Make your diwali sparkle

Colourful lehengas paired with pants and jackets, saris with unique metallic work and long-sleeved blouses, and flowing dresses with Swarovski dupattas — these were just some of the pieces on display at Samsaara Boutique at Souk Al Bahar last week where leading Indian fashion designer Vikram Phadnis showcased his new collection in time for Diwali.

Phadnis is renowned for his high-end Indo-Western fusion style and for dressing Bollywood celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra. His new collection includes work from his Spring/Summer 2010 line and assorted pieces. "It's essentially very festive, very colourful and very ornate," Phadnis said.

The big trend for the season is more flow and less structure, he said. "The cuts are more feminine — even the saris have longer, fluid drapes as blouses." His sherwanis also move away from the rigid look, as do most of his pieces, which incorporate large amounts of fabric and drape. Net and georgette are used liberally.

Brocade work is also featured heavily in Phadnis' collection, which he said is "very in" this season. In terms of colours, he said deep colours, especially burgundy, wine red and aubergine will be popular. Jackets paired with lehengas and dresses are also in style. "Not many people want to wear the typical Indian lehenga choli," he said. This realisation is what inspires him to create fusion pieces with Indian cuts and Western appeal.

Heavy appliqué work is featured in many garments, but there are also more understated items. One simpler collection that stands out is an exquisite blue and beige line that features saris and kurtas with salwars or churidar pants. Phadnis believes that this line in particular would appeal to women in Dubai.

"I think less is more for them. They don't want an overdose of something — they want clothes that are understated," he said. Prices for Phadnis' creations range from Dh3,500 for an anarkali suit to Dh12,000 for a lehenga.