- I liked the statement necklaces. Another accessory that caught my eye was this chain-mall kind of an all over body piece shown here on the third picture with the blue parasol -- would have loved some intricacy incorporated into the same.

Valliyan by Nitya Arora, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

As for the clothing, Karishma Shahani's collection combined vibes of 'Mona Darling-style Bollywood glamour' where multiple fabrics, textures and prints came into play.

Karishma Shahani, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Ken Fern's collection titled Moon Rise played the peplum and corset to the hilt. Also on the ensembles were night-sky inspired prints. Aren't we a little done with the 'futuristic meets architectural splendour' bit already?

Ken Ferns, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Sneha Arora's collection called A Soldier Story brought together vintage silhouettes and reinterpreted funky camo prints. Simple as it might seem, this is one of my favourites so far, me being a huge fan of war-inspired fashions of WW I era. How funky it was to turn traditional camo into cute little motifs?

Sneha Arora, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Label Soup by Sougat Paul ensembles had a largely rustic, earth palette, interspersed with bright accents of mandarin and purple. From jackets to draped saris, Paul presented varied styles.

Soup by Sougat Paul, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

I totally need to own of 'em' Anushka Khanna jersey dresses. Simple, chic and perfectly pret -- sophisticated Boheme ahem! Although nothing special you may say, simplicity always calls out to me.

Anushka Khanna, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

I don't know; in Komal Sood's collection called Phoenix in Paradise, the flow seemed very detached to me. Could it be like casual style gives way to a glamour goddess (ashes to glory)? Zero finesse again. Outfits such as these deserve brilliant tailoring, which I don't think has been nailed here at all.

Komal Sood, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Rajat K Tangri's satin overload seemed ghastly to me. Silhouettes and cuts such as these are being done to death by everybody don't you think? 

Rajat K Tangri, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

A gentle reprise and relief was Sailex's collection. The astute cuts with hints of sexiness, such as a peek-a-boo neckline or thigh-high slits were all created in monotone fabrics with a dose of florals.

Sailex, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Neither did label Shehlaa by Shehla Khan's feminine wispy numbers disappoint. Called Tale of the Unexpected bringing forth the designer's love for fairy tales, I think Khan has a knack for creating uber-delicate girlie silhouettes. I love the skirt on showstopper Jacqueline Fernandez (even though I could totally diss that neck-piece and bodice)

Shehlaa by Shehla Khan, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Another collection crafted entirely in black and gold, Shantanu Goenka's show titled Kruhun means black in Kashmiri. Inspired by India and the Middle-East, and with abundance of Kashmiri Tilla work, the ensembles were heavy on embellishments and texturing.

Shantanu Goenka, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Imma skip out on Troy Costa since ya'all know I don't do menswear and move straight onto the finale show of the day from Rocky Star by Rocky S. Metallics were a huge international trend this year trickling into 2014 shows as well and this is why I appreciated this collection. From textures to fabrics, metal sheen shone right and bright (nothing else to add lol).

Rocky S, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Top Picks At The Maison Closing Sale!

Guys, as I was window shopping online again, I thought I should urgently inform you that the luxury designer boutique, Maison, in Bangalore is shutting down in two days and pretty much everything is at 75% off. If you have been low on funds but your shopping list is never ending like mine, I suggest that you order ASAP. Sizes are limited, so hurry before whatever’s left also goes away! The sale ends tomorrow at 9pm India time tomorrow. Here are my top picks.

1. Carven Full Sleeve Jersey Satin Dress - A twist dress from Carven is a necessity in anyone's wardrobe and what better than this gorgeous Baroque -esque stained glass printed dress! If you haven't ordered it yet, I'm so going to beat you to it! Click here to purchase.

2. 3.1 Philip Lim Trompe L'Oeil Fitted Dress - Off the FW 2012 runway and into your closet! This gorgeous cotton linen dress with a detachable PVC belt has a classic yet sleek silhouette and means you can wear it for a few seasons at least without it going out of style oh and the price tag will NOT leave you broke. In fact for a runway piece I say it's a steal. Click here to purchase.

3.1 Philip Lim FW 2012

3. TIBI Sleeveless Geneva Print Draped Dress - This beautiful silk dress with an eccentric blotted print on it is perfect for the never ending Indian summer. It features slouchy pockets and is crisscrossed at the back. Just right for a social butterfly with a hectic social calender. Click here to purchase.

4. Issa Silk Jersey V-Neck Dress - If you've been one of the unfortunate one's who couldn't get their hands on the blue Issa dress Kate Middleton wore on her engagement well then you're in luck. Okay I wouldn't say you got 100% lucky but close enough with the pink one on sale at Maison and that too at a fraction of what you would have paid for it otherwise. BTW the duchess isn't the only celebrity seen in a similar Issa dress, you can add Elizabeth Hurley to the list too. Need I say more? Click here to purchase.

Kate Middleton in Issa

Elizabeth Hurley in Issa

5. Giuseppe Zanotti Gladiator Heels - Gladiator heels are back in style thus all the more reason to pick this super HOT pair. Click here to purchase.

6. Giuseppe Zanotti Patent Leather Pumps With Gold Heels - A pair of black stiletto pumps is a must have in everyone's closet and if they have a gold heel, even better! Classic with a dash of funky, you cant go wrong with this pair. What I can't get over is the price, it's really a steal deal as Guiseppe shoes are so expensive otherwise, it'll be a crime not to order them. Click here to purchase.

