Let's get practical

Ravi Bajaj

Indian designer Ravi Bajaj's debut at DFW saw a packed hall, featuring his primarily Indian fans who gasped and clapped at the clothes displayed.

The collection was an interesting mix of Indian embroidery, motifs and embellishments, and European styles, cuts and designs. The Delhi-based designer is renowned for showcasing Indian sensibility and giving it a modern look.

The menswear line had a fusion of class and modernity. Take, for instance, an elongated bandhgala jacket over skinny pants or riding breeches, sherwanis over loose pants and navigator kurtas over jeans.

"Even in a festival like Diwali, I have seen them wear formal western clothing instead of the ethnic wear they should be wearing. This is one of the reasons I decided to go all out creating traditional clothes resplendent for the festivities ahead of us," said Bajaj.

His clothes beamed and sparkled from the beginning to the end. A heavy mix of gold and silver scorched the ramp. He primarily used shades of red (scarlet, pink and magenta) and blue (cobalt, turquoise and aquamarine) in his collection. Fabrics and silhouettes were mostly structured.

But what really set the designer's collection apart was the variety. While there was a visual treat of a traditionally crafted lehenga, there were evening gowns, structured coats with zardozi, and more.

"I feel Indian dressing is not restricted to a specific occasion or season. My clothes here were inspired by occasion wear that transcend all seasons."

Bollywood starlet Riya Sen, the show-stopper, wore a shimmering, short, black dress. She looked a bit uncomfortable walking on the ramp. Post-show, insiders revealed that Sen was upset as she was supposed to wear a sari instead.

The last-minute change of plan did not go down well with her. She left immediately after the show without meeting the media or her fans.

— Ritu Raizada, Special to tabloid!

Riddhi & Siddhi and Jelin George

Dubai Fashion Week has often come under fire for rolling out impractical bridal stock. But here it was all about practicality as sibling designer duo Riddhi & Siddhi unveiled a highly wearable collection.

Dresses with structured sleeves, Rubik's Cube chequered detailing and white capris paired with sunny yellow and green silk tops made it to the runway.

Blue silk jumpsuits with glittering bustiers gave it an edge and red pants paired with chiffon-sleeved tops with red-and-black chequered cuffs made you even think that it made for a perfect Formula 1 off-track ensemble. Red shorts paired with white structured jackets with visible zipper detailing also made an appearance.

"We stuck to the colours on a Rubik's Cube. We wanted to show through our clothes that women are a puzzle — especially when they are in love. Each of the colours reflect a certain mood — for instance, our yellow dresses reflected her happy, flirtatious mood," said Riddhi.

Glittering black necklaces and contrasting wristbands were also used to step up the glamour.

In comparison, the second part of the showcase by Jelin George was a let-down. Inspired by the celebrated painter Frida Kahlo and the designer's take on how she would be dressed in Paris, her tassels-riddled collection (there were tassels everywhere, be it on sleeves, the bodice or the hemlines) reminded you of opulent curtains hung in decadent hotels.

Gold dresses with blue tassels emerging from the chest, cream dresses with metallic warrior-esque bodices in dull gold and bronze, and yellow dresses with a bush of fuschia tassels hanging off the shoulders were all a part of her collection. "My style is masculine, therefore you saw a lot of structured jackets," said George. 

Malak Al Ezzawy  

Think of a muted rainbow and you get an idea about the range of colours Egyptian designer Malak Al Ezzawy used in her collection Color Coated Spirit. Aptly titled, one-shoulder lime-yellow dresses and flowing chiffon dresses with folded flaps and capes made it to the runway.

If we didn't get her allegiance to colours, there were even buckets of paint and brush with smattering of dried paint on it on the ramp to push her point home. However, her colour palette was subtle and understated. A favourite was the lilac and dark purple floral print dress draped in circular fashion from the bust towards the hips.

Mullet dress with layers of peach tulle was her nod to all the women who didn't necessarily lean towards long gowns or mini dresses.

"I want to make a woman feel special when she wears my clothes. My mullet dresses are a perfect choice for women who love dresses but can't decide whether they like it long or short," said Malak after he show. 

Orchid Ganji for Orkalia 

During this show, there was a wardrobe malfunction on the runway as a model in an ivory gown held together by silver-encrusted straps tumbled on the catwalk. But ever the professional, she was up in a split second, put both the straps back on and glided back-stage.

We believe it was the wax from the lit candles on the runway that was the culprit.

But the drama did not just stem from this incident. Ganji's collection of figure-embracing evening gowns and cocktail dresses were all about celebrating the curves. Models with pinned-up hair and orchids wore chiffon dresses in champagne and jewel tones. Making it red-carpet ready were the crystal embellishments used sparingly on the sleeves or on the neckline.

A favourite was a black dress with a transparent cape and pale nude lace and stone-encrusted detailing.