A splash of colour

The plummeting property prices in Dubai may have been the conversation staple among Dubai's fashionistas before the doors to the Chivas Fashion Show were opened, but once the show got off to a glittering start at Park Hyatt on Friday, the economic downturn was soon forgotten and was replaced with talk of fluctuating hemlines, frayed fabrics and feisty colours.

The two-day event that included 14 designers (mostly A-list Indian couturiers), was mainly about having fun. Unlike other trade shows, it was less about courting the buyers or brokering deals, and more about the designers touching the pulse of what the well-dressed women truly want.

Day one, which was divided into two segments, featured the collections of the Indian designers Ashish Soni, Anamika Khanna and Rohit Bal. Two UK-based designers — Caroline Charles and Danielle Scutt — also made their presence felt with their summer-spring '09 collections.

Although there was a rumour that Bollywood's sultry siren Malaika Arora Khan would be the surprise package of the evening, it turned out to be the French actress Gabriella Wright who added her glitzy touch to the proceedings in a flower-encrusted bouffant gown by designer Rohit Bal. The evening saw plenty of stripes, floral prints and splashes of colours — grey was clearly an anathema.

Designers: Danielle Scutt and Caroline Charles
Inspiration: Flirty and upbeat numbers

Caroline Charles may have not ventured out of the backstage area after contracting a bad case of stomach flu, but her collection was in direct contrast to her physical state. Models were allowed to crack a smile, prance around the runways in flirty beach gear and dress up for afternoon tea-parties in polka-dotted creations. Her show also marked the return of stripes.

Danielle Scutt's creations, on the other hand, were marked by models wearing elaborate feather-trimmed head gear and vertiginous fluorescent gladiator heels. Short shorts and denims also made an entry.

Designer: Ashish Soni
Inspiration: Floral prints

His collection, Le Jardin de Fleur, was heavily inspired by the flower marigold. Steering clear from bright hues, Soni walked down a garden path that was studded with subtle colours. Borrowing the gold from the Marigold and then stamping on digitised floral prints was a recurring theme in his collection. Silk floral tops with cropped navy blue pants sat well with the well-heeled crowd.

Designer: Anamika Khanna
Inspiration: It's all about you

If you happen to love a dash of rock 'n' roll or a grunge look to your clothes, then Khanna's designs will be right up your alley. Tapering cotton-lycra black pants with delicately embroidered silk tunics were the highlights of her spring-summer '09 collection. Although her choice of skinny black leggings was met with knotted eyebrows, her underplayed beige coats with puffed sleeves and ivory shrapnel accessories were a hit.

"My clothes will be loved by all those women who love to experiment. Contemporary chic with an edgy twist is the best way to define my collection," Khanna said.

The designer, whose contact number is on the speed dial of many Bollywood celebrities, added that the rising star Sonam Kapoor is the epitome of city chic. "She would look perfect in these clothes. She is classy yet chic, and if I were to choose a celebrity to walk down the ramp today, it would have been her."

Designer: Rohit Bal
Inspiration: Apart from his hip thrusts while he took his final bow, Bal unleashed his creativity with a vengeance

When it came to crowd support, there was no beating Bal. By the looks of it, his bright and unapologetically loud creations prodded the sedated crowd awake. Each of his couture designs were met with catcalls, whistles and "well-done" shouts.

Hailed as "India's master of fabric and fantasy", Bal's collection was a visual spectacle with riotous colours, multi-layered fabrics and full-skirted creations. Weaving velvets with heavily-brocaded Benarsi silk pieces, coupling ruffled organza tunics with jewel-encrusted Aladdin pants and saris dipped in heavy Zardosi (silver embroidery) works were some of the highlights of his 70-piece collection.

Although some of his creations may not be adaptable or practical in today's context, it was evident that all was forgiven when it came to Bal's fantastical creations. The show-stopper proved to be the French actress Gabriella Wright, who looked at ease in a billowing tulle/organza concoction encrusted with large magenta/grey flowers.

On the sidelines:

tabloid! caught up with designer Rohit Bal before his show. Furiously munching on a club sandwich, it was clear that Bal resorted to binge eating to control his stress.

How do you feel? "I have done everything I can to make my show a success. We have done whatever we can do. Now, it's up to Allah to take care of the rest. I hope the crowd loves my creations, though. Sometimes, they [the fashionistas] can harbour high expectations."

Tell us more about your collection? "It's called Cheshma Shahi, which means Royal Spring. Expect a lot of floral prints, heavy embellishments and rich fabrics."

How do you tackle the criticism that Indian designers tend to stick to opulent styles? "It's a classic case of sour grapes. They [Western designers] can never attempt or create the pieces that we make. They are just jealous."

What's your one guiding principle when making clothes? "Good taste will always be in style. No mater how crazy, boisterous or over-the-top your creations are, if it's done in good taste, it will always be a winner."

Gabriella Wright

The French actress Gabriella Wright would have looked quite at home in a meadow as she tried to tackle her full-skirted puffed up tulle gown to sit comfortably on a winged chair that was dwarfed by her train. Visibly relaxed after having walked the ramp for designer Rohit Bal, the One Dollar Curry actress says she feels truly at home in a gown encrusted with magenta and grey flowers.

"It took four people to get me into this dress, and I wonder how many more it would take to get me out of it. But I love this gown. I think Bal is the Indian equivalent of the Parisian designer John Galliano. Both of them play on the boundaries of practicality. Bal is a genius and he makes me feel like a princess," Wright gushed.

Wright's penchant with the Eastern exotica does not end with Bal. Next in her smitten list is Bollywood. The petite actress, who is currently working on a French war drama, Loin Des Balles (Far From The Gun Shots), said she has been courting Bollywood with a vengeance. "As much as I love Bollywood and their colourful dancing, I think I will be more believable in a cross-over film than a mainstream commercial one. Talks are on about it. We will just have to wait and watch."

Wright's favourite things

Favourite brand: Yves Saint Laurent.
Favourite Bollywood film: Taare Zameen Par and Om Shanti Om for the cheeky/fun element.

Yasmin Le Bon in Depala's number

tabloid! was tipped off on Saturday that the British catwalk model Yasmin Le Bon was to attend the Chivas Fashion week last night at the Park Hyatt. And guess what? She was set to wear a stunning creation of local designer Ayesha Depala.

On Thursday, she marked her presence at the Atlantis $20 million bash, which was attended by Hollywood stars and sporting greats and marked by a spectacular fireworks display.

— Staff Report