Here are some of the best looks of Aafreen’ 18 fashion show as Odisha handloom took centre stage

Bhubaneswar: The recently concluded fashion show Aafreen’ 18 by Reemly saw a mix of Odisha handloom, summer bridal wear and evening ensembles that left the high and mighty of the fashion royalty of Odisha capital impressed.

The show was choreographed in four segments, namely the Odisha handloom sequence, summer bridal collection, cocktail and evening wear and a special category where the clients of Reemly Design Studio sashayed down the ramp wearing Reemly Mohanty’s creations.

The first segment was a tribute to Odisha fabrics and prints. Sambalpuri midi dresses, Ikat print jumpsuits, men’s Nehru jackets with pattachitra motiffs and ikat kurtas, lehenga sarees with sambalpuri pallus, embellished sambalpuri print skirts and Anarkalis wooed the audience with their simplistic designs and elegant overlays with ruffles and bell sleeves making an appearance.

With the heightened interest in bridal collection, Reemly introduced her bridal wear for the summer in lighter shades in pinks and turquoise blues and beige which is a stark departure from the conventional bold tones such red and gold. Pastel shade lehenagas, embellished saree gowns, blouses with cut-out detail on the back, Nehru jackets with shimmer detail, heavily embroidered kurtas and rust-coloured Pathani suits for men were some of the designs on the ramp.

Said the beauty vlogger sister-duo of Luma and Leesha Rath, who were in attendance, “We really like the variety. The handlooms have been amazingly amalgamated in the clothes. The bridal collection is an absolute treat to watch!”

The finale showcasing the evening wear line was accompanied by LIVE music from a band from Pune called KNOTTY HELLA (led by Collin Francis of Bhubaneswar). Floral prints, embellished jackets, checked single-breasted blazers for men, ombre-dyed and brocade motiffs on gowns in shades of grey and mint green dominated this collection. Models were coloured with an extra layer of rouge on cheeks and temples to accentuate the look. Interestingly, the entire collection was complemented from a minimal to zero jewellery accessorising.

Fashion designer Sabyasachi Satapathy of Bigg Boss fame applauded the efforts of the designer in using an interesting array of fabrics from georgette to ikat, pattachitra and brocade designs,etc. “I really liked the men’s collection. It was sharp, suave and unique,” he added.

In an interesting twist to the show, the loyal clients of the seven-year-old design house paraded their ‘Reemly wear’ in various ensembles such as caped gown, sharara, pre-stitched saree gown and even a red blazing suit, among others.

“My team has been burning candles on both ends to put up this show. I have tried to imbibe the classic local flavour of designs and fabrics in my outfits and I hope people aprreciate them,” said designer Reemly.

The glitzy show at Mayfair Convention had sixteen models that included two international models and was choreographed by fashion choreographer Lokesh Sharma.