Anita Dongre Tells Us About Her Grand Finale Show At Lakmé Fashion Week S/R 2017

Written by Chandni Ghosh1st Feb 2017
ANITA DONGRE TELLS US ABOUT HER GRAND FINALE SHOW AT LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK S/R 2017
Anita Dongre, one of the most revered designers of India, will be bringing the curtains down at Lakmé Fashion Week S/R. Think stunning couture revolving around the Liquid Gold theme, think Kareena Kapoor Khan playing showstopper and of course, the majestic Bandra Fort that is all set to play perfect backdrop to Dongre’s show. Can there be anything more fitting for a finale than that? Certainly not! We had a chance to have a tête-à-tête with the designer herself amidst all the mayhem. Here are some excerpts...
 

BB: You will be closing <a href="/fashion/people-and-parties/sabyasachi-mukherjee-shares-the-top-bridal-and-fashion-trends">Lakm&eacute; Fashion Week</a> S/R 2017. What can fashion lovers look forward to this time?

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AD: Well, you are going to see some truly beautiful clothes that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed designing. There’s going to be lots of sheer too. There will be embroidered patterns but at the same time, there will be minimalism as well. To sum it up, you can expect a lot of feminine and relaxed outfits for the confident woman.

BB: How is ‘Liquid Gold’ as a theme being incorporated in your designs?

AD: Oh, I’ve shown Liquid Gold in so many different ways—whether it’s a hand-woven banarasi sari that’s embroidered with gota patti and gold or beautiful sheer organza embroidered outfits with gold. For my show at Lakmé Fashion Week this season, brace yourself to see the many shades of gold through this collection!

BB: There’s a lot of buzz around the fact that Kareena Kapoor Khan will be playing your muse, post her pregnancy, this season. You must be looking forward to having her on board...

AD: I’m so thrilled! I have worked with her before and I think she’s delightful and so gorgeous. Quite naturally, I’m excited for her to be walking for my show at Lakmé Fashion Week, which happens to be the grand finale. I admire her dedication towards her profession. She worked right through her pregnancy. She’s had Taimur now and is already back to working. She’s truly shown that professional women can be mothers and work tremendously hard at the same time. They’re unstoppable!

BB: Tell us a little about the beauty look on the show.

AD: Well, it’s obviously going to be around Lakmé’s new range of lipsticks made with Argan oil. They’re some gorgeous colours and we will surely be showing some of those shades on the runway. That’s all I can say for now.

 

BB: You’ve always been a strong supporter of Indian crafts. How do you make it relatable to the girl of today?

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AD: Now, that’s exactly what I enjoy doing! You know gota patti is a craft I love and I’ve always used it for very traditional bridal garments. But this is the first time we’ve reinterpreted gota patti in a very contemporary manner. That is what is so exciting about Indian crafts. They’re traditional and yet, they can work so beautifully on western garments. So that’s one of the challenges I love taking up.

BB: What inspires your designs?

AD: Confident and beautiful women inspire me. I enjoy dressing such women because they bring something of their own to the garments and carry them off beautifully.

BB: Not too long ago, Kate Middleton wore your printed georgette dress—the Gulrukh tunic, on her visit to India. It instantly won you the tag of one of the most Googled designers of 2016. How did that collaboration come about?

AD: It was really quite simple. Her stylist reached out to us. And we shared a few designs and she choose the Gulrukh dress. It felt truly wonderful!

BB: Name one person, living or dead, you’d want to style...

AD: I’ve always said this but to me, every woman is important. It doesn’t need to be anybody famous. Some girls just have the knack to pull off certain garments. So I guess to me, I’d appreciate any woman who wears my clothes and feels like a princess.

 

3 things that play on your mind before it’s showtime...

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AD: Nerves, nerves and nerves! I’m really jittery before a show. I’m always with my team going through things all over again because ultimately, it’s all about the details, right?

BB: According to you, what are the three style staples that complete a woman’s wardrobe?

AD: I think every woman should have a beautiful hand-woven sari, a statement evening bag and a gorgeous piece of jewellery in her closet.

BB: One fashion trend you wish women gave up on...

AD: In my opinion, every woman should stay away from wearing any kind of animal skin. I’m a vegetarian and an animal lover. So fur is a complete no-no for me. I wish to see a day when leather also goes out of fashion.

BB: Finally, the Anita Dongre woman is...

AD: She’s confident, strong and economically independent.

Chandni Ghosh

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I have this superpower of buying everything and anything related to cats because I strongly believe that cats are greater than human beings. Amidst all of these thoughts, I take time out to write about food, fitness and beauty - something that makes my job so much fun!
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