1 'Lotus' By Sujata Tokey
Sujata Tokey, a well-known name in Pune's fashion fraternity, loves classy creativity.
Her designs: Are feminine in shades of topaz, ruby, garnet, coral and turquoise. The outfits include kitsch pants, kurtis, saris, tops, skirts, trousers and shirts with brocade embellishments. Her collection 'Felicia' is adorned with ephemeral Kashmiri embroidery motifs and beads. "I love experimenting with fabric and thread, and enjoy working with Kashmiri embroidery the most," she says.


2 Sharbari Dutta
The daughter of the erudite professor and poet Sri Ajit Datta, Sharbari was born and brought up in Kolkata. With her natural flair for arts on the back burner, Sharbari completed her Masters in philosophy from Presidency College, Kolkata. Today, she sketches motifs on cotton, silk and tussar. "Fashion is mobile and keeps changing; I try to revive and contemporise traditional and Eastern styles," she says modestly. .
Her designs: Are usually one-offs. They're like poetry on fabric. She is going global this year with her new line of men's wear called 'Nouveau Male'. A few of her designs even have Palghat and Picasso motifs side by side in radical colours!


3 Karma Universal Designs' By Jyotika Motwani
Jyotika's label is the result of two generations of talent and creativity. Her boutique 'Karma' in Pune caters to the urban woman.
Her designs: Are fluid and slimming. Georgette and Benarasi saris are elaborately embellished with exquisite pitta work, phulkari sequins and beaten zardosi, interspersed with tiny coloured crystals. A few creations are bold with bright florals in contrasting colours. "This season, we have fluid crepe shirts, brocade trousers and crushed silk skirts, teamed with hand-painted and embellished scarves," says Jyotika.

Dos & Don'ts

Do
Flaunt your legs in a frilly short skirt. Remember, an all-over print and a plunging neckline look cool on lithe bods.

Do
Wear flip-flops with short asymmetric embellished dresses. They're great for casual or lounge parties.

Don't
Wear low-slung belts if you have a long torso. And a monochromatic limp ensemble is a big no-no too!

Don't
Sport crass decoration or detail with classy ensembles. Let one attention-grabber do the talking.

Don't
Coordinate various prints, beads and colours without reason. Carrying one decorated or printed piece makes more sense than an all in one.


Get a taste of style from an assortment of fashion menus
Make-Up For Homes
It's fashionable, colourful and handcrafted - the home ware range at Mélange has textiles, cushion covers, throws, duvets, quilts and more! Krsna Mehta and Sangita Kathiwada are the brains behind this venture that has had a "wonderful response."
Available at Mélange, 33, Altamount Road, Mumbai. Tel: 022-23850288


New-Fangled!
For Kolkata-based Subhrangshu, the latest kid on the fashion block, clothing is not about contrasts or matching combinations. To him, it is a medium through which one's moods, desires, emotions speak. This student from Wigan & Leigh College, Kolkata, launched his eponymous label a year ago. He tasted success when he won the national level designer hunt contest organised by Khadi Gramyodyog Bhawan in 2001. Later, he went on to bag the best design collection award at his graduation ceremony. His label includes ethnic, Indo-Western and Western offerings for men and women. Red, purple, green and mustard rule his colour palette. He uses fabrics like linen, chiffon, net, georgette and crepe. His forte is unexpected placements of elements and decorations. Seems like he's another promising addition to the designer fraternity this season!
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