With voluptuous bodies and a sultry glamour, the models in designer Manish Malhotra show, at the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai, India, looked like mirror images of the front row movie stars.

Sonam Dubal's show, with its floral prints, graphic stripes and brick-work of color, was the antithesis of the flamboyant film star look and had both dignity in the silhouettes and subtle craftsmanship like embroidered flowers with tufted centers.

Sonam Dubal used the sound of flowing water and images of the rivers of Tibet as his version of the elegantly ethnic.

Kiran Uttam Ghosh showed her roots in Calcutta as she captured a sartorial spirit with her soft palette and intriguing mixes of texture.

At Kiran Uttam Ghosh, the soundtrack intoned "There are two of us," to refer to the central concept of two materials melding in a single garment or of filmy florals juxtaposed with ribbed knitting.

Drawing on India's heritage of bird motifs, Krishna Mehta incorporated parrots and peacocks into her graceful collection of flowing, embellished dresses where details like puffed sleeves were subtly integrated.

Photos Michael Rubenstein/IHT

Lire l'article "Beyond Bollywood, is Indian fashion going global?" de Suzy Menkes http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/31/arts/Findia.4-248425.php