Lakme Fashion Week A\W09: Nachiket Barve

Watching Barve's show gave me an odd sense of déja vu. And when I went through his previous season's collection at his stall I understood why. Barve's autmn-winter collection seemed to be a more sombre interpretation of his spring-summer. The bright acid colour slightly loose shift dresses that he'd displayed last season were in more sombre avatars for autmn-winter. Colour gradation, which he'd used as a prominent design element back, in a more wintry palette. Even the fabric treatments and surface ornamentation, which is what I like most about his work, seemed to be reworked from last season.

Degas liked painting ballerinas. So he painted a whole bunch of ballerinas. And he did it again. And again. A lot of great artists have repeatedly painted the same subject. It's quite possible that Barve's creative spirit wanted to revisit and look at his last collection through new eyes. But this is fashion, and that excuse doesn't work so well when the industry is so fickle with its affections.

On a brighter note, I did really like his collection. I liked the both the applique and the printed shift dresses. And I loved the very bling strapless black shift worn with black legging and mary janes. Tres chic!