Indian fashion is set for a major international boost after Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, was photographed in an outfit designed by Anita Dongre during the first day of a royal visit to the country.
A favourite among Bollywood's leading ladies, celebrity designer Dongre told The National that she was "thrilled" to see the Duchess, formerly Kate Middleton, in the Mughal-inspired coral pink-and-aqua printed dress from Dongre's spring/summer collection.
Kate is on a week-long visit to India and Bhutan, accompanied by her husband Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge.
“It was really special for me since I’ve always been a huge fan,” said Dongre. “I’m privileged to be the first Indian designer she wore during this tour.”
This would “most definitely” help boost Indian fashion globally, she said, adding that she had “already received hundreds of queries from all over the world”.
The Mumbai-based Dongre, who is considering opening a boutique in the UAE next year, is one of the biggest names in Indian haute couture. As well as dressing a host of Bollywood stars, from Karisma Kapoor to Sonakshi Sinha, she has also founded the high-street brands AND and Global Desi. Dongre is often referred to in fashion circles as the “queen of prêt”, and largely draws inspiration from the embroidery and needlework made famous by northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
A full-length version of Kate’s dress was showcased at Dongre’s catwalk show, titled Love Notes, at Lakmé Fashion Week, one of India’s biggest fashion events, which was held in Mumbai this month. Kate was seen in the summery georgette number – teamed with a pair of beige wedges and Ray Ban Wayfarer black sunglasses – as she played a game of cricket alongside batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, and met with underprivileged children.
Kate’s Closet, an online resource that describes itself as “helping women repliKate the impeccable style of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge”, claims to be a fan of the dress, tweeting from @katesclosetau: “I love this Mughal-inspired tunic from Mumbai local designer.”
Indian fashion journalist Snigdha Ahuja, who writes for the Hindustan Times, took to Twitter to express her approval of the choice of outfit: “Summer perfect! Loving this @anitadongre tunic dress on Kate Middleton”.
There were also Indian elements to the other outfits that Kate wore in Mumbai.
The Duchess arrived at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai wearing an Alexander McQueen red skirt and top with an India-inspired print. For the evening, Kate changed into a royal blue Jenny Packham gown – embroidered in India – which she wore to a Bollywood fundraising gala that was attended by glitterati including Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Her matching blue earrings were by Indian jeweller Amrapali. On the second day of her visit, she opted for a cream Emilia Wickstead midi dress.
The last few years have seen Indian designers shine in on the international stage. Bollywood’s darling Manish Malhotra, who frequently visits the UAE to show his ready-to-wear collections, and is planning on opening a boutique in Dubai next year, boasts Australian singer Kylie Minogue among his clientele. Delhi designer Rohit Bal, who closed Lakmé Fashion Week with a glittering show, dresses Hollywood stars including Uma Thurman and Naomi Campbell. And the late Princess Diana, Prince William’s mother, favoured Ritu Kumar, a celebrity designer with a flagship store at BurJuman Centre.
artslife@thenational.ae
