The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

CULTURE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
A fine mix of ethnic & modern
Tribune News Service

Her tom-boyish attitude was not a deterrent in opting for a profession in the fashion industry. Subiya, an Air Force Bal Bharti School student, today creates a wide range of party wear, formal and bridal wear garments and has showcased her designs in throughout India and in various other countries including the UK, USA, Dubai and Pakistan.

Her shimmering bridal outfits are a fine blend of the ancient with a charming interplay of modern fashion elements, coupled with bright colours and rich embroidery. This has given the garments an old-world charm while retaining the modern flavour of silhouettes.

And through this fusion, the designer in her is able to add life into a range of ethnic garments that would appeal to the woman of today. By treating embroidery in a way as to bequeath it an ‘ancient look’, also makes her couture a hallmark of traditional excellence.

“I am sure people will appreciate the riot of colours in my designs,” says the designer who is getting ready to showcase her products in Bride and Groom Show. “Colours are used according to cuts, style and theme and their fusion with zardozi, aari, dabka and even swarovski makes the garment look beautiful”, Subiya explains.

She uses fine fabrics, like chiffon, georgette, crepe and silk and prefers, instead of outsourcing, getting intricate work done herself. “A lot of detailing and research are done before any garment is declared ready. My forte remains weaving and the entire focus is to ingeniously mix different weaves to create a new design.”

Subiya’s designs first made waves in Mumbai and Dubai and now she runs the `Art Studio’ in the Capital.

With a set of highly skilled embroidery tailors and in-house manufacturing, she is all set to conquer the fashion world.

“Although I never had any formal training in fashion and designing, I always had a strong inclination for fashion and art”, she says, adding, “I started designing clothes for friends and family members, when I was in college”.

It was started jointly with a friend as an amateurish exercise, took a back stage after her marriage, but the creative urge made her comeback, this time, in the form of a professional organization called Sanobar International.

Beauty with style and precision

Nature’s Essence Beauty and Fashion Fiesta 2003, a festival of beauty with style and precision was held here on July 15. After the last year’s success, the event this year was on a larger canvas with its central theme, ‘Beauty blooms and talent hunt on a new platform.’

Ms Vidya Tikari, beauty consultant, Mr Pankaj Chopra, marriage and family counsellor, Ms Promila Kapoor, brand manager-Delhi Press, Ms Neeta Sobti, director, Nature’s Essence, Ms Neelam Nanda and Managing Director-Nature’s Essence, Mr R K Nanda were among the judges.

Fantasy plays an important role in fashion and beauty and through this, one can impersonate the looks and beauties of the celebrities. In Nature’s Essence Fantasy Look 2003, the theme participants were allowed to play freely on their own imagination. The second theme, Nature’s Essence Viva Diva Teen Look 2003 stood for a hot perky and peppy look for college going teenagers. Awards for the best presenter for these two respective titles went to Ms Sangeeta Jain of Soundarya Beauty Parlour with her model Pallavi and Ms Sunita Arora of Darpan Beauty Parlour with her model Romika Kapoor.

Mehra’s enigmatic and soul-seeking collection…

Summer 2003 collection at Sunil’s Study.

Unveiling unique fusion flair, dress designer Sunil Mehra describes his summer 2003 collection as enigmatic and a soul seeker...! In today’s stressful life people strive to experience peace and harmony and be close to the nature. Meticulously crafted clothes, from hand woven fabrics using natural fibres, embellished with the hand embroidered mythological symbols of eternity, reflect a co-ordination and convey a message.

“It works the same way, when a man goes to temple for few minutes his mind rests in peace. Once the seeker is out of the place of worship, he gets entangled in the same worldly woes”, the designer says.

Hence the powerful emblems and designs on the garments, done in dense pure embroidery, are in complete symphony to adorn the body beautiful and raise the mental harmony to inspire for celestial pleasures.

Summer 2003 Collection at Sunil’s Study is not only the progression of his range of ‘Truth’ series, but is also contemporary and designed after a serious psychological study of human behaviour.

The cuts and designs are tangle free, path breaking creations. The entire summer pret line has been given a chic look, combining traditional Indian elements with modern construction, to create an international style. The embroidery and ornamentation of the garment is native but the cuts have derived inspiration from Italian fashion. Pastels and vibrant russet shades of burnt orange, sienna wine hues and muted earthly shades of ivory, sand, gold beige along with delicate lilacs, in cool chikankari linens and georgette grace the line.

Jain’s ‘Voyage’ at LIFW

Voyage, the fall winter collection by Payal Jain, which she is presenting at the Lakme India Fashion Week 2003, unravels a story of the designer’s journey. An amalgamation of a spectrum of fabrics, interesting textures, avant-garde styles and alluring layers, are put together to create a look of perfection.

Describing ‘Voyage’, Payal says, “To create a live image of my successive layers of inspiration, in the form of clothes, is a long journey with creative hurdles and inventive madness.”

“Each ensemble is contoured to narrate a story and represents different moods, emotions and inspirations. In this collection I have tried to experiment and redefine the tried and tested and break the conventions to create a new look.”

Hand-block print from Kutch with bakhia stitch done in geometric forms is sculpted into blouses, worn with wrap-over bodies in printed lycra. This is teamed with structured skirts and pants with complex construction. The look is complete with crushed velvet jackets worn over these with elaborated detailing in rich Brocade and old zari borders. A lot of experimentation has been done with chikan on lycra in a layered camisole look in rich earthy tones. Hand-painted patchwork camisoles are expressed with combat style pants and skirts in mock suede and snake skin, Thai silk distressed twill and crushed velvet.

Crash course in art of film-making

IATFS will focus on practical training in film-making.

Indu Art Theatre and Film Society here has started short term courses not only in acting but also in camera and lighting, technical and sound recording, production designing and other related subjects.

According to a spokesperson of the Society, the faculty comprises of highly trained Professionals who have practical experience of the complicated process of film-making.

The emphasis is on practical training where the students are asked to produce short films independently. The Society also helps its students in placement in the industry.