(From top) Malaika Arora Khan walks the ramp for sis-in-law Seema Khan; models flaunt outfits by Nathalie Garcon; a model shows off a Deepti Toor design; Nina Manuel showcases a Leonard creation. Pictures by Gajanan Dudhalkar Sohail, Salman and Arbaaz Khan with Helen during Seema’s show

The dress, stopping at the knee, often with a bubble hemline, has been the single most dominant silhouette on the Lakme Fashion Week ramp so far. It has made an appearance in almost every collection, in a variety of fabrics and cuts. There was some more of it on Thursday, Day III of the ongoing fashion gala in Mumbai.

While it was the dullest day of the week without a single big name showcasing, it, however, reiterated the trend loud and clear. The knee-length dress almost entirely made up the spring-summer collection of French label Leonard of Paris showcased at the NCPA ramp on Thursday evening.

Empire, coat, trapeze, tent… dresses came in a variety of forms, in fabrics ranging from terry cloth, silk jersey, chiffon, organza and more. The line, divided into various looks, also had beach minis, floor-length loungers, long gowns, jackets and bodices.

From exotic blooms to multi-hued stripes and abstracts, prints dominated the line, along with some “made in Mumbai” embroidery. The florals were in hues of orange, vanilla, purple, violet, aqua, fuchsia, grey, mostly on white bases, and the palette moved to brighter reds, fuchsias, browns and oranges with the evening glamour look. Rounded sleeves, wrapped uppers, belts with buckles bearing an orchid (the label’s emblem) were the highlights.

The other French label that shared the show — Nathalie Garcon — opened with a knee-length white lace dress Indianised with a churidar and followed it with a wrap-skirt and jacket worn over the churidar. Nathalie’s line was highly stylised, and she played around with various colour stories. The whites and off-whites were followed by some slate grey linen suits. Colour was introduced with gypsy skirts and sun dresses in vibrant shades, played down with cream and black. Summer dresses, layered gypsy skirts, bikinis, sarongs, slim skirts, structured jackets and pyjama trousers made up an eclectic set.

“I design for very feminine women and I definitely see a market in India. I am very excited to have showcased here, especially since this is a very fashion-conscious country. Unlike many countries where one sees just foreign fashion, India has a strong designer community,” observed Nathalie. Daniel from Leonard echoed: “After having spent a few days in India, I have sensed a market here. I think in three years, French labels will be available in India.” Both designers were all praise for Indian fabrics and embroidery used extensively in their collections.

Back to the dress rage, debutante designer Deepti Toor presented a collection full of them in her show earlier on Thursday. Her label Design Toor by Calcutta-based R&B Enterprises presented a strikingly international look with an array of knee-length dresses, along with some slim short skirts.

The designer unveiled a collection with clean lines, sans embellishments. Whites and off-whites, pale pinks and greens dominated the subdued palette. The inspiration of Mughal miniature paintings was reflected in the Indian prints. The fabrics were cotton and silk blends developed in Bengal handlooms.

Sharing the show with Deepti was the label Rahul & Firdos, who had also showcased with her at the GeNext show in April. The duo presented a girlie line in pretty pastels.

Khan clan

While Thursday went star-free, Friday afternoon saw some filmi footfall as the Khan bahu Seema (Sohail’s wife) made her fashion week debut. The front row was taken over by the brothers Khan (Salman, Arbaaz and Sohail) with mom Helen. Also showing solidarity were Amrita Arora, Neelam Kothari, Sonali Bendre and Rhea Pillai. Malaika finished the show for her sister-in-law with a flourish on the ramp in a shimmery white dress.

Seema’s collection was split into six different looks, with dresses predominant. The silhouettes were sexy and feminine, and the highlights were empire cuts, high waistlines, gold embellishments, lace trimmings, mirrors, crystals, stones and jewels. The show started with a range of resort wear in multi-hued wave prints on mul, and broad mirror-worked belts.

The second line had wool edging and floral wool detailing on beige and khaki bases. The third line of summery mul dresses with vibrant floral prints in reds, purples and turquoise did not impress. The next line carried pretty much the same look, with bright florals on black with ribbons. The fifth line in multi-coloured stripes looked breezy and beach, with funky under-bust belts. A collection in pastel lemon and green with Swarovski belts finished the line.

“I design depending on the wearer’s personality; I believe the woman should wear the clothes and not the other way round,” smiled Seema, who has designed Malaika’s wardrobe for Nach Baliye.