FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week: Glamorous collections for intimate weddings and festive gatherings

Inspired by the Turks and Balkans, Vallaya’s new collection is made in neutral ivory, ecru, beige, red, teal, navy, deep cobalt, jade, sun yellow and shades of brown.

“Rich fabrics, intricate details, inspired prints and, of course, our timeless and much-loved embroideries define this season’s collection in all its glory as it transcends its journey blending Turkish elements with riches from the Balkans,” said Valaya in a statement.

For women, there are magnificent bridal lehengas, cholis and dupattas in stunning red and jewel shades with lavish embroidery, while the cholis have tie-up backs, flirty sheer, puffed sleeves with ornate cuffs, and encrusted yokes. Tiny boleros, long, floor-skimming robes, belted saris and anarkalis are also part of the collection.

For men, the collection has cummerbunds over sherwanis and kurtas with embroidery.

Showstopper and Bollywood actress Mrunal Thakur wore a bridal lehenga in silk and organza. Shades of vermillion and scarlet were highlighted on it with great detail using fine thread work and metalwork with motifs incorporated from the Ottoman Empire but presented in an Art Deco style.

(L) Inspired by the Turks and Balkans, JJ Vallaya’s new collection is made in neutral ivory, shades of red and brown. (R) Tarun Tahiliani opened the FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week festive edit with his collection Reunion consisting of lehenga cholis, saris, shararas and more. 

Tarun Tahiliani

Designer Tarun Tahiliani opened the FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week festive edit with his large collection Reunion, which consisted of nine mini capsules titled Molten Haveli, Temple Mauli, Pichwai, Chikankari, Pakeezagi, Divine Drapes, Shesh Mahal, Rangrez, Brocade and Bridal. These have lehenga cholis, saris, shararas and jackets. The names of the capsule collections suggest the crafts and architecture design inspirations that shaped Tahiliani’s collection of the season.

Celebrating deep tones of reds, greens and golds, Molten Haveli took a deep-dive into jaali patterns, where the luminous tones played with light and shadow while highlighting the intricacy of each manipulation in cascading lehengas designed for intimate celebrations.

For Rangrez thousands of meters of woven brocade strips were cut out and applied on different forms.

Inspired by the scenes outside Badrinath temple and Rabari craft, the Temple Mauli capsule in vivid colours of organza, silk, and brocade has lehengas, kurtas, shararas, conceptual saris, gilets, and capes.

Moving from Badrinath to Rajasthan, the Pichwai collection takes inspiration from the ancient Indian paintings of the state, which depict monochromatic scenes of the Raasleela and motifs of peacocks, cows and lotuses.

The Chikankari capsule is reminiscent of the tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah in Agra, whose latticed carvings and inlay work formed the basis of the motifs.

While the Bridal capsule has traditional bridal reds along with beiges and pastels, which have formed the backbone of many collections by the designer.

Jade by Monica and Karishma

Bani Thani – Bridal Heirlooms by Monica Shah and Karishma Swali from Jade is inspired by 18th century Rajasthani miniature paintings, their rich detailing and vibrant colours.

Putting a spotlight on Leheriya, one of Rajasthan’s heritage tie-and-dye textiles, the designers have created backless blouses and lehengas, some with black bikini style cholis or others bareback bralettes with prints and embroidery.

Samant Chauhan’s Strawberry Thief

Fascinated by the work of British textile designer, poet, novelist and social activist William Morris’s collection of the same name, which is characterised by abstract forms, symmetry and embroidery, Chauhan has designed this collection.

It has embroidery embellished stark, white paneled gowns, some with intricately worked bodices, heavily encrusted, maxis with drop-shoulders, balloon-sleeves and wide cuffs and a white coat with spiraling foliage over an indigo/white layered ombré maxi.

The white and green gown has intricate 3D appliqués and foliage embroidery running down the bodice. Cut-outs of appliqués adorn the shoulders of a floor-length robe and the maxi has 3D appliqués of birds and leaves.

