The shirtdress is one of those key wardrobe staples that gets a spin every season. I’m loving the monochrome print maxi length take seen at Kallol Dutta and Aarti Vijay Gupta, the sheer panelling seen at Bodice & Nishka Lulla (I heart everything Ruchika Sachdeva does) and finally the gorgeous digital prints at Mary Katrantzou and Clover Canyon.

Left: Kallol Dutta Right: Aarti Vijay Gupta

Left: Clover Canyon Right: Mary Katrantzou

Left: Nishka Lulla Right: Bodice by Ruchika Sachdeva

Left: Raoul Right: Alexander Mcqueen Well, I had to include the classic white shirt!

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I’m soooo late posting my trend report for Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012. I had started a while ago but it’s taken me ages to pick out five key trends. I blame it on the fact that overall (even though there were flashes of originality- Debarun Mukherjee’s and Yogesh Chaudhary’s are perfect examples.) I found this season’s shows a little flat and lacking in newness. Nonetheless I have picked out my favourite trends for the new season.

By way of Istanbul

Several designers looked to the Middle East for inspiration, playing with traditional Moorish tile prints and a rich palette of Cobalt, Azure Blue, and spicy Saffrons. Anita Dongre’s and Debarun Mukherjee’s collections were especially dreamy.

Top L-R Debarun Mukherjee, Anita Dongre, Priyadarshini Rao
Bottom L-R Anita Dongre, Tanya Sharma, Debarun Mukherjee

Traditional Weaves

Surface Embellishment took a back seat this season as designers worked with traditional weaves. Beautiful examples of Ikat, Benares and Kanjeevaram were present and showed evening wear doesn’t need heavy embellishment to look rich.

Top L-R Neeta Lulla, Khushboo & Prem, Gaurang Shah
Bottom L-R Gaurang Shah, Anita Dongre, Payal Kapoor

Tutti Fruitti

Yep, I really did name a trend Tutti Frutti! The mixing of fuchsia, yellow, cyan and orange just works and is fabulously Indian. So be bold this season and work this striking rainbow of colour.

Top L-R Payal Singhal, Mayank Annand Shraddha, Neeta Lulla
Bottom L-R Wendell Rodricks, Swati Vijaivagie Jain, Deepika Govind

Sheer/Layering

Layering was a key trend and the looks that were built up with sheer overlays were more successful and flattering than the heavier layers seen at Nandita & Anurahdha

Top L-R Payal Singhal, Nandita & Anurahdha, Vaishali Shadangule
Bottom L-R Roma Narsinghani, Nishka Lulla, Ruchika Sachdeva

Head to Toe Prints

Head to Toe prints were a huge S/s 12 trend over at the big four’s fashion weeks and they’ve filtered over to LFW. Napur Kanoi’s and Yogesh Chaudhaury’s take were bold and beautiful.

Top L-R Kallol Dutta, Yogesh Chaudhary, Napur Kanoi,
Bottom L-R Napur Kanoi, Pia Pauro, Yogesh Chaudhary

Key Shapes to watch out for include: Structured jackets, 7/8th Trousers, Jumpsuits, Maxi dresses & Shirtdresses and a micro trend which will filter through is fringing which was seen at Jatin Varma, Pia Pauro, Pankaj & Nidhi

Shaina NC was the showstopper for Shruti Sancheti’s collection at Lakme Fashion Week 2012 (LFW 2012).

Image Courtesy- M. Kabir

Katrina Kaif as Barbie – dress design by Nishka Lulla

Nishka Lulla at the Gitanjali Beti fashion show at IIJW

Whether in jeans at a concert or attending promotions for her new movie, Amrita is trying to stick with her casual or cute mantra in cazh jeans or cute dresses.  Which look do you like more?

If you are in the mood for something similar to her strapless dress, I particularly like this cream ‘Shelby’ dress from French Connection.  Paired with bronze heels and a sleek clutch, it can go from a Sunday brunch with the girls to a dinner date with the man of your dreams.

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Are fanny packs making a comeback? Where can I get a fashionable fanny pack a la Esha? Ok ok, that was sarcasm if you didn’t already guess. Her outfit itself is a yawn but add the fanny pack to it and it just makes me want to scream. On an aside, isn’t there something a bit masculine about the way she dresses?

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What’s in common with these images? Ok, both ladies are wearing some hideous blue outfits. What’s worse though is that we can clearly see or guess what each might be wearing underneath. Shriya wears some sort of pink bra while Sonali has on some white panties. Oh dear!

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Wow! Celina must have read this blog (but of course!) or read my mind (even more plausible!) ‘coz she certainly wiped off the layers of face paint and emerged fresh faced and shall we say, even cherubic. I think the gal is going for an image makeover, what with the latest in a suite of buttoned up outfits. I don’t mind the grey sheath so much but I do mind the pointy pink shoes and clashing pink Chanel bag. Oh on another note, the haircut doesn’t suit her, or perhaps its the center part. What say you?

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Ladies, if you are over the age of 30, just say no to tube tops. Me thinks Sameera is well in her 30s *snicker* but why dress like a teenybopper? The tube top itself is ugly but a tube top that also looks like underwear?? *shudder*

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