Inspired by the vintage colours of Mumbai's old architecture, designers Shantanu and Nikhil's collection "Bombay Lieux" at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here, presented the past with a dash of modernity. "The architect who created the old charm of Bombay (as Mumbai was earlier known) deeply inspired us to understand the meaning of the past and the future, where post-modernisation is influenced by the sign of the modern lifestyle," Shantanu told IANS after showcasing his collection Friday evening.

The collection goes back to another era with colours like copper, gold, grey, off-white, chocolate and black. The structured and well-defined silhouettes were treated with graphic prints in combination with vintage reflections of old wrought iron. "We named the collection 'Bombay Lieux' and it has vintage impressions but focuses strongly on futuristic modernism," the designer explained.

Using fabrics like wool, satin, satin stretch and leather, the creative duo have designed tunics, straight fit pants, balloon dresses, blouses, short dresses and evening gowns having a royal tail - layers of fabric gathered at the back.

"Deep experimental cuts and leather patch work on the outfits denote the ceilings and pillars of the buildings of old Bombay," added Shantanu. Embellishments like metal sequins, surface embroidery, patchwork, linear and straight-line appliqué were used to enhance the outfits. On the absence of accessories, Shantanu said: "With the kind of embellishments we have used in our silhouettes, there is no need to accessorise them."

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