The reason why Payal Singhal’s collection is one of the most important feature of FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week every year, is visible when you see models walking in her dynamic and magnificent clothes.
For this year’s collection, Payal, we learn, revisited her old paintings to draw them on paper and eventually bring them on her collection called Painterly.
The resort wear and destination wedding-ready collection found inspiration in art — from multi-hued brush strokes and abstract art to miniature Mughal paintings — and translated it into Payal’s signature PS Prints.
She has also explored the psyche of the young Indian bride of today to create wedding wear to resonate with her, and her coterie of bridesmaids. The silhouettes span the gamut from anti-fit and oversized to unapologetically sexy while exuding the feminine edge. While the brand’s signature silhouettes like kalidar shararas and the tie-back cholis remained a constant, there were experimental and deconstructed Indian wear too — pants with tie-up half lehengas, ruffled blouses, hip cut-outs and festive pant suits. The embroideries and prints mimic brush strokes, with a palette that had largely neutral bases punctuated with pops of colour. Zardozi, mukaish and woollen thread work mingled with bandhani textures in this line.
“I have approached each outfit like a painting — a sketch that evolves into a silhouette, then layered with fabrics, textures, embellishments and colours; just like multiple strokes come together to create an artwork. I did not abide by any rules of perceived rights or wrongs. Just a whole-heartedly artistic endeavour to enable our PS Girls to express their true selves through these clothes,” Payal said post the show.
