MissMalini Says: I absolutely loved Anita Dongre’s modern bride, especially the belt purse (so useful!) and wristfuls of metallic bangles! xoxo
After a gorgeous ethereal resort collection last season, Anita Dongre now takes us to another location, namely Rajasthan. Bhandini making a big come back, with intricate patters on dupattas and lehenga’s, this collection was definitely an homage to a craft that’s distinctly Indian. In true Anita style, the simplicity of the traditional wear was enhanced by sexy backless cholis, interesting borders and a mixture of prints. Something I haven’t seen before is a ruffle on the neckline of the choli, very playful and modern at the same time.
Another trend we’re seeing a lot of is the belt purse (or fanny pack) on saris and lehengas. Anita does them in different prints and fabrics, just imagine how cute they’ll look on jeans and tees or on the beach with a bikini and cover up. As you may already know, MissMalini is getting her wedding trousseau done by Anita Dongre, needless to say, we saw a lot of outfits last night that I think she’ll want to add. One in particular is a striking pink with gold ensemble, as soon as it came down the runway, MissMalini sent me a bbm (we were sitting on opposite sides of the ramp) saying “I WANT!”
It wasn’t all Indian wear though, Anita did a lot of evening wear as well. These floor length gowns will be turning up at future events, I have no doubt. I’d personally love to see these dresses being worn at sangeets and mehendi parties, as they are a great cross over from traditional to the modern. A contemporary woman who wants her heritage as well as her new age culture to be depicted through her style, it’s this mix that Anita Dongre constantly brings to her collections, something we here at MissMalini.com appreciate and admire.
The picture above is made from ‘Fair Trade Organic Cotton’ and has been crafted by the women from Mijwan. The Mijwan Welfare Society, which Anita Dongre and Manish Malhotra support is a Kaifi Azmi NGO founded in 1993 and is now headed by Namrata Goyal. Anita Dongre has been involved with the NGO for 18 months and has been providing work and training the women of the village.