Under the open winter skies and against the grandeur of the majestic Bandra Fort, ace designer Anita Dongre closed Lakmé Fashion Week Summer Resort'17 with her collection 'Alchemy'.
The unique off-site venue put the ‘grand’ in the Grand Finale from the moment it was lit up. Nestled amidst lush green foliage, the amphitheatre was embedded with plush greenery to replicate an oasis thriving with life. It was the first time the historic, old fort hosted a fashion show. And the multitude of trees at the fort, each one with years of history, lent the venue a character that was befitting of the theme, the clothes and Anita's passion for nature.
A light scent of roses in the ocean breeze, the melodious chirp of birds interspersed with the gentle hum of sea waves set the mood for the show. A play of yellow lights from the trees glistened up the green set as the mellow music gave cue for Alchemy’s first looks to emerge, setting off cameras and silencing the crowd.
The last walk of Lakmé Fashion Week began on the gentle beat of the percussion by a live band. Kora whites with hints of gold looked ethereal on the runway as the palette gently transitioned into pastel pink, blush-peach, flesh, aqua and sage, and finally, glazed gold.
Models maintained a minimal look with hair pulled back in a relaxed style, allowing a couple of strands loose. Nude makeup by Lakmé's artists highlighted the lips with Lakmé's new collection of argan oil infused lipsticks.
Beautiful handwoven tissue and Khadi exquisitely came together with silk organza, chiffon and tulle. Delicate embellishments of zardosi, dori and tonal embroidered intricate motifs adorned the ensembles. Gota patti embroidery took on a fresh perspective with a medley of zardosi, cord work and sequins to give the ensembles an incomparable cutting-edge look.
Styles in tabards, bias skirts, duster coats, short jackets, dresses and gowns along with the sheer and breezy styles of flared crop tops, pleated elephant pants and blousons added to the contemporary diffusion character of the collection. The jewelry was kept classic and minimal with kundan earrings and pearl drops. The men donned bandis, kurtas, sherwanis and bandhgalas in earthy, natural and pastel tones.
The moment finally arrived, when the gorgeous Kareena Kapoor Khan arrived in the stunning finale ensemble - a gorgeous gold flared floor-length jacket in handwoven tissue from Chanderi. Anita's signature handcut gota patti was intricately crafted with motifs of prancing deer, jungle vines and blooming flowers, embellished with Swarovski crystals. The jacket was paired with a pristine white silk organza gown. Kareena wore custom-made silk shoes with gota patti detailing. Her angelic beauty was highlighted by makeup artist Donald Simrock.
Friends of the designer Lara Dutta, Juhi Chawla, Diana Penty, Kajal Agarwal, Shriya Saran, Shabana Azmi, Pooja Hegde, Kiara Advani, Sangeeta Bijlani, Pernia Qureshi, Sona Mohaptra and Gul Panag showed their support from the front rows.
