The curtains on Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013 came down with one of the most stunning Grand Finales. Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s magnificent range, inspired by the limited edition Lakmé Absolute Royal collection, had the audience spell-bound with its beauty.
The black wood panelled ramp lit on either side set the mood, while the seven chandeliers on stage and ramp created a vintage ambience.
Rows of twinkling bulbs covered the ceiling, mirrors lined the backdrop; large clumps of red roses added colour to the backdrop and silver pillars recreated the classy interior of a gentleman’s jazz nightclub in London.
The Lakmé Absolute Royal products that inspired Sabyasachi’s collection are a tribute to the regal era of queens, and they offer a rich shade palette across Lakme Absolute Creme Lip Colors, Absolute Shine Line Eyeliner and Absolute Royal Nail Colors.
The gorgeous creations that floated down the ramp would have thrilled many a statuesque queen of the past eras as the stately outfits in shades of jewel tones as well as regal hues, were a vision of beauty.
This season Sabyasachi reinforced the juxtaposition of maximalism against minimalism, with a whimsical design theme. These elements were unified by a youthful essence in the form of sheer saris paired with mini skirt petticoats, micro mini dresses, peplum silhouettes with structured, panelled/quilted sport jackets, waistcoats and cropped tops.
Amidst the lace work and Kashmiri embroidered embellishment were delicate signature Sabyasachi prints that were given weight with intricate panelling and layering. Acid burned zardosi gilded a rich khadi leopard print that was a novel facet of the entire showcase that embodied the feline suave of the modern maharani of a metropolis.
With a dramatic opening that saw live performance of “Feeling Good” by Rachel Varghese, the audience rocked to popular hit tunes of the past. The theme from the film “Pink Panther” filled the Ballroom of Hotel Grand Hyatt, as Indrani Dasgupta glided on the ramp in a luxurious crystal choli, net sari over printed lehenga.
Sabyasachi unveiled one of the most sensational collections of 57 couture creations ever seen on the ramp. Pairs of sherwanis and bundgalas in black/red with tonal embroidery were created for Him and Her.
Lace appeared in black/nude for sensuous gowns. The all-black lace sari with long sleeved choli with mini petticoat, the belted jacket in brocade, quilted midi skirt, hip length machined kurta over flared skirt and the noir lace gown recreated the glamour of the era when women dressed like queens.
The pair of horizontal striped knit cholis with chamois satin pastel saris having lace kalis were elegant in their serene glamour. Velvet was the favoured choice of Sabyasachi for the cholis, skirts or combined with embellished net for the saris. Cholis were sedate with long sleeves at times topped with waistcoats. Men’s wear was colourful with sherwanis, Jodhpuri jackets and bundgalas in printed or plain fabric.
The makeup, done by Lakme Makeup Expert Clint Fernandes was dominated by accentuated red lips and smoky eyes with lots of Kohl recreating the beauty and glamour of the opulent era.
Footwear was innovative with fabric and leather boots/shoes, some with matching spats and a few embellished mojris that followed the mood of the collection. Jewellery from The Gem Palace the official jewellers of the Royal family of Jaipur complemented the gorgeous creations.
Talking about the grandeur he showcased, Sabyasachi Mukherjee said, “Nothing is more royal than beautiful eyes lined with thick winged liner and a rich toned red lip. This was the central touch point of the whole collection that brought it all together.
"The Lakmé woman is very feminine, dynamic and strong, minimal make up with the maximum effect is essential. I absolutely love the vintage feel that we have created for this winter/festive season at Lakmé Fashion Week.”
Speaking at the finale, Purnima Lamba, Head of Innovation, Lakmé mentioned, ‘It’s a moment of pride for us at Lakmé as we witnessed one of the most avant garde translations of the Lakmé beauty statement.
"Sabyasachi has always been synonymous with royalty and it was an exciting journey to co-create the contemporary royal looks for the festive season with him. Whether it is regal colours and silhouettes or the imperial red lips, we are confident that we will see the statement of opulent royalty off the runways this winter-festive in a big way.”
The show fittingly brought down curtains to another immensely successful season of Lakme Fashion Week.
