Cosmo India Caught Up With Designer Mandira Wirk About Her Upcoming Show for AIFW...

With everyone gearing up for the Amazon India Fashion Week, we got in touch with designer Mandira Wirk to get a load of her collection for Autumn/Winter 2016. And here are all the deets you need to know:

So, tell us about your latest collection that you're going to be showcasing at the AIFW.

"Well, the collection has been inspired by Rococo and Baroque art and architecture, and it's called Romancing Rococo. And, as the name suggests, the silhouettes are extremely romantic, lightweight, with extremely versatile garments. It's a very feminine collection but it's also powerful at the same time because we have jackets with nice shoulder constructions, interesting necklines. There are lovely constructed jackets that can be worn with dhoti pants, drape sarees, and drape skirts. And my brand is known for drapes, so we've got lovely drapes in all kinds of silhouettes, which gives the collection a bit of softness and a romantic feel. And we're also known for our backs; so all our garments have really nice backs. But this time, our artwork is really strong, which I think is the most important."

What is the colour palette you've worked with?

"The colour palette starts from ivory and gold, goes down to black and beiges, and then we have some greys. In fact, we have some lovely constructed jackets, and shift dresses in grey. Again, they can be worn with stockings or draped trousers. Then the colours move to golds, blues, and a hint of red. The embroidery, on the other hand, has been very tonal; it's all resham, thread work."

You always bring something new to the table, like the French knots with zardosi that you had used last year. What fabrics or knots have you experimented with this time?

"Well, this time, our main focus has been on the architectural artwork. So, that has taken us months to develop. There are different kinds of peacock shapes and there are pieces that are an interesting combination of a cape with a jacket. Then there's a raised neckline, which has interesting details. And because its autumn/winter, the fabrics I'm using are silks, woolen—my jackets are all woolen. But I've also used a transitional fabric, which is a linen fabric. And though it's a summer fabric, when you do resham work on it, it actually works very beautifully. In fact, this linen is actually muslin. But we've managed to treat it in a way that it looks luxurious."

Tell us some key pieces from this collection.

"Definitely my two black, constructed jackets, and products from the muslin collection."

What's your favourite trend this season?

"Bold! Something like a constructed jacket with a little bit of detailing can be paired with anything—and it can be a huge statement. And for me, it's all about understated glamour. So, I'd suggest be light with embroidery but go all-out with silhouettes."

What are the 'It' colours this season?

"Well, I'm a fan of ivory and black, throughout the year. Black, mainly because it goes with everything, but I love my blues. Colours like a nice cobalt blue or a cherry red look beautiful on the Indian skin tone. And they're perfect for winter."​