Designers ready for ‘opulent’ KFW-II

Spicezee Bureau

Kolkata: The second Kolkata Fashion Week is gearing up for an extravagant opening. Curtains will rise to the traditional offerings by designer Ritu Kumar, while Manish Malhotra will showcase his collection at the grand finale. The KFW-II has `Earth Couture` as the theme celebrating India`s ethnic roots, in view of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation declaring 2009 as ‘The International Year of Natural Fibre’. The major designers have come out with the theme of their ensembles. They are: Ritu Kumar: traditional India made contemporary with Western jackets and long scarves - shift to antique. Manish Malhotra: opulence, drama and elegance. Anita Dongre: contemporary interpretation of traditional Indian wear. Kiran Uttam Ghosh: flapper girl goes to the Orient. Wendell Rodricks: austere Bibi Russell: dramatic and traditional. Narendra Kumar: Western. Mandira Wirk: demure and essentially feminine. Rocky S: for today’s party-going young women. The country`s top models, among them Indrani Dasgupta, Sapna Kumar, Joey Matthews, Lakshmi Rana, Noyanika Chatterjee, Neha Kapur and Candice Pinto, will sashay down the ramp showcasing the creations of the designers, which include Bangladesh`s Bibi Russel. Sixteen of the participating designers are taking part in a fashion week for the first time. There will also be a committee interacting with buyers and some of them are expected to fly down from abroad. “Last year, we had two buyers from abroad. This year, we are hoping to have 10-12. The designers who took part in the maiden chapter of the KFW have told me that it was a success, and they had a good market for their products after the event,” Dutta said. KFW-II is going to be organized on a budget of around seven crore. A day after it ends, there would be a fashion exhibition thrown open to the public.