The second day of Dubai Fashion Week saw a bevy of Bollywood beauties strutting down the ramp. Bengali siren Riya Sen dialled up the glam quotient by strutting down in a polka-dotted halter neck gown while Bollywood has-been Bhagyashree glided down the ramp with an exaggerated swagger. They may not be the biggest stars in Bollywood today, but in many ways their arrival took the heat away from the questionable creations put together by Indian designers Aartivijay Gupta and Nisha Sagar.
In Pictures: Dubai Fashion Week
In fact, the collision of Bollywood and fashion on the second day - had me wondering if the insider joke — "if your clothes are not good enough to hold on their own, then rope in a celebrity" — had a grain of truth in it. But the highlight of the day was the impressive collection put together by designer Zeena Zaki, whose voluminous gowns took us back to the Victorian era.
Riya Sen unplugged
Bollywood actress Riya Sen is an ace at being elusive. No sooner had she taken a bow on the ramp for designer Artivijay Gupta than Sen managed to slink away unnoticed. So our first instinct was to contact the designer's assistant who was distinctly hapless. But a few calls later, we managed to pin her down.
Apparently, Sen had jumped off the catwalk only to head to the expansive Dubai Mall to appease her inner shopping goddess. When tabloid! caught up with her over the phone she was planning to demolish her favourite stores — Zara, BCBG, Bebe and Armani.
"I love shopping and whenever I am in Dubai. I make sure that I stay for an extra two days to do some serious shopping. I love MOE and now the Dubai Mall. I always manage to get great stuff here," says Sen.
Defending her "disappearing act," Sen said she was also in the process of catching up with her best friend from Kolkata.
"I have many friends here in Dubai and right now I am catching up with one of them. Dubai doesn't feel like a foreign country at all."
The petite 29-year-old actress, who had her first Bollywood hit in 2001 with the raunchy comedy Style, may not have topped up her account, but she has a string of product endorsements under her designer belt and a few releases in 2010. In between all this, she often makes time to walk down the ramp for designers.
"There is nothing wrong in designers using celebrities on the ramp. It's a give and take process and personally — even personalities who excel in other fields should walk down the catwalk."
She may not have seen the creations of Artivijay Gupta before the Dubai outing, but she is quick to praise her experience. "Walking down the ramp in a foreign country is always a great experience. I did not have a clue about Artivijay's designs but I am always up for coming to Dubai."
Her stunning figure is another talking point. "I am a great advocate of bikram yoga — I am in a room with a very high temperature and I practise for more than an hour every day."
So nothing comes easy.
Zeena Zaki
Romance was in the air as Iraqi designer Zeena Zaki unravelled her billowing couture gowns. With a distinct Victorian touch, the lacy gowns with some plunging necklines transformed the waif-like models into buxom beauties. The colour palette — dominated by beiges and mauve — was easy on the eye and gave an ethereal feel. The pale creamy creations also incorporated floral corsages and plumes into its long trains with great effect. The Swarovski encrusted bodices paid homage to the less-is-more belief. Using crystals sparingly, Zaki kept the mood dreamy with her heavenly creations.
Nisha Sagar
Sagar's collections had the potential to be candylicious with all the citrus-coloured concoctions. But the orange bubble dresses and yellow one-shouldered number were not the prime examples of good tailoring. Some of the models were sashaying down the ramp with bursting zippers. Even the corset creations — with the smattering of stones and crystals — did not gel with the cuts. Though Sagar has labelled her collection Summer Sizzle, the only visible sizzle were the Bollywood showstoppers Bhagyashree and aspiring actress Anushka Ranjan.
Pamela Phlaphongphant
Taking more than one strand from Turkish architecture, designer Phlaphongphant's collection was dominated by brocades and floral motifs. Short one-shouldered chiffon dresses with a brocade sash and harem-pants gathered near the ankles were the mainstay. The brocade caps placed slantingly atop a model's head — akin to the red caps worn by Sufi dancers — and snake armlets made for an interesting detail. Though the flirty drapes fused the eastern and the western elements, it was the harem pants that had the crowd cheering.
Aartivijay Gupta
Aartivijay Gupta's wild collection of leather jackets with fur collars, lace leggings and animal prints sure have a rugged feel, but you need to be made of sterner stuff to wear them. The leather pants with floral appliques — which I fear will be harsh on well-endowed women — are perfect for the runway.Artivijay is stocked at Valleyez in Wafi and JYK boutique.
Calling all wild women
Mumbai-based designer Aartivijay Gupta did not take a bow at the DFW on Monday as she was busy preparing for a fashion event in London. tabloid! caught up with her over the phone.
How challenging was it to use leather and fur in your collection?
The key is not to go O-T-T. I have tried my best to be minimalistic while using fur and leather.
Define the women who will wear your collection, The Urban Nomad, well?
It's ideal for people with a wild streak in them. They are wanderers at heart and women with that attitude can carry off my clothes well.
Why did you choose Riya Sen as your showstopper?
Riya Sen was ideal because she has the right attitude to carry off my rugged clothes. For instance, I cannot have Lata Mangeshkar [the legendary sari-clad Indian singer] or an Amitabh Bachchan walking the ramp for me. I feel Riya is a non-conformist and that works for me.
What's your style mantra?
Less is more and when wearing animal prints — don't go overboard.
DID YOU KNOW?
Studio 8 has partnered with DFW to present an array of fashion awards. As you read, 8 judges comprising eminent personalities in the field of fashion are in the process of selecting winners in the categories including - the Best Designer (haute couture and prêt-a-porter); Best Catwalk Presentation and Best Emerging Talent. The awards will be handed over on April 7, prior to the grand finale show.
