Breaking the boundaries !

An evening with a difference, in which the atmosphere was filled with creativity in a location where we were lost in the ocean of some well knit fabric. The occasion was the fashion event organized by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Hyderabad. [May 03, 2005]

I was enjoying my dinner (Gobi Paratha, Roti, Dal Tadka and home made mallu pickles) when I received a call from my friends who had received the invitation for the fashion event. With no hesitation in taking the decision, we were soon traveling to the Rock Gardens where the event was being organized. Luckily we didnt have to do some serious rock climbing to reach the location. As we entered the event zone, a feeling of being in the clouds swept through us as the event zone was located on top of the rocky hills and the entire area was filled with artifical clouds !

The event by itself was a great display of young and creative minds. A total of 13 winning collections by budding designers were showcased. These included the collections of Megha Sharma, Neha Gupta, Ishita Singh, Seema Doshi, Ritu, Rohini, Srikant, Y.S.Reddy, etc. Whenever I used to pass by the NIFT campus here in Hyderabad, I often used to wonder if these institutions really produced the bright talents that were a class apart. This event was an eye opener, as it proved beyond doubt that the institution produced world class talents who had the right approach and motivation to succeed. And most of all, TALENT !! The collections were wide ranging, from the blooming flowers of the garment world to the earthly garments that could redefine the boundaries of the fashion world. It was an evening where both the models and the garments they showcased competed with one another to be in the limelight !

There were 3 main collections that were truly a class apart.
Flowers
Ritu's collection was inspired by the spring in Hyderabad. Though it is debatable if Hyderabad has spring season, it is worth giving full credits for her creativity. Creativity was present both in the dress as well as the accessories that ranged from the crystal flower to the shining white pearl necklace. The highlight of this collection was the flower shaped dress (I am not aware of the various types of dresses and hence will use the generic word "dress" :-) ) which wobbled in the gentle breeze as the model walked down the ramp. The collection was just out of the world and definitely the most creative.

F1
Shock and Awe ! That clearly was the motto behind this collection. The collection carried in full force the spirit of F1 racing - speed, attitude, and RED !! The collection had a balanced mix of red and yellow leather (not sure if it was really leather but I guess it could have been synthetic or some other glossy material) garments with accessories that went along so well that one hardly could find any criticism with the collection. The collection was from the tables of Seema Doshi, whose dad happened to sponsor the entire event ! (hhmm ... no wonder there were pictures of Seema Doshi all over the stage).

Anhad - Without boundaries
The most impressive of all collections was something that was more ethnic and perfectly crafted. This collection, aptly named "Anhad", was designed by Ishita Singh, who has also won many awards include the best designer award at the 3rd DHL-CIAe International Fashion Awards 2002 in Mumbai. I have often seen fashion as something that can be easily adopted for normal wear and at the same time taking the person to the next level of fashion trends. The best part of the collection was the dress with frilled pyjamas and carefully groomed kurtas with embroidery that was a class apart. The collection carried the peacock blue and sand brown colors in perfect harmony and blended well with the embroidery and ethnic jewellery. The collection could easily become a trendsetter in its own right. In more than one way, this collection, to me, was the one that had broken the boundaries of fashion (among the collections showcased) and had truly reached the stratosphere with no boundaries !

With a little help, and luck these could well be the fashion designers who could be defining what you and I wear in the years to come. Ok if not me, atleast the lucky ones could be wearing. For me a lungi and a banian would be more than a fashion statement ;-).

Well having said all this, I shouldnt forget the special moment of the evening when Kamna se Samna hua !! Kamna, the actress in the "Chod dho aanchal zamana kya kahega.." song, was one of the special invitees in the event and we were awestruck when we suddenly noticed her passing by our area ! She must have definitely noticed me .. us ... err, .. well, its her loss !!

Ok, time to pack my bags to Coorg !!

Chao