Top 6 trends at Amazon India Fashion Week A/W 2016

Fashion weeks are always special for Delhi. It brings together a wide range of ideas, likes, dislikes, new, old and the reinvented.

Day One at the 27th edition of the much awaited five-day Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2016 (A/W 16) was a potpourri of fashion, art and mixed media.

The designers were just not into clothes but also their presentation. We overheard some of them discussing everyone's sudden obsession with khadi and handmade fabrics.

Others talked about acknowledging the ideas and innovations of the recent times alongside preserving the much celebrated old crafts. The themes, inspirations and the mixing of old and new stood out among the latest trends.

Varun Bahl's opening show, "Nocturne" had a feel of a tropical forest in a dream sequence where imaginations come live for the urban woman, jewelled up in the blooms of spring. Romantic frills, circular-cut flounces, simple practical cuts, colour palette borrow from vintage wallpaper patterns and the dark and deep tropical forests like beige, teal, ivory, mustard, black, orange, gold complimenting the fabrics like hand-woven silk, neoprene, tulle and heavy crepes. Sheer and soft came together beautifully and settled well. The classic loafers complimented well. All in all, the collection was quite wearable, elegant and striking.

Hemant and Nandita's collection was the perfect blend of classic and contemporary. The old-world charm settled on modern philosophy. The fur-lined coats, dramatic high stiletto boots, bold jewellery, classic pleated skirts, the bomber jackets, shoulder rubbing earrings along with nature all over the physical canvas.

Akaaro's Gaurav Jai Gupta knows metallic. The theatrical silhouettes, the metallic hues, the rebellious spiral footwear was a treat. The blend of colours and styling of the collection was almost perfect.

Pallavi Mohan's collection "Synthesis" focused on handmade and dimensional layering techniques along with organic and spectral effects in motifs and florals. Easy fit, dramatic volumes and the flow of winter wine, teal and amber. A perfect winter wardrobe.

Shantanu & Nikhil's elegantly draped and ruffled gowns had a powerful and refined tone to it. The collection celebrated the power of time and the glamorous aristocratic history. Time flew and froze in those drapes. Regal and rebellious.

Rina Dhaka's knitwear silhouettes focus on shapes, structures and graphic patterns.

"Silver" by Kiran Uttam Ghosh was inspired by the jewellery patterns and it celebrated the idea of excess and maximalism.

Gaurav Gupta's collection "Melt" was dark and deep, made around the idea of zero waste, draping the entire width of the garment in one fabric. The bright tones added a lot of richness to the interesting structures.

Top six trends that stood out at the AIFW A/W 16:

1. Varun Bahl and Hemant & Nandita's collection, acknowledged and celebrated the beauty, existence and the richness of nature.

2. Some new ideas appeared on the accessory front. The rebellious spiral footwear in Gaurav Jai Gupta's collection, shoulder-rubbing earrings and bold statement pieces in Hemant & Nandita's collection and luscious loafers in Varun Bahl's collection struck a chord with the fashion enthusiasts.

3. Dimensional layering patterns, fabric manipulation and interwoven patterns were worth admiration in Pallavi Mohan's collection "Synthesis" in terms of creative depth and visual complexity.

4. Gaurav Gupta's idea of going zero waste and draping the entire width of the garment in one fabric was a good change.

5. The idea of jewellery inspiring garments and patterns was defintely something to watch out for. The coming together of the art of wearing jewellery along with enigmatic silhouettes in totality was interesting.

6. The models were well chosen and the make-up artists did a fine job. The props were well chosen too.

(Amazon India Fashion Week A/W 2016 is being held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi from March 16-20.)