A fashionable Monday evening at the Taj Palace, New Delhi set the tone for the week with the designer Amit Aggarwal opening the India Couture Week 2019. The designer presented his take on the new age Indian bridal couture, with his collection ‘LUMEN’, bringing in his expertise to showcase India’s textile heritage with emphasis on environmental sustainability. At a recent virtual reality experience titled ‘We Live in An Ocean of Air’ where the invisible connection between plant and human is revealed through breath. Amit Aggarwal experienced how the air we breathe travelled and uniquely illuminated every framework of the body, bringing to light the wonderful architecture of the human and plant anatomy. The designer explained that ‘LUMEN’ is a celebration of that unique light that illuminates us and makes us the individuals that we are. Taking cues from this experience, his collection takes inspiration from organic structures of the human body that exchange an invisible energy through an overlay of framework, fluidity and form. The framework of the garment is created with layers of our recycled polymer under structures; the fluidity comes through the illusionary movement of textiles creating forms that come to life through the intricate motifs and embroideries.
A series of weightless gossamer tulle lace, organza, hand embroidered and rendered with structural frameworks to bio-mimic the details of the human and plant anatomy. This has been explored by a range of hand done three-dimensional embroideries in various organic angular forms and motifs to give our textiles a unique visual and tactile quality. This collection, blends an opaque color with its metallic tone. A vibrant jewel color palette of emerald, petrol, purple and plum moves into neutrals of gold, blush, silver and ivory with an eclectic mix of neon tones. The transparency, opacity and reflection of these colors reveal the reaction and the flow of light through every hue in the collection.
The women’s wear collection features traditional Indian silhouettes that blend with western ideologies of couture. Sculpted Edwardian bustles lend an edge to the quintessential bridal lehenga, while the brand’s signature sarees are reinvented with dramatically structured trails. The ensembles have been enhanced by sheer drapes and layers creating an illusion of color through a play of light.
The menswear collection brings forth sharp tailoring in classic styles with a touch of layering. Ceremonial Indian silhouettes are revived with modern three-dimensional hand embroidery fabricated in modern industrial materials, as well as Jacquards, silks and handwoven geometric textiles. The garments have been enhanced by draping layers, color blocking through textiles and highlighting it with intricate craftsmanship. This collection is for the traditional Indian man that has evolved and started accepting newer and innovative forms of clothing.
The label has collaborated with Narayan Jewellers by Ketan and Jatin Chokshi and also Taani by Tanira Sethi to create one-of-a kind traditional textiles. The textile motifs represent natural life forms, converted into architectural formation. The footwear was designed in collaboration with Dyuti Bansal. The installations for the set for the show was designed by Ankon Mitra.
