Lakme India Fashion Week 2003 :: Kavita Bhartia

Rainbow hues on the ramp!
She has been a driving force, encouraging other fashion designers to show their stuff through her retail outlets and fashion magazine. Now it is her time in the sun, as shy and petite Kavita Bhartia comes out with the debut collection of her label, Omana….

A Tribute to Womanhood
The buzz among the fashion circles has just got a little louder with Kavita Bhartia’s first ever ramp show. Her label, Omana, or ‘woman’ in Malyalam takes its cue from the most universally chanted mantra, ‘Om’.

A tribute to womanhood in all moods and moments, the show was a resounding success not just for the stylistic appeal, but for the tremendous goodwill generated by the designer herself.

Kavita, it seems, has heavily borrowed from the stylistic trends blowing all over the globe. So her haute couture is about hot colours, hotter cuts and resplendent designs. Of course, some disappointment did arise from seeing much of the same stuff that has already been displayed on the ramp this season.

The usual short kurtis, capri pants, drawstring pyjamas and sequined bustiers could have been produced by anybody. But, the surprise element, nobody bargained for, was the way it would be done. The ramp came ablaze with traditional Indian colours and motifs paired with more contemporary cuts and fabrics.

Textures like resham, chikan, faux leather, georgette’s, brocades and jacquards interplayed with each other to produce a stunning range of combinations that surprised and delighted. The clothes were at once spunky and yet classic in their appeal, and for a change, most were wearable.

Highlights
The highlights, of course, were the beautiful brocade blouses, paired with old style lehengas in resham with ornate embroidery at the borders. The wedding and trousseau wear was a feast of colours, ranging from powder blue, to flaming orange and deep maroon.

While the spaghetti style kurtas were a riot of rusts, reds and pinks, silks from down south and the north-east were imaginatively adorned with rich detailing, and asymmetrical cuts.

Colour, colours and then some more colours played up in the rest of the collection. The fusion wear caught everyone's attention. Knee length coats with a lining in a contrasting colour (think green and red) were paired with short cocktail dresses, giving a very chic finish to the entire garment.

Kurta style tops with traditional motifs and embroidery were another sleek presentation. What was also interesting was the use of soft leather for cholis and tops, a beige halter blouse in leather paired with a matching lehenga in georgette was a refreshing change.

Sadly enough the collection for men which started off on a promising note, didn’t have too much to say for itself. The tie and dye and bandhini kurtas were nice, but the lack of style statements to go with it, left that aspect of the show quite lackluster.

Instead, the female models, Joey, Nina, Nyonika, Sapna, Vidisha and Ayeesha among others did a great job in projecting just the right attitude bordering between feminine grace and cool hauteur.

No Fripperies or Props
Choreographed by Aparna and Tania, the show used no fripperies or props. Even the accessories were limited to graceful glass bangles and beaded chokers in dark colours.

A great job of clean cuts and opulent styles was the way Kavita had envisioned her show. After all, even if it was Indian kitsch, it was Indian kitsch with a classic twist and the underlying tradition of a rich textile inheritance, amply present in every garment that graced the ramp.

With more to come from this reticent designer, one can only see the future shining as brightly as the many spledoured garments that whirl around in her imagination.

E-mail: kavita_bhartia