By Ayesha Azhar
Elephant’s tooth door-handle? Check. Zebra-skinned covered bartop? Check. Servers in safari shorts? Check. The place was loud in sound, rich in culture, and heavy in attitude. Obviously KOKA Consulting had gone through a lot of trouble to choose the South African inspired Cain as the appropriate venue for a South Asian Fashion show. |
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“Fresh Faces in Fashion” launched Indian-American designer and entrepreneur Swati Argade’s Spring/Summer 2006 collection called “Bengali Girl.” With names like “holi choli top,” “mughal summer dress,” and “katori coat,” the designs reflect a soft link between traditional India and modern America. Like her previous collections, Swati incorporates the use of silk and linen in grass greens and baby pinks, enhancing the natural fabrics with leather buckles. Loud techno music bounces off the walls as models sashay in pastel-colored dresses. Knee-length hemlines and contrast borders grace the runway. One of her designs proudly showed off the Manhattan skyline colorfully sketched against a backdrop of a black pinstriped dress. Although each design held its ground, Swati really saved the best for the last, a black raw silk dress that was delicately hand embroided with metallic threads. The entire collection is a stylish show of intricate buttons on boat-necked blouses and spaghetti strings on cocktail dresses.
After the show, Swati, dressed in a tea pink ruffled blouse and a matching pencil skirt, basked amidst the crowd’s gracious compliments and thoughtful suggestions. |
