New Delhi [India]: Bringing in more weave than an average person can engage, the just-concluded India Runway week Season 7 ‘out-knitweared’ fashionistas seeking out for something different.
The event saw models sashaying down the ramp, showcasing Deblina and Atul’s (D n A) collection titled ‘Arabesque’ – entirely made up of eco and skin-friendly bamboo yarns.
You may have seen wooly collections taking to the catwalk in Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, New York and so on, but it was for the first time that an entire collection of knitwear was displayed on an Indian ramp.
Leaving grand platforms like Amazon, Wills and Lakme behind, IFFD stole the show by becoming the pioneer in incubating and presenting a label with a twist of innovation using knitwear as the sole technique of knitting design into every loop with bamboo yarn .
Bamboo, which creates only 30 percent carbon footprint as compared to cotton, is being envisaged as the fibre of next decade and D n A’s recent collection is about giving new dimensions to this magical fibre.
‘Arabesque’s theme was indeed true to the amalgamation of contemporary and classical silhouettes and motifs. The range envisaged contemporary stylised drapes and fits, twisted in interesting colours to harmonise, knitted together in bamboo to form larger than life grandeur silhouettes.
It was an interesting mix of full-length dresses knitted in intricate floral motifs and flaunty drapes and fall. The range of shrugs and capes showcased with the contemplating enlarged sleeves and spiral falls in knits stylised the models, who symbolised our inner goddesses. The knitwear low crotched pants in filligary motifs couples with the intricate handwork on the entire leg length was a perfect complement for the light weight feather design jacket showcased.
The tempered jodhpuri pants, which came in strategically placed pleats, was a riot along with the balloon sleeves floral design knitwear cropped top. Shrug got a new dimension with the enlarged bottom ravelling created in the rose knitwear.
Knitwear slouch pants in floral and peek-a-boo motifs with boxy fit hand knitted structured top was an interesting ‘ Arabesque.’ The floral jacket made in 3D was first of its kind, noticed on an Indian ramp. Show stealer was the final larger than life ‘Elizabeth gown’ that would be a perfect dress for a cocktail party.
An interesting amalgamation of nature’s gift bamboo, skilled by innovation – the designer’s interpretation of motifs and the silhouettes was plainly flaunting to hold our breath for the entire duration of the show and left us asking for more at the end of it.
This collection is first among many attempts by DnA to get recognition for an often neglected craft – knitwear, which has been deeply embedded in our society, where most of our moms have knitted out first set of sweaters, which we wore with more of nostalgia than necessity. The fact that we are somewhere contributing in depletion of this craft in our busy lives today, calls for steps to revive this beautiful technique. DnA has heralded to do so with their colourful bamboo knitwear collection which has interpreted the beautiful craft in a new and innovative manner.
Knitwear indeed got a new dimension, with this range our notion of it being available only as sweaters for winters has been trashed out of the window. It’s a new page in Indian fashion history which has been written today, where just like handlooms, hand knits encompassed the beauty of grand ensembles showcased. The feather in the hat was the intricately placed embroidery work, man folding the beauty of these contemporary stylised silhouettes.
The D n A duo told ANI, “Fashion is beyond clothes. It’s an art which gets encaste into a form by the designer and is appreciated by the wearer. Times change the look and forms of it.”
“Change is the sole constant to provide greater spans to it and this collection indeed speaks itself of the Nouveau form which has been provided to this art form with a new technique and content. IFFD in this case has done a remarkable job by bringing to the forefront a label which breaks the set norms of what is possible in knits,” they added.
Winter is coming. So, which label will you be giving some play for warmer basics? (ANI)