Elements Inspired Top Picks from the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016

   Our fashion inspirations are heavily influenced by the nature and its components, and why wouldn't that be, they're the ones we touch, we see and are keeping us alive. It is this reason why, the official sponsors of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016, #LYFsmartphones have launched their four "Fashion Meets Technology" variants under the name  - The Elements series namely, Earth, Water, Wind and Flame. In keeping with this theme, I am naming my top picks for the Indian bride, from the entire showcase of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016, one ensemble each for each of the four elements of the nature.

   This wine colored lehenga choli worn by Payal Singhal's stowstopper Shibani Dandekar is everything that the element Earth signifies. Right from the earthy color to the gold toned flower and leaf embroidered motif, it has it all. It is the perfect choice for a grand reception for a confident bride who isn't tied down by traditional stereotypes and is ready to have fun with her wedding trousseau. It is inspired by the enigmatic elegance of iconic Indian royal women and given a twist of current fashion trends to make it more suited for the contemporary woman.
 

   When I think of the element Water, I think of free flowing fabrics with fluid silhouettes. My search for the perfect Water ensemble ended with this Jayanti Reddy eggshell colored long tunic and matching fitted leggings. It has a well structured embroidered sleeveless upper part, an empire waistline which continues in a fluid handkerchief shirt like fashion with a high low hem. Its simplicity is what makes it elegant and renders it perfect for a low key soiree.

 
   Since Manish Malhotra's Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016 Collection is inspired by the four elements of the nature, it would be criminal not to include one of his designs in this list. Though I am unsure which element was the inspiration for Manish Malhotra for the above piece (Water or Wind), its sheer fabric and sky like color definitely makes me think of Wind. This powder blue tulle evening gown with embroidered leaf motif and gathered waistline is perfect for a cocktail party as is for the red carpet!
 

   Thinking of Flame, I visualize fiery hot colors like reds, oranges and yellows. Saroj Jalan's "The Royal Harmony" collection had featured these in abundance making them perfect for the grandeur of the traditional Indian wedding ceremony. The piece that I've picked up above consists of bright red lehenga and matching dupatta paired with a mustard pocketed choli blouse, each heavily embroidered with gold zardosi work.

   These were my top bridal Elements picks. Which are yours??
 

Banging Start to Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016 with Manish Malhotra's "Elements Collection"

   When Manish Malhotra, one of the top fashion designers in India, showcased his collection on Day 1 of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016 taking inspiration from the Elements series of #LYFsmartphones, the official sponsors of current edition of the Lakme Fashion Week, it was bound to create ripples and be the talk of the town. This star studded event was attended by the who's who of the fashion world including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Farah Khan, Nita Ambani, Dia Mirza, Pernia Qureshi, Sangeeta Bijlani, Bhumi Pednekar and Sophie Choudhry to name a few, each of whom have flaunted creations by the talented host designer in the past.

   The "Elements" collection was showcased at Mehboob Studios, offsite from the usual venue, the St. Regis Hotel on 29th April, 2016 and focused on the four elements which make our world - Earth, Water, Wind and Flame, which also are the names of the four variants of the #LYFsmartphones. The decor of the venue resonated with the theme of the collection - A white backdrop, a 25 feet tall lace beige "Tree of Life" and hundreds of origami paper birds hanging from the ceiling, making for an awe inspiring sight in the strategic dark lighting bringing the audience closer in touch with the nature with the background sound of soft, melodious chirping of the birds.
   The Elements collection is tailor made for the contemporary bride and groom, who are not afraid to experiment with their wedding trousseau and believe in taking traditions and decorating them by adding the twist of the modern days. Manish Malhotra stated "'Elements' has been one of my most creatively gratifying experiences. The modern Indian bride is my muse, because there really is no point in wearing a gorgeous outfit if the bride cannot have fun in it. I wanted to showcase the expanse of possibilities that young, stylish brides- and grooms-to-be could explore for their big day,".

   The color palette used by the designer for the apparel consisted of blues, ivories, greys, beige, yellows, muted tangerines and pinks. For women styles varied from long gowns, lehengas, shirts with palazzo pants, capes, saris, off shoulder blouses, shrugs and jackets, one shoulder kurtis and a lot more, few having a free flowing silhouette while others well fitted. For males, Manish opted for fitted kurtas and jackets, churidaar or salwars with dupattas, sharp cut suits and trousers. As for the design, floral embroidery, geometric stripes, checks and sequins were seen in abundance on the fabrics. Accessories were kept to a bare minimum with a few models snugly holding clutches while few others held #LYFsmartphones in their hands. Makeup was subtle with a hint of blush on the cheeks and peach lips, with attention being drawn to the eyes with dramatic eyelashes.

