A fashion show on the lawns of hotel Le Meridien was Kochi’s flamboyant introduction to the immensely talented designer Rohit Bal.
The occasion was the launch of Ambika Pillai’s salon in Kochi. Iridescent lotuses and some in gold and silver suspended in air created an aura of ethereality as Noyonika Chatterjee, the first of the Indian supermodels, opened the show. With that, Kochi had its brush with bridal haute couture by one of the best designers in the Indian fashion scene. Rohit had showcased the collection earlier at the India Bridal Fashion Week which concluded in July.
The show was witness to the unlikely marriage of mulmul and velvet with startling effects which was a visual fiesta for the audience. “The garments were the stars of the show. It was mesmerising. The stark simplicity of the muslin with the rich grandeur of velvet made the entire collection stunning,” says fashion designer Shalini James, of the experience. Elizabethan collars and neck ruffles, ribbons tied on sleeves, stunning Shibori tie-dyed on chanderi and voile, Kashmiri kasab embroidery on muslin….the show was spectacular. The menswear was exciting and saw the unexpected profusion of surface embellishment and layering. There were heavily pleated men’s loose pants and pleated floor-length one-piece outfits.
The models who walked the ramp included Carol Garcias and Archana Akhil Kumar. Then came the showstopper, Sushmita Sen in one showstopper of a gold and maroon lehenga with luscious embroidery. Following which Rohit took a bow, after which Ambika too came on stage.
