Teetering on the fine line that differenetiates the commercial from creative, 30-odd students of Sophia Polytechnic's Dress Designing & Garment Manufacturing department showcased their garments on February 17.
Teetering on the fine line that differenetiates the commercial from creative, 30-odd students of Sophia Polytechnic's Dress Designing & Garment Manufacturing department showcased their garments on February 17.
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Model Sanea Sheikh wears a creation by Vidhi Gupta inspired by Mumbai's Dhobi Ghat |
The annual show titled, TVASTHAR 2009 presented a collection that could easily have given some seasoned designers a lesson in out-of-the-box ideas.
Putting Mumbai and its diverse quirkiness in the spotlight is not necessarily a breakthrough concept. While a majority explored the obvious, Vidhi Gupta with her Dhobi Ghat collection, presented a refreshing take on the popular tourist nook at Saat Rasta. Adopting a colourfully blinding approach would have been a typical choice, but as model Sanea Sheikh sauntered in holding a gunnysack, wearing a squeaky-clean jumper suit with a string of mini tees keeping tight focus on the theme, she killed competition. Pity her effort wasn't even acknowledged.
But the ones who were thankfully credited for their innovation were Pranali Belose (Elephanta Caves-inspired screen-printed evening dress) and Sneha Rathod for capturing the freewheeling spirit of Mumbai's cult Cafu00c3u00a9 Mondegar, on a kneelength jacket.
With fashion retail names Gayatri Ruia of Patchouli, Roopam's Viren Shah and Dhiren Shah of Sheetal making a point to be there (possibly to catch the next Sabyasachi Mukherjee on the rise), and veteran designer James Ferreira, and make-up artist Cory Walia cranking up the standard to professional level, the college faculty (including the affable Jignasa Shah), sure know a thing or two about the business of fashion.
You can look, and buy: Pradeep Hirani of Kimaya feels students of fashion colleges are the "stars of tomorrow". In the past, his store at Kemps Corner has let out rack space, free of cost, to students from SNDT, Wigan & Leigh and NIFT in Delhi. This year, he has no plans of breaking tradition. On display and sale today.
