Fashion

While London presents its Fall 2012 menswear collections February 22, Milan Fashion Week begins, with Gucci fans able to watch the label's show live and read blogger's commentary at Gucci Connect.

Following from Simonetta Ravizza and Paola Frani at 09:30 and 11:30 respectively, the Gucci show kicks off at 14:00 and can be seen via http://www.gucciconnect.com/live/, with bloggers encouraged to add their opinions as the presentation unfolds.

Other big names launching proceedings tomorrow include Alberta Ferretti, who is just one of the designers whose presentation will be live-streamed via Italian Vogue's website.

Shows are also set to be streamed from Italy's Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana website while big names including Versace will present via Facebook thanks to a "Live Fashion Show" tab.

The label's presentation is due to take place at 19:30 on February 24, and more details can be seen via the Versace Facebook page.

Milan Fashion Week will run February 22 - 28.

There's good news for fashionistas who secretly dig sporting Mickey and Minnie Mouse apparel and accessories. Designers Little Shilpa and Nitin Bal Chauhan will salute these iconic mice in their independent collections. Ruchika Kher goes behind the scenes for a sneak peak

As a school going kid, a Mickey Mouse lunchbox or a Minnie Mouse hair band was considered cool. Obviously, these delightful characters had to be abandoned midway between one's teenage years and adulthood. However, there's good news.

Disney fashion

Designer Little Shilpa and Designer Nitin Bal

Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee's wedding saris and a range of specially commissioned shawls and headbands will be showcased as part of the 'Inspired by India' selling exhibition of contemporary design at Sotheby's in London May 8-15.

Sotheby's reputed curator Janice Blackburn feels Mukherjee was an undisputed choice for the segment.

"He is to my mind the finest and most original of the Indian dress and accessory designers. He doesn't look to the west for his inspiration but rather the colourful low life of India - gypsies, the desert, Bollywood," Blackburn said in a press statement.

"His work is very Indian but in a way that in the west we understand and appreciate and value," added Blackburn.

The exhibition is curated by Blackburn and designed by Tricia Guild of Designers Guild.

Blackburn feels it's wonderful that the new generation of designers is trying to revive the old crafts while maintaining a contemporary feel in the clothes.

"I visited and travelled extensively in India for many years and am particularly interested in crafts such as weaving, tie-dying, embroidery, enamelling, paper and so on.... It is sad that most of the skills and craft traditions we associate and value in India are dying out and not being passed on to the next generation who prefer to go to the cities.

"Much of the work is now mass-produced and poor. But there is a new generation of designers who are adapting these traditional skills and using them for well-designed contemporary work. This is what interests me," added Blackburn.

But Sabyasachi is special.

"His workmanship is exquisite - all handmade - embroidery, beading. He has the finest aesthetic and stays true to his Indian roots. I have followed his progress since he first began designing and am absolutely thrilled he has agreed to exhibit in 'Inspired by India'," she said.

Mukherjee, who regularly designs for the who's who of the country, and also dressed international talk show queen Oprah Winfrey on her India visit, is ecstatic about the news.

"I'm feeling happy that I am being recognised for being Indian, primarily for being myself. I have always said that the only way to become global is to have a local soul. And I am really happy that this is being validated time and again in my career," he said.

A beautifully-lit Qutub Minar served as the dramatic backdrop for renowned designer Tarun Tahiliani to showcase his collection, inspired by the Turkish Ottoman Empire, at an off-site show that had many Delhiites cheering.

Sufi musicians set the mood as the show progressed and models strutted down a long ramp in Tahiliani's creations at the Blue Frog in The Kila, Mehrauli, Thursday night - part of the Wills India Fashion Week (WIFW).

The collection consisted of pieces inspired from bridles and chest straps used in medieval Turkey. Woven straps in geometric shapes like squares, circles and octagons held up the dress drapes.

As many as 52 models walked the ramp donning Indian and western silhouettes like panelled gilets, shirts, skirts, harem pants, kurta-churidar, tunics, saris with sculpted cholis and graphic borders, mid calf dresses, draped tunics, lehengas and kaftans with motifs of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

"Elements of Istanbul's Topkapi Palace comes alive through the use of hyacinths, carnations and tulip motifs used in deep mauves, royal blues and fiery reds," Tahiliani told IANS.

