For a midsummer’s wedding

TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Designer Anita Dongre’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection, ‘Songs of Summer’, is now available on her website anitadongre.com. The collection had made headlines during the last session of Lakmé Fashion Week because it marked the ramp debut of B’town’s sweethearts, actor Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira. At the onset of the interview, the Mumbai-based designer says, “My SS’18 collection is a celebration of a summer wedding so who better to model the garments than the dynamic couple Mira and Shahid whose marriage embodies these qualities beautifully.” Her latest designs seek to recreate a soirée set in a forest or a garden that is  “blooming with summer flowers”. One can expect ensembles crafted in light fabrics with floral and botanical motifs.

No more clichés
Brides-to-be who want to steer clear of hackneyed looks can opt for her fuss-free cuts and outfits crafted out of lighter fabrics. “Summer is the time to wear easy-breezy silhouettes; nothing that should bog you down even if you are the bride or attending a friend’s wedding,” says the designer who is also inspired by the understated glamour of the 1950s. Making wedding style simple and classy, her collection offers a selection of “billowy midi skirts with pleats, wrap tops and palazzo pants”.

One can also choose from a range of long-line jackets, trendy tunics and stylish cropped tops along with classic lehengas and draped saris in light-weight handwoven silks. There’s something for the grooms too. Men can find Pathani sets, kurtas with capes and shirt kurtas. Since the colour scheme is reminiscent of that of summer gardens, the ensembles come in muted tones of blush, sage, powder blue, yellow and pristine white.

The sustainable edge
The couturier has also been known as someone who uses eco-friendly fabrics. “It has always been my dream to create beautiful clothes, and at the same time beautiful tomorrows for our people, planet and crafts,” says the designer, adding, “Extending the same thought to my SS’18 collection, I fashioned a few outfits with R Elan GreenGold—one of the most eco-friendly fabrics. It has a very low carbon footprint.” These fabrics are manufactured from used plastic bottles utilising a traceable manufacturing process that employs renewable energy. Also, clothes crafted from this fabric seem like a better fit for summers as it is breathable and more wearable.   Separates `6,990 onwards.