Designers make white the new colour of the season

New Delhi: It seems that the sparkling red lehenga or the black floor-sweeping gown have become passé as designers are opting for white as the new subtle colour palette of the coming season.

From the embellished bridal lehengas to Swarovski studded cocktail gowns and elegant netted sarees to long overcoats - shades of white are everywhere in the designer wardrobes. Rohit Bal, who was the grand finale designer of the recently concluded Delhi Couture week, used loads of ivory white in his collection titled `Shanti`. "I have always tried to embrace peace and using white in my collection has helped me achieve that. White has its own charm - it symbolises peace. Even the intricate thread work in my clothes are mostly in white," said Bal who prefers wearing white himself. Celebrities such as Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Soha Ali Khan, Shradddha Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar who came to support their designer friends during their shows were mostly spotted in shades of white. Sonakshi Sinha, who wore an ivory cocktail gown by designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil, said white is her favourite colour. "I like white. The colour has its own grace and you can team up any other hue with it," Sinha said. Designer Nikhil Mehra feels the colour white carries a "breath of freshness" and can be a part of the modern-day bridal wardrobe. "There is no substitute to white. It acts as a base to many colours. Our collection was for the modern-day bride and the technique we followed describes the vintage thought process of our country," Nikhil Said. "White even brings out the detailing of the clothes more intricately than any other colour," he added. Shades of white such as cosmic latte, vanilla and egg shell white are also popular. Celebrity fashion designer Manish Malhotra`s collection saw a lot of isabelline white chikankari work on lehengas and sarees, inspired from the old world charm of thirties and forties. Even Manav Gangwani showcased his delicate and detailed workmanship through exquisite embroidery. Swarovski elements were used imaginatively and lavishly in his skin-fit pearl white gowns. Apart from the garments, designers like Ashima and Leena used a white base in the decor and used pictures of different palaces and monuments to revive the ambience of age old tradition of Awadh and Lucknowi gharana on the ramp. But for designer Anju Modi, creating a specific garment is the result of her long meditations. Modi`s collection was titled `Maya` where she used white flowy garments to create the illusionary effect. "My creation is the result of meditation. As I was in a peaceful mood, my collection also uses the white. White is actually the melange of all the colours," said Modi. PTI