Fashion Week

Eighty percent of the country witnesses hot weather and even if north India witnesses winter, it lasts for not more than two months," says Pradeep Hirani, owner of Mumbai retail outlet Kimaya, told. "So it is a good shift. Orders are small, production won't take much time and as a result retail outlets will get new designs every three months, which is a very good thing, keeping in mind how fashion forward today's consumer is," he added.

So this year, keeping the domestic market in mind, LFW organisers had taken a collective decision to present a Spring-Resort collection instead of an Autumn-Winter one during the five-day fashion event from March 5 to 9. At fashion shows the world over, an Autumn-Winter collection is presented early in the year and a Spring-Summer edition in the latter part. But Hirani feels the Indian fashion market is so huge and so creative that it need not follow the international fashion week formula. "In the West, they have extreme summer and extreme winter. We don't have that here; so what is the point of following their standards?" he asked. "We don't have to go by international fashion weeks because our fashion caters to the domestic market and that is where designers make business. This is the time to show our attitude and our identity," he said.

This year the Bollywood quotient at LFW was low compared to previous years, making it a more designfocused event. Among the designers who participated were Manish Malhotra, Narendra Kumar, Malini Ramani, Rocky, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Satya Paul, Shantanu and Nikhil, Suneet Varma and Vikram Phadnis, among others. In all, no one is complaining about the seasonal shift, but its effect will be seen in the next season.

The Stitch Times is pleased to share what important collections were showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week, held from 5 through 9 March, 2010 at Mumbai, without, however, implying that other collections were not so impressive.

Pria Kataria Puri's Fashionable Ode to Maharani Gayatri Devi

Maharani Gayatri Devi's beauty and style is unparallel in the world of fashion. Little wonder therefore that Pria Kataria Puri's collection at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2010 was called "The Royal Rajputana Collection". It was resort haute couture from a designer who is known for her striking colourful creations.

Staying true to her muse, Pria's line of luxurious garments were in a rainbow of dazzling hues, that ranged from creamy pearl, smoky and golden topaz, aquamarine, turquoise, coral, red, emerald and onyx which were made from feminine flowing fabrics like silk, chiffon, tulle, satin, jersey and Egyptian cotton.

Show stopper Bollywood glam girl, Mughda Godse ended the show in a dazzling slim orange lehenga, choli and net dupatta, Splendour in fashion can only be created by Pria Kataria Puri and her Gayatri Devi inspired collection will be the ultimate style statement for any woman.