Kolkata, Apr 4 - Bollywood actor Minisha Lamba walked the ramp sporting a scintillating collection of traditional and contemporary jewellery at the Kolkata Fashion Week last evening. The collection comprised exclusive bridal jewellery sets made of gold and diamond meant to match with bridal designer dresses. Lamba said she was thrilled to present the exquisite collection. “I think the collection is fantastic. India ranks number one in the world as far as gold jewellery and inventive design are concerned,” said Lamba. The dazzling jewellery collection left the audience awestruck. “Kolkata has hosted this show for the first time and it is because of this that I have also attended it. I was really star struck. They were so beautiful. The dresses were also very nice,” said Chayanika, a spectator. The theme of the fashion week is ‘Return to Roots’ in line with the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation declaring 2009 as the ” InternationalYear of Natural Fibre. The fashion week also focus on the cultural heritage of Bengal, especially that of the weavers. At least 35 of the country’s top models will sashay down the ramp during the four-day show. Calcutta school of fashion From top: Designs by Anamika, Sabyasachi, Kiran and Vivek Calcutta was all over Mumbai — at Lakme Fashion Week, that is. Stretch it to include Anamika Khanna’s delhi showing at the finale of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week last month and it is safe to say that the city has taken the lead in the fashion race, beating its more high-profile counterparts delhi and mumbai. Some might say that we have always been the design den of the country, so what’s new? lots, actually. Traditionally known for craftsmanship, cheap labour, embroidery and textiles, now the focal point is aesthetics. the Calcutta school of fashion has a new improved image. t2 explores the city’s changing style equity… How it all started Calcutta hit the fashion headlines decades ago when Ritu Kumar, the first lady of fashion, began her journey as a young bride. A lot has changed in the past three decades. Designers agree that the city has been established as a fashion hub for the past six-seven years, with the validity of the claim growing stronger with every passing season. “Everything goes through an evolution cycle. Just how important a state is at any point of time is reflected in the other aspects as well. Bengal is in the news industrially, so other things like fashion have also gained importance. It’s the same reason why India is doing well globally. Indian designers are suddenly accepted because India is now accepted,” explains designer Anamika Khanna. It did take Calcutta a while to match the sheer numbers of Delhi (“and great talent”) and Mumbai’s fashion exposure and Bollywood bounty, feels Anamika, but now things are better than ever. “Calcutta always had one or two important names but with the influx of more people doing strong work, everyone automatically takes notice.” And taking notice they are. International Herald Tribune’s Suzy Menkes applauded Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s and Kiran Uttam Ghosh’s collections, mavericks like Narendra Kumar joked that LFW has turned CFW (Calcutta Fashion Week) and Harmeet Bajaj, fashion director of Marie Claire India, stressed how big Bengal now is. (She even changed her return ticket to Delhi to catch Sabya’s show!) These “important names”, as Anamika says, put Calcutta on the global map but now the new brigade is also becoming a rage on the runway. “People have been fearing the Calcutta contingent because of Anamika and me and now the newer designers have to perform better because of peer pressure. They know they have to be intellectually stimulating,” says Sabya. With the intellectual tag following this town wherever it goes — deservedly or not — it has also become the defining factor for the Calcutta school of fashion. City-based designers’ collections are expected to be as thought-provoking as beautiful. “All Calcutta designers have an intellectual or a ‘student-lectual’ appeal. Everyone is trying to prove that they’re worthy of being a Calcutta designer,” feels youngster Kallol Dutta. Designer Abhishek Dutta rewinds to when Calcutta was first caught on the style radar — in 2002, when Sabyasachi presented his models in bindis, turbans and glasses for his collection Return to Kashgaar Bazaar. “Since then, all of us have to style our shows to live up to that legacy,” he says. Brand new USP Embroidery, textile, skilled labour… A for Arty has always been a key strength but now there is slick silhouette and super styling too. Calcutta has a new look, a new ID. “The perception about Bengal designers has changed,” stresses Sabya. There are great expectations from GeNext and so far, they have given us no reason to worry. High on last week’s phenomenal response in Mumbai, they are all upbeat: “Our seniors had their own niche and we youngsters are adding a new flavour with our different style sensibility,” says Dev from Dev R Nil. The new “style sensibility” includes creative pattern-cutting, innovative styling and new-age texturing. Anamika says Calcutta’s strength lies in its seclusion. “And because of this, what is done here is very different from the work other designers do in Delhi and Mumbai.” They say a Calcutta garment can be told from a mile away. The techniques are unique and so is the treatment. Emerging designer Soumitra Mondal adds that Calcutta stands apart because of the experimental attitude. “It’s not that designers in other cities do not innovate but the percentage here is higher. Our effort is noticeable.” Monikangana in a Kallol creation Kiran Uttam Ghosh sums up Calcutta’s USP. “Unlike Delhi or Mumbai where uniforms prevail, Calcutta breaks away. Whether it is a quirky colour or cut, Calcutta designers put in a piece of themselves in each of our garments. We contradict global mass-making norms.”