Kolkata-based designer Debarun Mukherjee brought all the eras of Indian cinema together on the ramp with actresses Aditi Rao Hydari and Chitrangada Singh playing his muses.
The couture line of the designer was inspired by the evolution of film costumes over the decades and unravelled the journey of Indian film fashion with time.
“My inspiration was mainly Indian popular cinema. I have kept the contemporary but I have looked through the hourglass and put the contemporary style to that age. I have taken around eight decades and put them into five slots.
“I am in love with cinema. A designer’s main thing for couture or bridal show is his first love and cinema is one of my first love,” said Mukherjee.
The show that began with the black and white era of the 1930s and 40s was opened by actress Rao Hydari, dressed in a grey lehnga-choli with a shimmering net dupatta and a sparkling hair accessory.
“I just love the outfit Debarun has given me. It is light, flowy and yet looks so... vintage. It is a perfect couture wear for me,” said the actress, who walked to the classic song Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon from the 1947 film Dard.
The show, which then switched to the Eastman colour era with a Mughal-e-Azam song, Jab Pyaar Kia Toh Darna Kya, was dominated by zardozi, beaded work, thread embroideries and appliques in floral, trellis and ornate motifs.
The Eastman era was followed by Technicolour decade of the ’70s and ’80s. The slot opened with Dum Maaro Dum and continued with dialogues of Amitabh Bachchan.
The ’90s had teal green, golden, sapphire blue and purple.
The current era was showcased with Chaiyya Chaiyya playing.
Singh, who closed the show wearing a beige lehnga-choli with maroon motifs and shimmery green net dupatta, said the collection was completely honest to cinematic inspiration.
“I saw the whole show backstage and I did not know there are so many different colours. It was so much fun and the collection actually looked like it is inspired from cinema. Sometimes the inspiration you see on [the] ramp is different and we try to connect, but this was very honest depiction of what he is saying and even what I am wearing is gorgeous. I want to thank him for making me look so beautiful,” Singh said.
Praising fellow actress Rao Hydari, who was the show opener the actress said, “Aditi looked lovely. Our looks were so different even though both were Indian. She looked very pretty.”
The designer was completely enthralled by his muses and said they carried the outfit beautifully.
“The whole inspiration is from colours of Bengal. I have taken things from Devdas. Aditi and Chitrangada are looking amazingly gorgeous. They are beautiful women, he said.
