Fashion icon Donatella Versace said, “Fashion is about dreaming and making other people dream.” The statement certainly rings true for the pinnacle event of India’s sartorial calendar—Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) Hyundai India Couture Week 2023. Over nine nights this July-August, 16 of the country’s best couturiers showcased their collections to a rapt audience. On display was the creativity of the highest order, ranging from traditional lehengas and achkans to contemporary gowns, jackets, and dresses. Lest you feel overwhelmed, we summarise here the trends that are sure to make their way off the ramp in the coming season.
Winsome Veils
Whether for the sake of modesty or to add a spark of romance, veils have long ornamented the dresses of traditional Indian brides, no matter the culture they identify with or the region they belong to. They seem to have caught the attention of many designers this season. From resplendent red ghoonghats accompanying full-bodied lehengas at Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya shows, to the soft black netting that was part of Varun Bahl’s modern floral ensembles, there was a wide spectrum of veils on display. The most unique take, however, was Rajesh Pratap Singh’s, who used jewellery and face masks as veils for added drama.
Naked Dressing
Fitted, sheer dresses that strategically hide certain parts of the body have taken over international runways and red carpets in recent years. India’s couture industry couldn’t be far behind. From embellished and sheer tops to voluminous see-through bottoms, everything was geared towards playing a game of sartorial hide-and-seek. Debutant designer Isha Jajodia had a playful take on the trend with skirts of lace and sheer churidar bottoms peeking out under short, fitted kurtas. Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna took the temperature up a notch by dressing their showstopper Shobhita Dhulipala in a high-slit skirt made out of a see-through embellished silver fabric.
Corsets for Queens
In keeping with the royal aspect of bespoke couture, many designers looked to Victoriana for inspiration. The biggest sign were the varied types of corsets seen on the runway. Ritu Kumar, known for her traditional mastery, wowed the crowd with a zari-embroidered corseted one-piece bodysuit paired with a floor-length jacket. Shantnu & Nikhil coupled theirs with flowy lungis to balance the proportions, while Rajesh Pratap Singh created printed plastic corsets to offset his designs for a truly dramatic take.
Fusion Flair
There is nothing new about designers combining Western aesthetics with traditional crafts. This time, however, they chose to fuse different traditional aesthetics. Kunal Rawal’s showstopper, Ranbir Kapoor, was dressed in a lungi-pant hybrid paired with an embroidered bandhgala. Suneet Varma’s new-age sequined blouses perfectly complemented his graceful old-school lehengas. Yet, it was the queen of kitsch, Anamika Khanna, who truly made a mark by recreating actual works of art from her home and embroidering them on oversized capes, well-cut blouses, structured achkans and brocade dresses.
Mermaidcore Magic
With the release of Disney’s The Little Mermaid a few months ago, mermaidcore has been a trending aesthetic internationally. One may not have expected it to creep into couture, but the many iterations of fishtail skirts paired with tiny, sequinned bralettes prove otherwise. Its strongest advocate was Rimzim Dadu, whose outfits were recreations of literal tides in the ocean, perfectly complemented by modernist jewellery made by Varuna D Jani. Gaurav Gupta also took inspiration from the five natural elements, as seen in his structural gowns and skirts. Falguni & Shane Peacock incorporated the silhouette for their traditional bridal lehengas. Rahul Mishra showcased a red dress with petal-like structures that mimicked fish scales.