Sabyasachi Mukherjee's 'Bridal Sutra' ends LFW in style

Mumbai, Oct 25 (IANS) Inspired by the rituals and joys associated with Indian weddings, designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee's collection 'Bridal Sutra' brought much colour and traditional richness to the ramp at the grand finale of the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) here that also saw a bevy of Bollywood stars.

Thirty-eight models walked the ramp for the wedding collection showcased at the fashion extravaganza that concluded Friday evening.

Mukherjee's collection, which had outfits for men, women and children, stood apart from other shows as it exclusively showcased Indian ethnic wear.

"As the name suggests, it is an ethnic collection for the typical Indian bride," said Mukherjee.

The line had splendid colours of Indian jewels and burnished hues of precious metals.

The hues included that of crushed diamonds, sapphires and rubies, brought alive with the lustre of gold, silver and copper textured to work well with Indian skin tones and features.

"My aim is to retain a strong regional flavour as the bride is a deep-rooted girl who may use globally available brands, yet is bound by the ethos and morals of Indian culture," Mukherjee said.

The designer said that whether the occasion is a 'mehndi', 'Sangeet', 'Vivah' or the reception, 'Bridal Sutra' is about stretching the licence for individual expression through gorgeous traditions.

Mukherjee said that he was trying to revive obsolete textiles as the country is now under the influence of Western culture.

"Half of the textiles that I have used are now obsolete and I am trying to re-invent them. We are trying to re-unite Indian culture where there is more and more of western influence."

Stunning lehengas, beautiful cholis, breathtaking dupattas, superb kurtas, salwars, churidars, saris with exquisite embroidery and prints inspired by the Patan Patola of Orissa were given centre stage.

Velvet, silk, organza, brocade, chiffon and georgette were the basis of the fabulous collection.

The concluding day of the fashion week saw a large number of Bollywood stars walking the ramp for various designers.

Anil Kapoor topped the list as he modelled for designer Kunal Rawal, who showcased casual menswear.

Designer Rakesh Agarwal roped in Chitrangada Singh to up the glamour quotient of his collection 'Summer Solstice'.

Celina Jaitley sashayed down in a layered georgette abstract print gown for designer Babita Malkani's collection "Coralien" that paid tribute to the world's coral reefs.

Former Miss India and supermodel Madhu Sapre looked gorgeous in a multi tulle frilled gown created by designer duo Priya-Chintan, who showcased their spring summer collection.

While Mandira Bedi and model-turned actress Geeta Basra looked gorgeous in outfits by Archana Kochhar, Pakistani actress Meera of "Nazar" fame walked the ramp for designer Nandita Thirani.

Other designers who showcased their collections Friday included Lina Tipnis, Chaitanya Rao, Soumitra Mondal, Aslam Khan, Neelanjan Ghosh, Preeti Chandra and Cherie D.

The five-day long event that started Monday saw 75 designers from across India display their collections.

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