"Classic jewel tones of wine dregs, black, old rose, indigo blues also co-exist. Charmeuse, georgette, stretch jersey, lycra and net all come together in this collection in back baring silhouettes," he added.

After Rohit Bal, Tahiliani is the second designer to have chosen an off-site show. "I guess different elements, which can be used in an off-site definitely add more character to the show, something that is not possible at MSA Hall in Pragati Maidan."

Daughter of sitar player Ravi Shankar, Anoushka, who is based in London, was seen enjoying the show sitting in the front row after making her presence felt in Gaurav Jai Gupta and Kanika Saluja Chaudhry's show.

From business opportunities to introducing new faces, from focusing on social causes to collaborating with Japanese designers, the autumn-winter edition of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) 2012, starting Wednesday, will be a melange of activities that will boast of fun, entertainment and business.

"WIFW has always been known for creating landmarks in the fashion world and this season won't be any different. Apart from giving the best of fun and entertainment to the patrons, business will also grow in leaps and bounds. We have added buyers from different regions to explore Indian talent this edition," Sunil Sethi, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) president, told IANS.

For the first time, FDCI has invited three designers from Japan to showcase their collections at a segment called Tokyo Fashion Week, which is being supported by the Japan's ministry of economic trade and industry.

"Through Tokyo fashion week Indian designers will get a chance to interact with Japanese delegates. Also, this will be an opportunity for Indian designers to show their best design aesthetics as some of them will be selected to participate at the Japan Fashion Week," Sethi added.

The event will also highlight some social causes like human trafficking and Fashion for Freedom - an initiative to boycott zoo.

Bollywood actors Gulshan Grover, Mahima Chaudhary and Monica Dogra will join FDCI and PETA India chief functionary Poorva Joshipura to announce a new partnership between FDCI and PETA India during WIFW.

"Human trafficking show is a part of CSR activity (Corporate Social Responsibility) of FDCI. Wherein PETA activity is our step to create awareness amongst masses.

"We will have many celebrities who will be the part of these activities. These celebrities are not only restricted to Bollywood but from different walks of life including artists and sports personalities. There will be Leander Paes, some top-notch cricketers, Gulshan Grover, Vivek Obeori, Mahima Chaudhary, Monica Dongre and many more," Sethi said.

Not only buyers from Japan, Europe, Middle-East and the US, but also from Pakistan will participate in the five-day fashion extravaganza.

As many as 138 designers will showcase their collection and of them some of the established names are Anju Modi, Meera and Muzaffar Ali, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Rocky S, Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Wendell Rodricks, James Ferreira and Gauri and Nainika.

Payal Jain and Sanchita Ajjampur are the Fiama Di Wills designers this time.

Designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil will open the edition, while JJ Valaya will bring the curtain down.

"This year we have a list of outstanding designers with representation across geographies who will display their creative excellence on the runway," said Sethi.

The list also includes 14 new entrants.

"The aspiring designers are talented and we are giving them an opportunity to explore their creativity � all the 14 emerging designers will get a chance to showcase their best creative side in front of buyers from different parts of the world," he added.

Dia Mirza and Sameera Reddy will grace the front row for Shantanu-Nikhil.

Shiny leather stood out during a particularly busy Sunday at New York fashion week, with both Derek Lam and Donna Karan for DKNY making the most of the material in its most highly polished form.

Thakoon Panichgul also put leather on the catwalk, moving on from the strong ethnic flavor of collections past by sending out dozens of looks for next fall and winter dominated by red, orange and purple.

In what critics hailed as a strong collection, Lam sent his models through a maze of white frames in sleeveless paneled leather tops matched with skirts that were either long and sequined or hemmed at the knee with pockets.

Equally glossy was a futuristic, figure-hugging oxblood dress with a cheongsam silhouette; the same material reappeared in another look as the skinniest of skinny leather jeans.

But it wasn't all hard-edged, as the California-born designer threw in a white cable-knit sleeveless sweater that came across as practical and feminine when combined with a fluid white dress.

Huge buttons defined Lam's double-breasted jackets, and bushy fur collars looked especially appealing on a day when New Yorkers weathered freezing temperatures and a blustering Arctic wind.

More shiny leather turned up at DKNY, Karan's youthful and unabashedly urban diffusion line, for which a yellow New York taxi was pressed into service as the runway backdrop.

