Manish Arora AW12

For the King of kitsch; the key to the success of his designs and their celebrated reception, with the supplementary charm of being true to oneself- is instead of looking outward and emulating some foreign aspirational signature, one should use their own ancestral background and contemporise it to undeniable relevance. And from his unique place in the pantheon of fashion as a lone Indian Designer in the Industry and with that super modern twist; we are afforded a rare offering.

While his AW12 collection is ever flirting with fantasy, the fancies have assumed a more sober guise. The visual references of the silhouette gave a playful wink to a fabulously feminine past; with a ceremonializing of the skirt: in Pencil, Ruffle, Twirl, A-Line, Full and flowing and worn with petticoats- retro was the form.

The palette and prints however had their thoughts on the future with the employment of neon and bold colours, figurative prints and come hither red lip patterns. Mr Arora customarily offsets the classic cuts of the west with traditional Indian techniques and the embellishment was nothing less than ostentatious- with collage and brick embroidery. This was demi-couture of a quirky quality. Especially given his infatuation here with graffiti - from the mural sprayed on the backdrop of his catwalk to his collaboration with Brooklyn Street Artist, Judith Supines- depicting imagery of otherworldly yet nonetheless urban characters. A collection full of cheer for the discerning eye, enamoured by the unusual.

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