Dubai's fashionistas can look forward to a rare treat with nine top Indian designers presenting their latest collections at the Chivas in Fashion Tour. The exclusive by-invitation-only event will feature three fashion shows at the Creek Ballroom of the Park Hyatt Dubai on April 3 and 4.
Ashish Soni, Malini Ramani and CUE by Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna will present their collections on Thursday. The two shows on Friday will feature garments by Wendell Rodricks, Raghavendra Rathore and Vikram Phadnis followed by the creations of Rocky S, Shantanu and Nikhil and Neeta Lulla.
The Chivas in Fashion Tour was launched in Mumbai in October 2007 and travelled to Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore in India before coming to Dubai. The event has also supported Indian designers at Fashion weeks in India, New York and Paris.
Special moments
"Chivas is a premium global lifestyle brand. Our brand is about sharing special moments with friends and colleagues in the right ambience. Similarly, the Chivas in Fashion Tour is an occasion for people with discerning taste to get together and enjoy an evening of fantastic fashion and hospitality in a relaxed atmosphere," said David Freeborn, general manager, Pernod Ricard Gulf.
"We decided to add Dubai to the tour because it is one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in the world with a large number of successful Indian expatriates. We hope to make this an annual event. With India's finest designers participating, top models, and only the best in sound, light and set design, the Chivas in Fashion Tour promises to be ‘the' fashion event of the year in this fashion savvy city," he added.
Designers
Rocky S
Rocky is one of the few Indian designers who concentrates on Western wear. Celebrities who rely on him for their film and personal styling include John Abraham, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Shilpa Shetty, Vivek Oberoi, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Rampal, Esha Deol and Priyanka Chopra.
Shantanu and Nikhil
Shantanu, an MBA in finance from Ohio State University, US, and Nikhil, a fashion design graduate from FIDM, Los Angeles, pooled their entrepreneurial and creative skills to launch their label in 1999. They design for men and women and are known for the understated, classic and sophisticated look of their garments. They redesigned Amitabh Bachchan's look for Kaun Banega Crorepati and count many famous cricketers and film stars among their customers.
Wendell Rodricks
He began his career in fashion after a successful tenure in hotel management. Trained in Los Angeles and Paris, he began by designing and styling for companies such as Garden Vareli, cosmetic giant Lakme and diamond corporate De Beers before establishing his own label in 1990. His signature style blends ancient Indian geometry with a relaxed Goan attitude.
Vikram Phadnis
Choreographer-turned-Bollywood designer Vikram Phadnis is also a good stylist responsible for the look of major Bollywood stars. Besides film costumes and stars' private wardrobes, Phadnis also designs prêt, diffusion and couture lines for his own label.
A statement in black
At Dubai Fashion Week, Vikram Phadnis presented a collection of dresses in a mix of prints and earthy colours. For his Chivas in Fashion show on April 4, he is bringing a collection that is predominantly black.
"The silhouettes are stylised blending indoor, outdoor and glamorous disco looks. The garments are inspired by the equestrian world and the accessories have a vintage mood," revealed Phadnis.
Ashish Soni
He was the first Indian designer to be invited to present a runway show at the Olympus Fashion Week, New York, in September 2005. He continues to show at New York Fashion Week and also exhibits at London Fashion Week and Tranoi in Paris. His trendy, youthful signature look combines influences from his childhood in Africa and traditional Indian craftsmanship.
CUE by Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna
Launched in 1998, the label specialises in Western wear for women and men's formal wear. The Delhi-based designers are a favourite with celebrities and were voted the best men's wear designers for the year 2005-06.
Neeta Lulla
In a career spanning two decades, Neeta has designed costumes for over 300 Bollywood films including mega hits such as Lamhe (for which she won a national award) Chandni, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Jodhaa Akbar. She has also designed for Hollywood films Bride and Prejudice and One Night With A King. Neeta also has successful prêt, couture and bridal labels.
Malini Ramani
Daring, irreverent and funky, Malini has always defied rules to create her own unique, Bohemian, rock-star-meets -Indian-princess style. The designer is known for her buoyant colours, provocative cuts and plenty of bling.
Raghavendra Rathore
Rathore studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York. He trained with Donna Karan and Oscar De La Renta before launching his own label in India in 1994. Deriving inspiration from his lineage and heritage, the designer combines traditional workmanship with modern touches to create garments that evoke the spirit of a bygone age but with a fresh approach.