Ashley Greene, the "Twilight" star who is the latest face of DKNY, was among the front-row guests who savored a collection inspired, according to the designer's notes, by the Beat generation of the 1950s.

Building on a trend that emerged at the spring-summer shows in September, there was no shortage of peplum skirts, including a high-waisted number in reptilian leather with a wide, waist-pinching belt.

Showing late Sunday at the Plaza hotel, the Thai-born and Nebraska-bred Thakoon, who counts First Lady Michelle Obama among his clients, drew inspiration from the 1950s and 1960s "when women dressed up to go everywhere."

"I wanted to make clothes that make you feel more dressed up in a way that's very easy," he told AFP backstage. "I haven't explored the charm side of fashion in a while, and I wanted to play with that."

Others who sent out their latest collections Sunday included the grande dame of New York fashion, Diane Von Furstenberg and British pop singer turned designer Victoria Beckham.

"I am very proud about the whole collection. I would wear every single dress," said the erstwhile Posh Spice, whose guests at the New York Public Library included football-star husband David and seven-month-old baby Harper.

"This season, I really have been able to focus on construction, on quality," said the London-based designer, who has been showing in New York since 2008. "Technically, we've done a lot more this season."

Memories of the 1981 motorcycle ride across America that inspired the founding of his Custo Barcelona label clearly remain strong for Custo Dalman, given the renegade biker theme that informed his latest collection.

His show in Lincoln Center kicked off with a much-welcome burst of color, coupling woolly red fringed outfits with big neckerchiefs and lace-up high-heeled boots.

Patrik Ervell, a fast-rising star in menswear, found unlikely inspiration in police wear. The convincing results included a "tactical police sweater" in electric blue alpaca and a SWAT jacket in ballistic black nylon.

Actress Priyanka Chopra walked down the red carpet at the Grammy Awards in a gown created by designer duo Gauri-Nainika.

The 29-year-old flew to Los Angeles from Berlin Sunday night to attend the function where biggest names from the music industry came.

"Ok guys!! Grammy time! Just landed into LA.. options of gowns.. Indian designer or western..?Hmmm..I'm biased towards wearing Indian talent..(sic)," Priyanka posted on twitter Monday morning.

"A special behind the scenes pic only for you. On my way to the Grammy. In a Gauri and Nainika original! What say guys?," she tweeted.

She is known for her ethnic Indian designs and now celebrated designer Ritu Kumar wants to popularise hand-woven textiles in vogue through her Panchvastra collection. She says this will clear the notion that people have lost interest in such fabrics.

She unveiled the collection Thursday at a show also called Panchvastra, which revolved around five main characters -- Ganga, Draupadi, Kunti, Amba and Gandhari -- who represent five different moods.

"The whole idea was conceptualised by my son Amrish Kumar and Vidyun Singh. The main idea was to recreate vintage clothing with a modern twist to keep alive the essence of the hand-weaving technique," Kumar told IANS.

Portrayed through the central characters of the Ramayana, the show mixed textiles, theatre and film to bring alive how they are relevant across ages and cultures," she added.

Dancer Anita Ratnam represented Ganga, Dia walked the ramp as Draupadi, Kirron Kher was Kunti, Seema Biswas was Amba and Sushmita Sen portrayed Gandhari.

The collection was a mix of lehangas, kurtis, suits and saris in chanderi, cotton and tie & dye.

"It was delicate and feminine, with a vibrant colour palate comprising strong hues and bright, bold shades. The use of mirror work, along with gota and zardosi embroidery lent a regal look to the ensemble."

Kumar presented five moods in different colours -- purity in hues of white and peach; seduction with bold and rich colours; illusion by the exquisite use of Swarovski crystals, embellishments as well as extravagant garments; exile through a melange of colour -- orange, gold and fuschia; and darkness by beautiful dramatic pieces in black, gold and indigo.

Though Kumar is known for her fascination for hand-woven textiles, she says other designers do not use it by choice.

"I think it's a very personal choice that designers don't want to go for hand-woven textiles. For them, synthetic is very important to cater to the modern world but my ideologies are different and I never promote such fabrics," she explained.

After serving the fashion world for over a decade, designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee has now forayed into the TV world with his "Band Baajaa Bride with Sabyasachi" show that he says will enable him connect with a market he has not tapped.

