May the boring blouse RIP

Two sleeves, one neck, four buttons is old news. The sari blouse is doing a creative somersault; rising, plunging, twisting. Shweta Shiware did some trend spotting at the just-concluded Delhi Couture Week, to tell you what your next choli can look like

Twou00a0sleeves,u00a0one neck,u00a0four buttons is old news. The sari blouse is doing a creative somersault; rising, plunging, twisting. Shweta Shiware did some trend spotting at the just-concluded Delhi Couture Week, to tell you what your next choli can look like



The designers: Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla
The show: Defiant proportions partied with Indian crafts to celebrate Abu and Sandeep's classical-meets-contemporary collection. Titled, Almost 24, (the designer duo complete 25 years in the business nextyear) the show had Madonna, Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue control the soundtrack while models snaked around young dancers somersaulting, wearing little else but sequin briefs.
But the real drama unfolded on each of the outfits, some of them sporting Abaan, a multi-coloured floral thread embroidery, and patchwork and resham embroidery inspired by the Rabadi tribe of Kutch.

The cholis
Flamboyance was the mood of the hour as seen in the exaggerated, padded shoulders of a waist-long blouse teamed with a lahenga, and a Victorian high-collar neck taking a deep plunge on a evening gown. We enjoyed the adventurous versions of sheer net bodices encrusted with semi-precious stones, and the lotus appliqu ufffdd blouse worn by showstopper Shweta Bachchan Nanda.

The designer: Varun Bahl
The show: The young Delhi designer has a nefarious reputation. Nice girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere, is perhaps a point of inspiration. Bahl likes his brides looking stunning, not safe. And so, while his fresh colour palette matched with master craftsmanship left them blushing in traditional finery, a whiff of sexy wickedness that a decadent velvet blouse in deep aubergine carries, made sure it wound its way on to the ramp. Fabrics of Russian nobility taffeta and brocade lent an opulent air to a collection he chose to call Anastasia Found.

The cholis
Can anyone give a Victorian twist to the sari blouse? Bahl can. Rarely veering away from grace and elegance, he presented a line of bodices and corsets embellished with twinkling Swarovski. The blood red poncho in velvet sprinkled with gold threadwork and faux fur trimming, worn over a traditional lahenga, was a Spain-meets-Dilli hybrid we loved. An off-shoulder corset highlighted with soft ruffles, and another high-neck corset hugged by a faux fur shrug, couldn't have found a better partner in a hip-licking lahenga.

The Designer: Raakesh Agarvwal
The show: Agarvwal loves his bling, andu00a0 a liberal show of acrylic glass beads and baubles does it for him. What we'd like to tell him, though, is that impeccable finishing is a thumb rule of couture, and when you have garments shedding beads each time a model swirls on ramp, you have a problem.

The cholis
He moved from the nude colour story to shades of pink and orange to showcase Grecian silhouettes featuring ample collar bone in off-shoulder bustiers worn over flimsy saris, teamed with dressy churidars and tights.

The designer: Tarun Tahiliani
The show: Tarun Tahiliani creates beautiful brides. Every time. Turn your gaze to this fuss-free sexy lame drape sari with a Swarovski bandage body suit embellished with Forevermark diamonds, worn by model-turned-actress Lisa Haydon. It's a vision of true couture, sans the predictable visor of Indian colours and embellishment. Tahiliani's show, held as part of Bridal Couture Exposition on July 25 in Delhi, brought together essential bed-partners of any rich Indian wedding the sparkle of crystal and diamonds, with a super-exclusive Bentley parked casually on ramp.

The cholis
The 31-garment line-up featured 22 outfits for aspiring brides. Tahiliani's designs, like the collared trellis blouse with a cut-out back, an art nouveau crystallised blouse, a fluted blouse with a high collar and the lame draped sari worn with short peplum jacket left every woman in the audience tempted to walk down the aisle, if only to wear a TT .