(L) Bani Thani–Bridal Heirlooms from Jade is inspired by Rajasthani minitature painitings. (R) Samant Chauhan's collection is characterised by abstract forms, symmetry and embroidery.

Arpita Mehta

Arpita Mehta presented a bridal line designed for an intimate wedding experience and one that will appeal to the young Indian bride who is modern yet very rooted in her traditions.

Created in dust pink, mint, fuchsia and red in elegant and uncluttered silhouettes, the collection has intricately embroidered gloves inspired by the Indian mehendi ceremony, chain mail blouses with floral appliqués, strappy bustiers, tiny bralettes, lehengas, cholis, and dupattas.

Abhishek Gupta

Abhishek Gupta’s Benares pays homage to the designer’s hometown. It is an occasion wear collection for men and women in burgundy, teal green, Prussian blue and black with rich gold embellishments.

The fabric used is the brocades of Benares along with pure silks and tulle that is pleated and quilted in detailed appliqués.

(L) Arpita Mehta presented a bridal line designed for an intimate wedding experience. (M) Abhishek Gupta’s Benares pays homage to the designer’s hometown. (R) Geisha Designs' collection is aimed at the woman who celebrates life and self-love, the collection is feminine, flouncy and flirty.

Geisha Designs

Designers Paras and Shalini’s New Beginnings line is all about celebrating the joi de vivre with a clean white slate as an inspiration. Aimed at the woman who celebrates life and self-love, the collection is feminine, flouncy and flirty. “The collection celebrates freedom, a break away from traditional attire but befitting special ceremonial/celebratory occasions.

Dresses, saris and skirt-sets have a holiday/sporty styling to add some colour and emotion to the otherwise monotony of life,” said the duo in a statement.

Sanjukta Dutta

Every collection by Sanjukta Dutta pays homage to the textiles of Assam. And all the all-black ensembles with colourful weaves were made from silk from Assam.

The show opened with a Mekhla Chador sari with a detached long-sleeved choli followed by garments with balloon-sleeved blouses and pencil skirts, draped jackets, strappy gowns with giant 3D appliqués, a mini tent dress with woven motifs, a multi polka dotted bias cut creation with an asymmetric skirt, wraparound blouse and lungi skirt, bright red sack dress with a long robe featuring layered sleeves and a 3D appliquéd, floral blouse belted with a long slim skirt.

Shikha and Shrishti

The Prakriti collection garments in silk, organza and delicate tulle are coloured in ivory sea mist, lavender Valerian, sage sea foam green and white.

The show opened with a gorgeous white embroidered gown, followed by tiered, layered skirt with a kurti, a delicately embroidered white lehenga, choli and dupatta trio. While palazzos with kurtas, an empire-line gown with a dolman, a bell-sleeved cape and a front, tie-up, asymmetric robe over a tiny choli and lehenga are perfect for an intimate wedding.

Showstopper Chitrangada Singh, an actress, wore a sea foam green lehenga, choli and tulle dupatta with the most exquisite silver floral embroidery.

(L) Sanjukta Dutta's all-black ensembles with colourful weaves were made from silk from Assam. (M) Shikha and Shrishti's show opened with a gorgeous white embroidered gown, followed by tiered, layered skirt with a kurti, a delicately embroidered white lehenga, choli and dupatta trio. (R) Showstopper Malaika Arora wore an ornate choli, red lehenga with lavish paisley embroidery and a red tulle dupatta for Annu Patel's show. 

Annu Patel

Based in Gujarat, Annu Patel’s label Annu’s Creation showcased a bridal trousseau of velvet lehenga cholis with beautiful motifs featuring intricate flowers, peacocks and elephants in Muquaish work, traditional zardosi, and pearl embellishments.

Showstopper Malaika Arora wore an ornate choli, red lehenga with lavish paisley embroidery and a red tulle dupatta.