Archana Rao’s ‘Sun and Moon’ with a hint of floral at Lakme Fashion Week
The Hindu
Hyderabad designer Archana Rao showcased ‘Sun and Moon’ collection with floral surface techniques at Lakme Fashion Week
At designer Archana Rao’s studio in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, a marigold yellow gown with floral surface details and a voluminous trail draws attention. This satin-organza gown is from her Frou Frou Bride collection. In contrast to this are a few black and white separates, with silhouettes inspired by power dressing, from her Sun and Moon collection showcased at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Spring-Summer, in collaboration with Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). A few feet away is a showcase of frocks for young girls. The display gives visitors an idea of the fashion label’s diverse collection.
The Sun and Moon collection marked her return to LFW after three years. The absence was due to her studio commitments as well as designing costumes for director Nag Ashwin’s science fiction Telugu film, Kalki 2898 AD. “This year I was determined to showcase at LFW; the concept was ready ahead of time and we pulled it off in between all our commitments,” says Archana.
As always, Archana opened her showcase at LFW with a white ensemble before moving on to pastels and finally, blacks. Though Archana has a fondness towards wearing black, this is the first time she designed ensembles in black for the fashion week.
Her collections are season neutral in terms of the use of fabrics and the colour palette. Blacks, which used to be associated with cooler months, are no longer frowned upon by the fashion fraternity and designers experiment with lighter fabrics. Archana designed the black ensembles using lightweight leather and silks to make them breathable. The padded shoulders give a structured silhouette and accentuate the power dressing quotient.
Archana’s signature style of floral embellishments vary in form aligning with the sun and moon inspirations. She also uses large pearls for some of the collars. “Using a hint of bling in structured silhouettes helped to tone them down,” she explains.
Her fascination for flowers goes back to childhood when she used to pick fallen flowers from her aunt’s garden. “I would use the flowers for colouring and the pigments would give different textures. I would also have flowers placed between books. Pressed flowers and 3D floral surface details became my signature style when I began designing.”
Archana debuted at LFW in the Gen Next category in 2012 and got noticed for her feminine ensembles in contemporary Indo-western silhouettes, primarily catering to a young clientele. She gradually extended her focus to saris (in collaboration with Ekaya and eventually through her own label), bridal wear and kids’ wear. “With age and maturity, I began designing for women of all age groups,” she adds. Some of her saris cater to younger women who are not habitual sari wearers. Think pre-draped saris and zippered saris.
Director Jon Watts walks away from planned Wolfs sequel due to Apple's unexpected shift to streaming, despite initial greenlight.
Maharashtra government formation LIVE: Mahayuti is slated to form the government within the next three days, with winning MLAs being asked to gather in Mumbai immediately. Follow The Hindu’s live updates
After a long, tiring day all we want is to jump right on our cosy beds and rest comfortably on our soft, fluffy pillows, right? Pillows are not quite appreciated as much as electric cars or air-fryers, for instance. Pillows are a wonderful man-made creation that has improved the lives and sleep of people across the globe. Did you know ages ago people used to rest their heads on a HARD ROCK? So how did humans go from sleeping on stones to cosy, fluffy and soft pillows today? Let’s get into the origin of your everyday pillows!
Yashaswi Jaiswal shines with century as India takes strong lead against Australia in Border-Gavaskar trophy.
After contentious climate finance pact, developing nations criticize $300 billion pledge as inadequate in global climate deal.
Ph.D. students in Indian universities express angst over exploitation by guides, leading to a call for reform.
As the November 30 deadline nears for installing vehicle location tracking devices (VLTD) and emergency panic buttons in public service and nationally permitted goods vehicles in Karnataka, transport unions representing cab, bus, and truck operators are urging the government to reconsider the mandate. They argue that the high cost of these devices and a lack of awareness have made it difficult for many vehicle owners to comply with the requirement.
Congress byelection victory boosts government image, strengthens Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against corruption charges, ensures commitment to guarantees.
Supreme Court questions CAQM on stubble burning data, body defends interventions and enforcement actions against violators.
Tamil Nadu's Maternal Mortality Ratio drops to 39.4 and Infant Mortality Rate to 7.7, aiming for zero maternal deaths.
Low pressure forms in the Bay; heavy rain likely in parts of Andhra Pradesh from November 25, says IMD. The weather system may intensify into a depression around November 25, it says.