As a fashion week junkie, I often stay up late into the night to catch live streams of Lakmé Fashion Week (I’m about 22 hours behind here in Vancouver), so I was obviously excited to hear that two designers I’ve admired on the runways in India were making an appearance at Vancouver Fashion Week this season.
Each season, the Indian showcase draws a packed house, to support local designers like Well Groomed, but also to catch a glimpse of the talent from India. Last year designer Jaya Mishra closed out VFW, and this year the Indian night featured South Indian designer Shravan Kumar, and the Delhi design duo Parvesh Jai.
Parvesh Jai showed a collection inspired by the ancient ‘Baroque Princess’ with traditional touches, Kashmiri embroidery, and hits of fusion. My favourite pieces from this show were definitely the jackets; they would look great with a pair of skinny jeans and embellished chappals, or over an ornate lehgna. I love the multi-functional feel to the collection.
Shravan Kumar’s collection was very regal, majestic, and full of drama. While the woman’s collection was obviously stunning (particularly the sari inspired dresses), I was completely smitten with the menswear. The use of traditional prints in the jackets was amazing.
All in all, both Shravan Kumar and Parvesh Jai wowed the audience. It was a real pleasure to see these pieces live on the runway, and I’m looking forward to seeing which Indian designers future seasons will bring to Vancouver Fashion Week.
Pix: Aziz Dhamani for MissMalini