The 37-year-old is the designer for the second season of the show where he will makeover 13 girls into bridal divas.

"Yes, this is the first time I am doing a full-fledged television show. I took this opportunity as I feel the show will give me a chance to dress up brides from all over India, from different communities, religions and economic backgrounds. Also keeping in mind the bridal season, it is an apt time to be the part of a show which is entirely dedicated to bridal wear," Mukherjee told IANS.

The designer also feels the show will allow him to explore a new market.

"We designers always get the chance to design for high-end celebrities, socialities and models but 'Band Baaja...' will give me a chance to connect with untapped market, which always aspires to wear our creations but never did so because of high prices and limited designs.

"It will be little bit of reality check for me to know about these girls and their mindsets," he said.

Talking about his experience while facing the camera, he said: "This is not the first time I am facing the camera. I have given many interviews in the past and that experience helped me during the shooting of the show. Also, my experience working with these girls was very interesting. I went to their homes, ate with them, interacted with their families."

The show goes on air Friday on NDTV Good Times.

Three designers from Japan will showcase their collection durings the autumn-winter edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) in a show titled Tokyo Fashion Week.

The event, starting Feb 15, will witness a joint fashion show by three Japanese designers -- Anrealage, Mintdesigns and Suzuki Takayuk.

WIFW organiser Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) Tuesday announced its association with the Japan Fashion Week Organization to introduce the Tokyo Fashion week on the Indian runway.

Supported by the Japan's ministry of economic trade and industry, the event will be a unique cultural exchange between the two countries, FDCI President Sunil Sethi said.

"Bringing this event to India is a path-breaking initiative to promote cross-cultural relations between the two countries. This year will be a milestone in the history of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, when, for the first time, Indian and Japanese fashion will converge under one roof," he added.

Masahiko Miyake, chairperson of the Japan Fashion Week Organization, said: "The hallmark of our design lies in its craftsmanship and attention to detail and we are confident of receiving an encouraging response from the Indian fashion fraternity."

The Japanese designers will unveil their creativity on Feb 18, the penultimate day of WIFW.

A delegation of over 30 members from Japan will also attend the fashion week.

After making his presence felt in the Mumbai fashion circuit with his off-site show at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) last year, Rohit Bal is back as the grand finale designer this time around

You will be returning as a grand finale designer for LFW after a decade. What's it like, and what can people expect from this collection?
It feels nice. Now when I am back, I want to keep showing here. That it's the finale makes it a huge pressure, a big burden but a good burden because everyone has a lot of expectations from you. But I'm going to do my own stuff. The finale is very electric, very high charged. So I'll ensure that all my clothes are very high-charged too and dramatic.

Rohit Bal was in the city. Pic/Dhara Vora

Any reason for such few appearances?
No particular reason. It's very difficult to do many shows in one season. Sometimes, there is problem with timings. Otherwise, fashion weeks clash. When I do a show I give my 100 percent and I don't like to repeat my collections. It's related to time constraints.

Your comments on the ongoing debate for tag of India's fashion capital - your vote would go to...?
It depends on where I am. If I'm in Delhi, it becomes the fashion capital. If here, it becomes Mumbai.

Designer Ritika Bhasin, known for her festive collection, has created a unique range of multi-purpose bridal wear, which has exquisite suits-cum-gowns that can be used again and again.

"In India, women's clothing varies widely and is closely related to culture, region and climate. Traditionally, Indian women go for saris, suits and lehengas. The collection conceptualised by me is extremely traditional yet modern. I have come up with exquisite suits-cum-gowns which can be draped either way," Bhasin told IANS.

"Most of the women today prefer wearing gowns-cum-suits for their cocktail parties. Because of the increased garments prices, people don't want to use them for different occasion like birthday bashes, kirtans or karva chauth in form of suits," she added.

The collection primarily focuses on ethnic wear for occasions like weddings, festivals, anniversaries, birthday parties, baby shower, inauguration parties and other traditional events.

The silhouette varies from suits, saris, lehengas with lot of intricate sequins, beads and gotta-pati work.

"My aim is to make stylish pieces with Indian motifs, finish, texture, details and colours. A lot of velvet, brocade, chiffons, georgette in red, gold, fuschia and coral have been used. These days a lot of voluminous flowy suits, gowns are in vogue with geometric cuts, thus to maintain the essence of femininity, I decided to add glam, glitz and fashion to the collection," she said.

