Highlights of Bombay Times Fashion Week 2019

Bombay Times Fashion Week 2019 saw innovative drapes, some of the finest accessories and a host of celebrities
The fourth edition of the Bombay Times Fashion Week 2019, kick-started on Friday at The St. Regis Mumbai. The day was all about elegant jewels, chic saris, traditional embroidery and contemporary silhouettes. Designer Shaina NC opened the fashion week and was followed by INIFD Banda presents Design Dreams, Adhya by Shakuntala Shetty and debutant designer Samant Chauhan.The last show of the day was Jewels by Queenie Singh.
Celebrity showstoppers who set the ramp on fire included Sana Khan, Mohit Raina, Chitrangda Singh, Vijay Verma and Gayatri Bhardwaj and many more.
INIFD BANDRA presents design awards at BTFW 2019
INIFD Bandra’s show titled ‘Design Dreams’ portrayed the dreams and aspirations of design students. The institute is the exclusive Knowledge Partner of BTFW and its students got an opportunity to showcase their exclusive designs at the event.
Seven beautiful fashion lines were showcased. ‘Red Rain’ was inspired by the phenomenon of red coloured rain witnessed in Southern India and presented the drama, shades and vibrancy of this mystical phenomenon. ‘Style n Drapes’ focused on showcasing the essence of a woman represented in the form of garments, amalgamating both her grace and femininity, and her strength and boldness into the garments. The ‘Mystery’ collection focused on a line that created intrigue, curiosity and fascination through the use of a different class of fabrics, which are never used together usually.
The ‘Orb of the Night’ showcased beautiful ensembles created by the different phases of the moon. The ‘Ecstatic’ collection showcased statement pieces in bright and bold prints, stripes and neon. ‘Mystic Dust’ showcased ensembles inspired by the glimmer and sheen of the stars in a night sky. ‘Oceans Paradise’ was the finale inspired by the serenity of the ocean and the diversity of marine life. The showstopper was Gayatri Bhardwaj (fbb Colors Femina Miss India United Continents 2018), who looked ethereal in a flowy number. Luis Vaz (Director, INIFD Bandra) said, “It is our pleasure and honour to have been the only institute in India to have showcased thrice at BTFW and are proud of our team and students who made this possible.”

Shaina NC: Style for a cause
Designer Shaina NC, opened the fashion week with her striking collection of heavily embroidered lehengas that were draped cleverly with traditional saris. A combination of pastel and net saris in bright traditional colours wowed the audience. The Queen of Drapes, Shaina is known for innovatively draping the sari in 54 different styles and that clearly came across on the ramp. Her shows are always associated with a noble cause. Talking about it Shaina said, “Glamour without purpose is meaningless. Our message today is that we are safe and secure as Indian citizens because of our armed forces and the contribution of people in army, navy, air force. We salute all the personnel for their undying support to keeping India safe.” Many representatives and personnel from the Indian Armed Forces were present at the show.

Adhya by Shakuntala Shetty: Striking ethnic ensembles
Shakuntala Shetty, the owner of the brand Adhya, is known for creating ensembles that aren’t restricted to one genre. Walking the ramp as showstopper was actress Sana Khan, who looked resplendent in a rose gold shimmering ensemble. Adhya was born five years ago and primarily houses saris from different states of India. These comprise an eclectic range of Banarasis to Kanvjivarams silks. Shakuntala has an innate quality to excel in a fiercely competitive environment. Her clothing takes an all encompassing appeal ranging from bespoke traditional and ethnic and bridal wear to cocktail gowns, lehengas and drape saris.

Queenie Singh presents an exquisite jewellery showcase
It was a star-studded show for jewellery designer Queenie Singh, who displayed an exquisite jewellery collection with beautiful ensembles designed by Adaa Malik, Isha Rajpal and Lascelles Symons. Walking as showstoppers were Chitrangda Singh and Mohit Raina. Her jewellery line Jewels by Queenie is known for its unique pieces. Queenie creates jewellery that is timeless in its style and execution. Talking about her collection, she said, “I look at trends, but really I design by mood. My jewellery can be worn season after season. When I design, I have an independent woman in mind but I also love introducing women to my jewellery and converting them to a new look. The collection showcased at BTFW is full of exquisite and unique jewellery pieces in vibrant tones and colours. It’s full of inherent yet classy jewellery designs for the women of today.”
Also showcasing was Queenie’s daughter, Tiara Dhody, who made her debut at the fashion week. Said Tiara, “The collection has spiritual pieces like the Om and cross. I’ve also created some fun chains with charms, which are easy-to-wear. The collection also has statement pieces like the rose and bullet cufflinks. Personally, I love to design rings and there’s a good selection of those, too. My favourite is a set with raw turquoise.”
Adaa Malik’s collection ‘Behind the Armour’ was a continuation of her ‘Metal Armour’ story. An amalgamation of soft and stiff textiles, diffusion of the colour white, which formed a gradient of sorts was the highlight of the collection.
Lascelles’ The Smart Biker collection had biker details on smart clothing. The colour palette stuck to black, off white and cream with most pieces using tonal jacquard. Keeping in mind the romance of the biker culture down the ages, the brand presented a modern twist to the smart biker.
Isha Rajpal’s collection was inspired by the serenity and purity that each woman has in her. The sophisticated white ensembles along with precious gemstones were a perfect depiction of luxury.

Samant Chauhan: In black and white
Designer Samant Chauhan’s chic collection was predominantly in black, white, ivory and monochromes, yet the silhouettes were powerful and striking to say the least. There were interesting layers, in the clothes that added to the overall look. Actor Vijay Verma looked dapper in a black ensemble and walked the ramp as the showstopper for Samant.