It’s showtime folks!

With the Lakme Fashion Week fast approaching (March 28 to April 1), the 30 designers participating in it are busy putting final touches to the lines they will be showcasing:

Azeem Khan: Marie Antoinette, the former queen of France, was extravagance personified. Her wardrobe belonged to the 18th century that was known for its ornate style. My collection incorporates detailing from her style.

The collection is christened ‘Marie Antoinette — An Indian Rendezvous’.  I’ve mostly used blacks, whites and nudes pinched with pastel as well as effulgent hues. The fabrics used are georgettes, satins, crepe, velvets, wool and blends to name a few. This time my collection has very fitted cuts that flow as well.

Lascelles Symons: My look for the line is vintage, yet soft and feminine. It is embellished with lots of roses and embroidery. The silhouettes are off-shoots of the corset. You will see corset and skirts, corset and trousers and floor-length skirts.

I am targeting mainly export clients with this line hence I have mostly used silk. The colours embody a bit of autumn and winter as well as spring and summer- a lot of whites and light colours. I have been inspired by the 70s vintage Hollywood look.

Narendra Kumar Ahmed: My line for the show is more feminine and structured. Fabrics used are silk, georgettes, jacquards. The colour story is very earthy. My line is for real people.

Priyadarshini Rao: The look of my line is a mix of different genres. It talks about New Orleans jazz as well as post world war austerity and Marquez’s magical realism. These are a whole bunch of things that I myself relate to and have always wanted to translate into my clothing.

The colours used are soft and muted but interestingly put together. The same is the case with the fabrics. You will see tweed mixed with cotton poplin. So the whole look is layered. However, it is not pretentious clothing but everyday wear. With this line I wanted to make fashion something that can be worn with ease.

Shane and Falguni Peacock: Ours is a more vintage looking line. We have used plain chiffons, georgettes, silks and rich brocades. It is different from what is our usual signature design. We have used very prominent colours like teal grey, blue, mauve, purple and mustard.

Maheka Mirpuri- Red carpet culture is the theme for my collection. I have chosen the totally surreal world of Bollywood in order to showcase my creations, which are all about glamour, glitz and celebrity.

The collection is titled ‘Bollywood Glam - The Red Carpet’. The colours are mainly earthy juxtaposed with vibrant hues. Black and gold are very big this season and the fabrics used are satin, silk, velour, denims, chiffons and leather.

Poise, confidence, charisma, ambition, and loads of attitude - these are the attributes of a woman who has a strong personality and knows her ways in life. Such a woman forms the muse for my collection which is very sexy and feminine - a mix of lots of western wear alongside Indian silhouettes.

Bennu Sehgal- Usually I do a lot of traditional work, but for this line I am concentrating more on fusion western wear. There are garments for both men and women but when it comes to the menswear; it is mostly for fashion conscious men. I haven’t zeroed in on the colour story as yet.

Shahzad Kalim  -  I am working on a theme inspired by rock and romance and have decided to call the line ‘Rock Magic’. The predominant colours in this line are dark purples and black.

You could describe the line as glamorous, raw and wild! I have mostly used chiffons and silks and the line comprises of a collection of dresses, skirts, tops, kurtis and even a few saris. I don’t have a particular muse. In fact, I think all the Lakme models are ideal for my collection, in particular Yana Gupta and Shivani Kapur.