Anju Modi finds her 'Draupadi' in Tabu

Anju Modi finds her 'Draupadi' in Tabu

Post a star-studded bridal week, all 'fashion' eyes were set on the much sought-after PCJ Delhi Couture Week'13 for luxe and glamour, and lot of artistry. And the first show of the evening at Delhi's Taj Palace Hotel by couturier Anju Modi did not disappoint on that count. There was a lot of drama, references to Indian mythology and heritage, and even Bollywood.

Theme: The show started off with a performance by dancers depicting Draupadi's marriage to the Pandavas followed by a lineup of gorgeous lehenga cholis and Anarkalis in festive hues of red and orange with heavy zardosi work. According to Anju, a woman of multiplcity, Draupadi is an embodiment of the empowered Indian woman. Her portrayal through the pages of the Mahabharata epitomized the multi-faceted nature of a woman, and her journey in life.

Collection: Veteran model Nayanika Chatterjee opened the show in a gorgeous red lehenga with golden zardosi work and a delicate orange dupatta draped stylishly around her waist. Noteworthy in the collection were the blouses that were all full-sleeves and rich in embellishments. The flared floor length Anarkalis in warmer hues looked elegant with the theme. The traditional attires slowly gave way to more Westernised silhouettes like ankle-length flared dresses in white with black animal motifs worn over long navy blue jackets. Men looked stylish in tail coat-skirt outfits which were a unique combination of skirts with traditional threadwork worn with sherwanis, Bandhgalas and tail coats.

Fabric and detailing: Pashmina, organic cotton, pure silk, raw silk, pure cotton were predominantly used through the collection. The use of horse carriage, bird cage, jaali window motifs stood out in the collection, for they were repeated in the blouses, skirts, lehengas and sherwanis.

Colours and accessories: Reds and oranges made way for beige and blue and white with a dash of yellow, while the accessories remained heavy gold hoops, tiaras and chandelier earrings. The designer displayed thought and creativity in her selection of jewellery in keeping with the theme of the show and the old-world glory she wished to bring alive with it.

Showstopper: Tabu looked voluptuous in a beautiful red lehenga choli, though not very confident. She said about her attire that it was a perfect blend of India's cultural richness and heritage, and that she could only be thankful to Anju for dressing her up so exquisitely. To which Anju replied, "I wanted my Draupadi to be the woman Tabu is, elegant yet strong."

Glitzy front row: Designers were present in full force to root for their colleague Anju Modi. We spotted Kavita Bhartia, Anupama Dayal, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Rohit Gandhi, Nida Mahmood, and Poonam Bhagat among a host of people from Delhi's social circle.