Date: 5-7 April 2019
Venue: Roseate House, Aerocity

Last week we got an invite from Delhi Times Fashion Week at Roseate House, Aerocity. The lineup for this 3-day sartorial extravaganza by Times of India group was impressive. Ritu Beri was closing the show on the final evening and it couldn’t be missed.

The first show that we covered was by designer Payal Jaiswal. We loved Payal Jaiswal’s designs for her eco friendly approach in combination with traditional Indian styles. Her clothes were dyed in Bandhni and Lehariya styles and shades of indigo paired with canary yellow on natural muls and khadi. The look was ethereal and yet summery, contemporary with an Indian ethos. We also loved the vitality her styled exuded.

Ken Ferns show came next and was a total contrast to Jaiswal’s subtlety. Fern’s clothes were all colours – bright and loud. He paired pinks with neon greens and had displayed some smart underwear as well. He was the only designer to include menswear that evening. In fact, the show stopper was cricketer Sreesanth. Sreesanth’s ramp walk was very guy next door and helped in balancing the daring slits on the vest he was sporting.

Subarna Ray Chaudhuri’s show was a surprise since she was new to us. She exhibited handloom saris – yet not quite. Using lot of layering with handloom as well as embroidered fabrics and even the gamchha from Assam, she created very contemporary looks. Her saris had a dress like silhouette. Consequently all the hats and hair bands she accessorized on her models did not look out of place one bit. Her show stopper was actress Raima Sen in a gray saree and a hat. Somehow the hat covered Raima’s space and she seemed a little overwhelmed in the layers of her clothing.

What came next compensated. Subarna apparently volunteers for the elderly and she got some of these women in their golden years to walk the ramp. Aided with walkers, wheel chairs or escorted by a care giver, these unusual models did not seem to be a bit inhibited in walking the ramp wearing Subarna’s happy dresses. It was a poignant time in the hall. The audience hooted, cheered and then gave Subarna’s golden models a standing ovation.

The concluding designer Ritu Beri’s show started late since everyone wanted to come in. She had used Ikat fabrics in the line she displayed. Ikat, with its geometric patterns added an edge to the outfits. In fact, some of the Ikat that she used, we thought seemed brought from Indonesia, the native for Ikat weave. Her show was stopped by actress Divya Khosla who electrified the ramp in a gold-silver-Ikat ensemble.

The eyes were tired by then, and nothing was registering. It was quite like the Miss India pageant we had covered a while back. The razzmatazz kept us heady for a while.

More power to Delhi Times Fashion Week we say!