   The show was closed in style by Bollywood heartthrobs, Jacqueline Fernandez and Arjun Kapoor, each receiving a big round of applause by the audience. Jacqueline wore an ivory evening gown with a silver sequinned floral design, with a rose quartz sheer cape with a long train while Arjun was dressed in a navy blue salwar kurta combo with a silvery grey jacket and a dupatta. The duo along with the other models looked ravishing in Elements - The nature themed collection inspired by #LYFsmartphones.

"Fashion Meets Technology" as LYF Smartphones Sponsor the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016

   LYF, the flagship smartphones from Reliance JIO whose four variants are inspired by the nature, the Elements series - Earth, Water, Wind and Flame became the main presenting sponsors of the ongoing edition of Lakme Fashion Week - Summer/Resort 2016 which is being held between 29th March - 3rd April at St. Regis Hotel, Mumbai. The Lakme Fashion Week, the bi-annual premier fashion event of India, which was first held in the year 1999, with their vision to "Redefine the future of fashion and Integrate India into the global fashion world" is the most awaited event for many a fashionistas residing in India and also abroad, couldn't have found a more suited match than LYF. This collaboration of Lakme Fashion Week and #LYFsmartphones is a perfect example of  "Fashion Meets Technology". Dedicating this blogpost to the four variants of #LYFsmartphones which are each more fashionable than the next!

   Earth 1 - Unleash the photographer in you.

   This innovative new smartphone has a crafted 7.2 mm aluminium alloy frame with brushed metal rim, is provided with not one but two rear cameras with resolution of 13 MP + 2 MP, which brings a DSLR like quality to the pictures captured, has ability to refocus and fast focus the images, trademark Chromaflash and OptiZoom features, exquisite display detailing, an energy boost performance with 1.5 Ghz speed, 8 x Octa-Core processor, 64 bit architecture, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB memory and a 3500 mAh battery all at Rs. 19,499/-

   Water -
   

   Water 1 - Delightful viewing experience.

   Priced at Rs. 14, 699/- it has a sturdy and scratch resistant ultralight body design with back glass finish and sleek 6.8 mm curved edge design, it possesses 12.97 cm natural color, full HD display with 160 degree wide viewing angle, IPS technology, 441ppi with 70 % NTSC color gamut, Incell technology for lower power consumption, a rear HDR 13 MP and front HDR 5 MP cameras, both provided with flash, with 80 degrees for wide angle pictures. Its front camera is provided with face detection for well lit selfies even in dark. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon processor has 1.5 Ghz speed, 8 x Octa-Core processor, 64 bit architecture, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB memory with USB on the go and a long lasting 2600 mAh battery.

   Water 2 - Style with substance.

   It is ultralight - 135gm with a curvy silhouette and silver-matte finish. Retina scan secures the phone to unlock screen while smart sense modes like Shake it, Auto Call, Auto answer, Flip to mute and Pocket mode truly make this a smart smartphone! A 12.7 cm HD display with wide angle viewing, JDI super screen, IPS technology make for a great viewing experience. It works on Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor and has a 2GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory. Rear HDR 13 MP and front 5 MP cameras with 80 degree wide angle and flash, full screen shutter for quick capture and easier clicking and pro camera modes like Tilt indicator, ISO, Light metering, White balance all make selling price of Rs. 13,599/- apt and affordable!

   Wind 6 - Camera in your pocket.

   Available at Rs. 6599/- it has glossy back finish, 12.7 cm IPS display which gives enhanced viewing experience, 5 MP front and 5 MP rear cameras each with 6X digital zoom, advanced features like face detection, blink detection as well as smile detection. Qualcomm Snapdragon processor provides 3X faster streaming, has 1.1 Ghz speed, 4 x Quad-Core processor, 32 bit architecture, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB memory with USB on the go and a long lasting 2250 mAh battery.

   Flame 1 - Perfect selfies every time.

   Having a 11.43 cm display which comes alive with vibrant colors, designed to carry out one hand operations with a glossy back finish it boasts of 5 MP front and 5 MP rear cameras each with 6X digital zoom, advanced features like face detection, blink detection and smile detection having more than 20 different camera settings. Qualcomm Snapdragon processor provides 3X faster video streaming, has 1.1 Ghz speed, 4X Quad-Core processor, 32 bit architecture, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB memory and a robust 2000 mAh battery at an affordable price of Rs. 5599/-

   The #LYFsmartphones just like the Lakme Fashion Week are proving to be Trendsetters - By manufacturing the first phone with two rear cameras; Multifarious - There is a phone for each and every need and budget; Creative - Having many innovative trademark technologies to their name and Dependable - Each phone variant having a great battery life. Another thing great about these is that a single fully charged smartphone is more than enough to survive an entire day at the Lakme Fashion Week - As capturing beautiful images and videos, quick posting of social media updates, working with low energy consumption - It does it all - And that too while looking as elegant and stylish as the showstoppers walking down the ramp!