Designer Neha Agarwal presented a fascinating womenswear collection called Mithila in Soho at 6Degree Studio during Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) winter-festive 2017. The clothes had a raw and bold look and the collection featured a range of contemporary evening wear inspired by a traditional Indian painting style.
Art works inspired by ancient forms of Madhubani were brought to life by hand embroidery derived from the age-old weaving techniques of Uktu.
Marrying Madhubani art to modern art, the silhouettes offered a characteristic style statement.
The collection was a mix of sharp tailoring blended with conventional fits. Sheath dresses featured colourful Madhubani prints.
Showcasing diversity in their design aesthetics and overall versatility were a range of cropped tops, bell bottoms, tent dresses, palazzos, jumpsuits, skirts and shorts that were teamed with jackets that made the ensembles inventive yet commercial.
Detailing such as ribbed collars, panels, plackets and hems along with embroidered prints and knits gave the perfect combination of style, glamour and energy.
Muted earth tones such as indigo, ochre, terracotta, along with warmer hues like chestnut, burgundy and vermilion served as a base for all the garments.
Actress Chitrangada Singh, Agarwal’s showstopper, looked stunning in a printed trumpet dress that was daringly revealing yet beautiful in multi-colours and striking embroidery as she closed the show.
Singh recently created a stir when she walked out of Nawazuddin Siddiqui film Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, but refused to divulge what issues she had with director Kushan Nandy.
“I wish them all the best. Whatever issues we had, I had with Kushan and it should be between us. I don’t think we should be talking about them,” the actress said on the sidelines of the fashion show.
Singh walked out of the film citing discomfort shooting intimate scenes with Siddiqui, but Nandy said the bone of contention was with regards to the script. Model-turned-actress Bidita Bag later replaced her in the film.
The actress started her career being part of parallel cinema with films such as Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi and Yeh Saali Zindagi, but later stepped into the commercial mainstream with films Desi Boyz and I, Me aur Main.
About how she selects her roles, Singh said: “I think the story needs to be good and the character has to be right. Sometimes I am offered lots of stuff which is women empowerment things but just illogical.”
“The idea behind strong characters is not about being a superwoman, it’s still about being rebellious in a lot of ways. I like these parts which are grey, right and wrong. It’s not intentional, not being conventional. You see films like Simran, it’s superb,” Singh said, referring to Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming film about a woman with kleptomaniac tendencies.
So is she going to do films that depict women as sufferers and then finishing as winners?
“Absolutely, why not. Films are reflections of what’s happening in the society, right? You make films about them. I would love to be part of that if the character is written well. There is no such thing that I don’t want to do,” said Singh.
