Fashion weekend takes Bangalore by storm

BANGALORE: Think of the malls in Bangalore and you know why fashion shows are drawing people by the hundreds. Flaunting international brands, the malls are triggering fashion consciousness like never before. Big brand names, which were unheard of till a few years ago, are on everyone's lips. To be up there, you need to be chic, trendy and contemporary, so say the rules.

No wonder then that the crowds swelled at the Shoppers' Stop Bangalore Fashion Weekend. On the second and third day, the finalists and winners of the Runway Model Hunt, L'Oréal Cover Girl Hunt, Happy Dent Miss Beautiful Smile and Lawrence & Mayo Look Award walked the ramp showcasing designer collections.

The Fashion Weekend started on June 24 with a grand opening show featuring models of the likes of Vidisha Pavate, Kiran Rao, Rachel, Anushka, Shreya, Pashmeena, Mustaffa, Aryan Vaid and Muzamil, who showcased the creations of India's top designers. Among the designers represented were Raghavendra Rathore, Suneet Varma, Deepika Govind and Manoviraj Khosla.

Bridal wear

The event started with the L'Oréal Paris Makeup Show followed by an exclusive Leela Palace Bridal Collection from Deepika Govind. The line was in "Muga" silk known as liquid gold for its natural lustre. This was followed by Deepika Govind's collection — Fearless and Free — for the "spunky and free-spirited individual... ." a young and trendy line of tees infused with a mélange of newsprint and psychographics and with unusual cuts. Innovative skirt silhouettes echoed the theme of nonconformity. The collection presented by Manoviraj Khosla for women had a lot of prints. Embellished around the prints were sequins and beads. The fabrics used for women had cotton, linen, silk and chiffon, while those for men had velvet and denim.

Suneet Varma, known for his dramatic bridal trousseau collections, presented his prêt label, Le Spice. The collection featured themes such as "Fun Factory," "Time Capsule," "Ethno Chic," "Finding Nemo" and "Polka Dots."

The excitement peaked when the judging for the Runway Model Hunt, L'Oréal Paris Cover Girl Hunt and Happy Dent Miss Beautiful Smile Hunt took place. The winners were announced at the Grand Opening Show with Shambavi Shekar winning the L'Oréal Paris Cover Girl Hunt, Kapali Patne winning the Happy Dent Miss Beautiful Smile Hunt, and Dipitha Shayan bagging the Lawrence & Mayo Look Award.

source: http://www.hindu.com/lf/2005/06/30/stories/2005063006190200.htm