With the collection, the designer targets young girls.

"I have targeted girls in the age group of 25-35 years who don't want to repeat clothes and for them looking beautiful is value for money," Bhasin said.

The collection is available at the designer's store at price on request.

Designer J.J. Valaya will bring the curtains down on the autumn/winter edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW), the second time will do so, and quite fittingly on the 20th anniversary of his debut in the field.

"This is the second time I am announced as the grand finale designer. The first season I did was in 2009. However, this edition is different because my label completes twenty years in the fashion industry and I want to thank fashion week for giving me platform to explore my designing skills," Valaya told IANS.

At the conclusion of the five-day fashion extravaganza Feb 19 at Pragati Maidan, the designer will showcase his ready-to-wear collection inspired by the Turkish genre. The collection will be "a happy mix of Indian and Western lines".

"Colour plays a huge role in my collection and like always, I will start the collection in beige, moving to brighter tones. Sets and music always plays a huge role in my line and this season will not be different. I am hopeful that fashionistas will love to see my new offering," the designer added.

During the gala, 138 designers will showcase their collections on the ramp and on the racks. Abraham and Thakore, Anand Kabra, Anju Modi, Gaurav Gupta, Meera and Muzaffar Ali, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Rocky S, Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Abdul Halder, Charu Parashar, Wendell Rodricks, James Ferreira and Gauri and Nainika are some of the well known names that will feature at the event.

In addition to her Kore collection launch at online retailer ASOS, Sophia Kokosalaki has announced the launch of a bridal and costume jewelry range to be sold exclusively at Net-a-porter.com.

WWD reported January 30 that the London-based Greek creator, whose fans include Chlo Sevigny and Kirsten Dunst, has designed a host of cocktail dresses and bridesmaids' gowns in materials such as tulle and charmeuse for the online boutique, which last week caused a sensation with the launch of Karl Lagerfeld's capsule collection KARL.

Sources of inspiration for the line include Greek goddesses, 1950s Christian Dior and late French designer Madame Vionnet.

Prices begin at �800 ( 957), while complementing jewelry starting at �100 ( 119) has been made by prestigious Greek jeweler Ilias Lalaounis. Both the jewels and the gowns will go on sale February 15.

Fashionistas looking for a more affordable way to get their hands on Kokosalaki's creations can register for alerts concerning the designer's Kore range at ASOS, where prices begin at �60 ( 71) for a jersey T-shirt.

Kokosalaki, who is also creative director for Diesel Black Gold, is launching her Spring 2012 Kore line exclusively at ASOS.

The line's summery lace pieces, which were handcrafted by an all-female team in Sri Lanka as part of designer support initiative ASOS Inc., will hit the site late in March.

Taking a sustainable approach to developing designer collections, ASOS Inc. has previously put together a leather accessories collection with rising Canadian designer Thomas Tait and a jewelry line with the Scottish designer Louise Gray.

US creator Rachel Roy will launch her first designer footwear line this August, inspired by her mentor Manolo Blahnik although at a more affordable price point.

WWD reported January 30 that Roy's separate designer footwear line will include flats starting at $195 and pumps ranging from $225 to $325.

According to the creator the collection is "classic with a twist," and there are nods to Blahnik via textured looks and mixed materials such as wool and suede.

Roy, who collaborated with the 69-year-old Spanish creator for footwear at her past New York Fashion Week shows, also combines neons and other bold tones with motifs including animal print, polka dots and gingham.

"Designer shoes are one of the categories I've wanted to do but I was unwilling to do it until I felt I could really do it right," explained the creator, who sells her eponymous fashion line at www.rachelroy.com/ and her Rachel Rachel Roy diffusion apparel and accessories line at US department store Macy's.

Other Blahnik collaborators to have recently announced footwear expansion include US creator Isaac Mizrahi.

The 50-year-old, who began collaborating with Blahnik in 1988, announced last October that as of Fall 2012 he will launch an affordable line of shoes, jewels, bags and small leather goods, with prices ranging from $38 to $348.

Ritu Kumar, known for her ethnic Indian creations, has designed the wedding trousseau of Geneila D'Souza, who will tike the knot with long-time boyfriend Riteish Deshmukh Friday. The ace designer enjoyed designing elegant chic clothes for the young actress.