7. Cacharel Skinny Belt With a Gold Clasp - Skinny belts are perfect to cinch a boyfriend shirt, dress or even a jacket and are a must have in your accessory closet. I love the color on this belt and the gold clasp. Click here to purchase. 

Top Picks From Pernia's Pop Up Shop

As I open our twitter page, I am flooded with tweets  about Pernia’s Pop Up Shop selling the current Lakme Fashion Week  collections on her e-commerce site, and I instantly start checking out what’s cooking (my cousin’s getting married in January and my BFF the coming October so naturally I’ve got a big shopping list).

Of course at some point in time I got distracted and started checking out other stuff on the website and came across some awesome items that I plan on adding to my cart. I love Pernia’s own designs too, she uses top notch fabric, the clothes are extremely stylish and don’t pinch your pocket too much which is an added bonus. So here’s what I’m eyeing at Pernia’s Pop Up Shop. 

1. Pernia Qureshi Neon Pink Maxi Dress - Neons have been in mode for a while now and this bold neon maxi dress is just fabulous. Yes it's a very modest silhouette but the thigh high slit on the side is perfect to reveal just the right about of skin. Pair it with a gold necklace or chunky dull gold earrings and sky high stilettos to complete the look. Click here to purchase.

2. Pernia Qureshi Black Sequinned Dress With Chiffon Overlay - Little black dress, WHAAAT? No, its a long black dress in this case. I am absolutely in love with this gorgeous maxi. Made out of silk chiffon with a georgette lining, the fabrics are luxurious. I love the sequinned sweetheart neckline under the chiffon. This black dress is perfect for a cocktail, a night of heavy partying with the girls or a formal dinner. Throw in a statement necklace (and I mean STATEMENT) with a chic clutch (click here to check out some of the hottest clutches) and you're good to go. The dress is currently sold out, however you can click here to contact them for availability. I suggest you do it ASAP because this dress is a MUST have!

3. Satya Paul Grey and Pink Lipstick Print Sari - Who says saris have to be traditional? Surely not this one! Do we care that Sonam Kapoor was seen in it? OF COURSE we do! I know she was seen in it a while ago but who cares, we still love her and the sari. Moving on, what can I say, this sari in georgette and crepe is so sexy! It comes with a metallic sequin embellished blouse with a peter pan collar and I adore the whimsical print on the sari and the happy colors. Again this piece is sold out, but click here to show interest. 

4. Nachiket Barve Silk and Lurex Appliqued Bolero - I think my search for the perfect bolero just ended. The squiggle applique on this bolero is so fun! A friend of mine once teamed up a bolero with her sari and she looked AAHH-MAZING! Maybe you can try it out? Click here to purchase.

5. Pernia Qureshi Floral And Lace Printed Blazer - EEEEEEEE another blazer Ive fallen in love with! You all know I have a blazer obsession right? I've got 10 in my closet and before the year ends there will be a few more. This gorgeous silk floral printed blazer is eye-catching without having to try too hard and can be worn during the day or night. I usually team my blazers with my favorite 7 For All Mankind skinnys and a pair of stilettos at night or a pair of ballerinas during the day. Click here to purchase.

6. Manish Arora for Amrapali Gold Plated Gazelle Hand Harness - How cool is this hand harness?! I would pair it with a low key silhouette for maximal impact. Sadly out of stock (Why Pernia, Why?!!) but click here to contact them for availability.

7. Eina Ahluwalia Respect - Protect Earrings - I love accessories that stand out and these 22 karat gold plated earrings do just that. Hey, maybe you can pair these with the above featured pink maxi?! Click here to purchase.

Sonam Kapoor in Satya Paul

Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2013: Day One Round Up

This year's chapter of this annual event kicked off with Manish Malhotra's show called Reflections that comprised of pre-bridal and festive ensembles at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. Surprisingly demure, the ensembles were non-fussy and stylishly classy in a palette ranging from champagnes to tans to pruces and wines. 

Manish Malhotra, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Rajasthani and Kutchi inspirations were imbibed through mirror-work, colour blocking and native fabrics in silhouettes ranging from Indo-Westerns to the newly derived 'ghagra-pants'. And I sort of feel, this collection is truly an extension of his PCJ ensembles, presented within a more subtle aura -- especially through combining absolutely astute upper garments with full skirted bottoms.

Manish Malhotra, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Then we had Ranna Gill present a resort-oriented collection in a palette of white and brights. Always been a fan of sheer skirts and I loved the two ensembles shown below.

Ranna Gill, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Jatin Varma presented an array of sculptural gowns in monotones of red, blue and purple.

Jatin Varma, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Payal Singhal played with opposites to create an abject, contrasting balance.

Payal Singhal, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

I am totally lusting after these super elegant Anita Dongre lehengas. Love the geometric influence on the embellishment motifs!

Anita Dongre, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Nikhil Thampi also played with black and gold contrasts in saris, backless gowns, and key-piece pairings.

Nikhil Thampi, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Nishka Lulla presented a collection that was almost bling free, bringing in a range of metallic fabrics paired against muted ones, and a selection of floral prints.

Nishka Lulla, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Priyadarshini Rao incorporated multiple fabrics into her collection to create ensembles with a very layered demeanor. What do you guys think?

Priyadarshini Rao, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

The exaggerated shoulder was presented in full glory by Shilpa Reddy, that too in ethnic wear!

Shilpa Reddy, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

Vijay Balhara's ensembles did not deviate even a tad from simple chic!

Vijay Balhara, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013

And finally, here's some new sari lovin' courtesy Debarun!

Debarun, Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013