Designer Vani Vats’ latest edit Chahak raises a toast to the jubilant spirit of women

Spring-summer is always about making a splash in bright ensembles. Bringing the same to our closets is Delhi-based designer Vani Vats with her new SS23 collection Chahak comprising ethnic wear in a radiant colour scheme. The edit celebrates the vivacious and carefree essence of each woman while honouring her progressive spirit. Telling us about the theme of Chahak which literally translates to jovial, the designer tells us, “The edit is for women who are strong-willed and like to make a statement with their style. This collection is a colourful and happy celebration of life.”

As a designer, Vani believes that apparel serves as a crucial medium for self-expression, and this philosophy has made her label a veritable haven of ethnic wear with collections comprising saris, kurtas, palazzo sets, floor-length anarkalis and more. In Chahak, one can see her expand her design horizon with fusion and traditional ensembles like lehengas with hand-cut mirror work paired with metallic sequin blouses, linear drop lehengas, pre-draped mirror embellished saris, hand-cut mirror work ghagras and satin organza lehengas that are sure to make heads turn. Add to this her creative forte in using diverse hand embroideries like aari, zardosi and mirror-work combined with architectural patterns, and the edit becomes a mélange of age-old embellishments.

Telling us about the design process, the designer who has previously worked with mavens like Shantanu and Nikhil and Manish Arora, shares, “Since it is spring, we wanted to incorporate easy breezy lehengas with sexy metallic blouses. We took inspiration from the ancient technique of mirror work but used it in contemporary ways. We’ve crafted the blouses in metallic shades to accentuate the sensual appeal. The motifs are clean and simple geometric shapes that render a stylish trendy vibe. We’ve used adornments that are not heavy duty and give a fresh feel to the collection.”

As a fairly new-age designer who started her label in 2015, Vani’s label has been able to tap into the preferences of young wearers. Based on their choices, she tells us about the Indian wear trends to swear by in 2023, “Bling is always good. We are also seeing a rising demand for body shape accentuating blouses, lehengas, pre-draped saris and Indo-western kurtas.”

Rs. 32,500 upwards. Available online and in multi-designer stores.