Designers celebrate Indian heritage at grand finale of AIFW

New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) There was music, dance, drama and style at the grand finale of the 25th edition of Amazon India Fashion Week here with 25 designers like Raghavendra Rathore, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal and Sabyasachi Mukherjee coming together to pay an ode to the rich heritage of India through their ensembles.

The designers were given the theme "Crafts of India" and they splashed colours on the blank canvas to express their interpretation of Indian culture. The final show was held at Pragati Maidan on Sunday.

It was the day everyone was waiting for since the five-day fashion gala began on Wednesday.

Stalwarts from fashion industry like Abraham and Thakore, Rathore, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Kumar, Bal, Sabyasachi, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Wendell Rodricks came together for the finale.

Other designers to showcase their creations were Amit Agarwal, Anamika Khanna, Aneeth Arora, Anju Modi, Ashish Soni, Gaurav Gupta, JJ Valaya, Monisha Jaising, Namrata Joshipura, Pankaj and Nidhi, Rahul Mishra, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Suneet Varma, Tarun Tahiliani and Varun Bahl.

There was instrumental music, "dhol" beats adding to the revelry of the show. In fact Bal's impromptu jig switched on the party mode at the ramp with other designers and models joining in to show their fun side.

The collection showcased innovation, creativity, experimentation and loads of style with Indian, western, fusion wear at its heart. There were suits, "lehengas", dresses, jumpsuits, gowns, saris, sherwanis and skirts dominating the show.

On the colour palette, the ramp turned into a kaleidoscope with hues of royal crimson, reds and fiery orange.

"Designers were given a common thread of colours so that the show looks as one and not fragmented," Mishra, who presented floral geometry in his outfits made with handmade organza fabric.

Different stories were painted starting with a western collection, followed by ethnic beauty, themed on the colours of daylight, and fading with the deep colours of sunset. And culminating with rich and lush Indian bridal wear.

There were a few hiccups as well. The show was delayed for an hour and the show area was packed above its occupancy level.

Though the show was running behind time, folksy music like "Chap tilak sab cheeni", "Dil kare dekhta rahuna", "Ishq nachaya" and "Padharo mhare desh" by musicians kept the audience mesmerised.

The silhouette of a fort's dome with mirrors and miniature dolls wrapped in white dresses in small wall cabinets fixed on the stage, not only gave fashion lovers a glimpse of Indian heritage but reflected the grandeur and opulence of the show.

The show started with Rodricks' edgy and bold garments with an orange dress with sides open from top to bottom.

Believe in fashion with minimal effort? Then dresses by brand Pero by Aneeth is a perfect example as they seemed very easy to wear.

"I would like to thank FDCI for bringing us together. I wonder why we never thought of it before. The energy was terrific," Varma said.

Varma's muses walked on the ramp with turbans in vibrant hues and outfits with mirror work adding a shimmery effect.

Designer duo Pankaj and Nidhi incorporated geometric versions of floral applique work in their dresses; Bahl amalgamated traditional motifs into his evening wear with heavy zardosi work on a golden beige base.

Pankaj was excited to present their collection for the first time in the finals. He said: "This is my first finale here. It felt amazing. There was so much positivity and energy on the ramp. It was incredible".

Gaurav termed the union of fashion designers as an example of "unity and diversity".

"I think it's unity and diversity. It's fabulous. We are one big family," he added.

While Ritu Kumar brought Anarkali style in vogue with the signature "Anarkali topi", Pratap Singh added spunk to his collection with illuminated headgear.

Rodricks thanked the media for joining the celebration.

"I just want to thank the press for being with us all this while... a big thank you from all of us," he said.

With an online portal as its title sponsor, virtual space got a boost in the edition of the gala. The finale show was streamed live on the Amazon India Fashion Week page allowing fashion enthusiasts across India to be a part of the celebrations.

The edition of bi-annual event saw designers like Samant Chauhan, Sonam Dubal, Poonam Bhagat and Malini Ramani presenting an array of trends for the coming season.