The recently-concluded PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2012 in the Capital had its moments. Like when one entered the show area for Manish Arora’s show and for a moment thought one had walked into this funky firefly-lit night; fluorescent stickers on seats and the entire backdrop at once summed up the designer’s colour palette of choice and this season’s dot love, the LED lights on the caged ramp keeping tune with Tapan Raj’s music. A good show, definitely — the fact that this was a retrospective and not exactly couture 2012-13 another matter. There was Sabyasachi’s elaborate parlour-esque set, with the chintz wallpaper, antique furniture and blue pottery. Despite the cynicism associated with actors’ presence on ramps, Madhuri Dixit played a radiant muse to Anju Modi, and Anamika Khanna and Gaurav Gupta’s offsite show at Evoluzione drew several appreciative sighs. The news of Prabuddha Dasgupta’s passing away the morning of the last day introduced a brief tone of sombreness, manifesting in the form of a fidgety one-minute silence before each of the two shows, things returning to the practical present with the call of the-show-must-go-on.
There were certain common elements that emerged across shows, though there were few that were specific to or emerged from this year’s showcase.
Tulle had its moment this year, appearing as it did as embroidered saris, bodycon dresses, dupattas and bodices at Sabyasachi, embellished lehengas and tulle layers at Manish Malhotra, voluminous hoop skirts at Manav Gangwani, and exaggerated collar ruffles at Shantanu & Nikhil, wispy ponchos and delicate draping over cigarette pants, and volume-lending underskirts at Anju Modi. Tutus would be proud.
Godet skirts featured at Manav Gangwani, Sabyasachi, Ashima Leena, Shantanu & Nikhil, and Gaurav Gupta, while the evolution of the sari continued through smart stitched versions, as seen at Varun Bahl, Anamika Khanna, Gaurav Gupta (expectedly) and Anju Modi.
Monochrome made an appearance at Anju Modi, Manav Gangwani, Varun Bahl and Sabyasachi.
Mullet hems still held sway, livening up skirts, lehengas, gowns and coats interestingly, case in point being Anamika Khanna, Gaurav Gupta, Manav Gangwani, Manish Malhotra and Anju Modi.
In an event where only two shows feature a day, though, a one-hour delay stops being fashionably late.