"Genelia is such young and petite girl that it was fun to make the wedding trousseau for her. I avoided bling and shimmer because I didn't want clothes to overshadow her personality. Hence the silhouette which I designed for her is simple yet elegant and chic," Kumar told IANS.

The outfits in Genelia's trousseau comprise of a nude and black net Anarkali suit with multi panelled layers, which the 24-year-old is expected to wear for her mehndi ceremony. The bodice is accentuated with a see through layer of lace like filigree. The ensemble is teamed up with a black and nude coloured dupatta and a nude coloured churidar.

For the D-day, Kumar has designed a lehanga, choli and odhni in gold and indigo blue for Genelia. The blouse is made of indigo blue velvet with antique dhapka embroidery, while lehanga has antique gold weaving with zardozi embroidery.

The odhni is a subtle mix of gold and indigo blue and the designer feels it will highlight Genelia's petite frame.

According to the designer, the ensemble resembles a 19th century archival piece.

"For Genelia's trousseau, I have chosen colours that will enhance her vivacious personality. She can carry off the traditional Indian look beautifully. The Anarkali and lehenga designed beautifully complement Genelia. The ensemble resembles a 19th century archival piece," the designer said.

Will she attend the wedding?

"Let see, I have many other projects to finish so may be."

The couple started dating when they first met on the sets of "Tujhe Meri Kasam". Post marriage they have a new release coming up - "Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya".

Designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil will Feb 15 open the autumn-winter edition of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week(WIFW) 2012 at the Pragati Maidan here.

WIFW organiser Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) Tuesday announced the names of the designers who will feature at the 19th edition of the event.

"FDCI is thrilled to have ace designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil to open WIFW 2012, that so befits the glitz and glamour that they are known for and hence the apt choice to unveil the biggest fashion event of the year," FDCI President Sunil Sethi said in a statement.

The designer duo, known for their luxurious and elegant collection, will showcase their S&N Drape bridge line, and said they were "extremely excited to open the show".

During the five-day gala, 138 designers will showcase their collections on the ramp and on the racks. Abraham and Thakore, Anand Kabra, Anju Modi, Gaurav Gupta, Meera and Muzaffar Ali, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Rocky S, Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Abdul Halder, Charu Parashar, Wendell Rodricks, James Ferreira and Gauri and Nainika are some of the well known names that will take part in the event.

The upcoming edition of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW), to be held next month, will witness a record number of 138 designers showcasing their collection on the ramp and racks.

The number beats the maximum number of designers at the previous two editions of the bi-annual gala. While the spring summer edition 2011 saw 120 designers, the autumn-winter 2011 edition had 130 designers.

The WIFW organising body, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) Friday announced the list of designers who will take part at the five-day extravaganza, which starts Feb 15.

The list includes 14 new runway and stall designers, showcasing their creations.

"This year we have a list of outstanding designers with representation across geographies who will display their creative excellence on the runway," FDCI president Sunil Sethi said in a statement.

"With combined elements of innovation, creativity and tradition of the WIFW, these designers will give a fresh perspective to the autumn-winter collection, we are hopeful that this edition will also break all records like the past season," added Sethi.

Some established names whose works will be seen include Abraham and Thakore, Anand Kabra, Anju Modi, Gaurav Gupta, Meera and Muzaffar Ali, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Rocky S, Rohit Bal, Shantanu and Nikhil, Tarun Tahiliani, Abdul Halder, Charu Parashar, Wendell Rodricks, James Ferreira and Gauri and Nainika.

The list of first-time designers includes Kanika Saluja Chaudhary, Vijay Balhara, Kiran and Meghna, Nupur Kanoi, Ritu Pande, Shakshee Pradhan, Tahera Peeran, Shantanu Singh, Vaishali, Pallavi Singhee, Payal Pratap, Chhaya Mehrotra, Ruchi Mehta, Pragya and Megha Samor and Pallavi Foley.

The event will take place at Pragati Maidan.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, known for her impeccable sense of style, has been named the Hat Person of the Year.

The title has been given to her by the Headwear Association, reports contactmusic.com.

She beat actor-singer Justin Timberlake for the crown.

Middleton takes the title from actor Johnny Depp, who won the honour in 2011.