CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
A perfectionist’s classy works

Fashion designer Vijaylakshmi Dogra has launched her spring-summer collection. The spring-summer range of clothes is in the Lotus Pond series, and has been designed using feminine colours, like lemon, mauve, lilac, peach, rose, pink, white and ivory.

Fabrics used for this range, include georgettes, Maheshwari, Chanderi, cotton, khadi and matka silk. Says Vijaylakshmi: “The emphasis is more on handlooms to help small-time weavers and promote environment friendly fabrics. There’s nothing synthetic about my collection.”

The collection showcases a range from trendy short kurtis in loose fit to classy body-fit tops, also included are long kurtas and A-line kaftans.

Vijaylaks mi has also introduced a new range of crinkled tissue skirts and stoles and scarves. Having been a part of the art gallery Art Indus for several years Vijaylakshmi treats her clothes like a canvas on which her designs take shape in the form of appliqué.

The designer often seeks design inputs from famous artists. This, she combines with her deep knowledge of Indian textiles. She is equally proud of being a perfectionist, “not a stitch out of place”, is how she describes her work. Being a perfectionist who cannot compromise on quality, she asserts she is known in the fashion circuit for her immaculate finishes.

Vijaylakshmi attributes her traits of perfection to her early years in Gwalior.

She points out that she learnt to pay attention to the insides as much as outside, during her learning stint in Gwalior. The designer sums up, “I am fond of all kinds of art and craft. And I try to imbibe the art and the craft forms into my clothes.”

She helps kids understand nuances of fashion world
Smriti Kak

Making things interesting interests her. Bored with her name, Preete Bahll chose to spell it differently. “There are no numerological reasons, just that I wanted the spelling to be a bit more interesting”, offers Preete.

A designer, who sells under her name, Preete is currently working on yet another interesting project.

This time she has chosen to help children learn more about avenues in the fashion world. In an experiment with the students from Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, the designer is organising a workshop on fashion as a career option.

“I approached the school with the idea of helping children understand the nuances of the fashion world,” says Preete. Around 30 children from the school will work with Preete for a month to grasp the nitty-gritty of fashion, “depending on the choice and inclination these children will be divided into groups and will be taught the basics of designing, cutting and make-up”.

These class XI students will put up a fashion show at the end of the training. “A fashion show where the children will themselves design, choreograph and do the make-up will be put up in July,” says Preete.

She adds: “It is imperative that we give the children the necessary exposure about various professions. Fashion is not just about designing; it is also about photography, make-up, designing the textiles and even writing about fashion. It was this idea in mind that I approached the school.”

The designer is also excited about her show next month, “the show is based on the Hawaiian theme and will have everything from the food to the clothes based on the theme.”

Preet elaborates, “the weather at this time of the year is so much like Hawaii. The line is totally Hawaiian, formal, semi-formals have been designed in Indian textures, but with Hawaii in mind.”

Five essential looks

Summer trends, as predicted by Schawrzkopf, are the “five essential looks” that the company claims will have you stand out. At a workshop, conducted in the city recently, the “five essential looks” were exhibited on five brave youngsters, who chose to sport the looks and dared to walk the streets of Delhi.

For the daring ones, we have assiduously repeated the trends, but for those who are still contemplating, listen to the voice of the master’s who said, “you make your own fashion”. 

Ash’s choice

Ash at Cannes has sure been a let down, the diva’s pictures from the faraway land have been sticking out like a sore thumb. One may be tempted to blame her for the wrong choice of wardrobe in Cannes, but back home her choice in diamonds is flawless.

What’s more it comes with a special certificate signed by Ash. Don’t know if that adds to the value of the exorbitant junket.

Trendy trousers for women

Agile Trousers are Allen Solly’s offering to women this summer. The collection has been designed to suit women who do not fit the bill of pencil thin. We are told that the Allen Solly team conducted an extensive research to understand the body types of the Indian women and the Agile collection has been designed to suit each type.

The range comes in four fits - the trim fit, regular fit, comfort and straight fit. Another range women can take their pick from is, Dezire. A collection of trendy trousers the range has been designed to offer comfort.