Bollywood Fashion at Cannes 2013

This year Cannes Film Festival was celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema, paying homage to the birth of Indian Cinema. The Festival also saw the beginning of a new breath of fashion forward styles from some of India’s leading ladies of film.

I can only imagine the amount of choice and effort the ladies would have had to meticulously decide on which designer’s to wear on each day of the festival. A luxurious wonderland of dress ups would be the ideal description.

It was clearly evident who pulled off the fashion stakes, and who unfortunately did a hit and miss. It was also a case of ‘fresh faces’ vs ‘classic faces‘. Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto Vs Aishwarya Rai and Vidya Balan. Each leading lady lead the category of fashion according to their own style. But I must say, it was clearly hands down and without a doubt, one actress which shone and was everybody’s fashion favourite at this years festival: Sonam Kapoor.

Not only did she opt for stunning choices in design and designer, but congratulations to her styling team for putting together from head to toe a meticulously well thought of story ensemble for each look.

Each one of her choices reflected a distinct type of style. From the princess fairytale look captured in a stunning Dolce and Gabbana (personally designed for Sonum Kapoor) 50’s era strapless floral print gown… to her Mad Men era style in an Elie Saab pink laced embroided dress. One of her most regal moments was when she best interpreted her own take of the era of the Great Gatsby, but in the form of a Sari designed by Anamika Khanna, the look was ethereal, whimsical, captivating and desirable.. all the underlying common ‘wanting’s’ in the Great Gatsby movie and book.

It was clear that Sonam Kapoor interpreted elegance, modern, class and every epitomy of style and all lens was directed on her throughout the festival. When she worea modern take on the traditional sari.. a block double coloured long sleeve design by Huemn and Suhanni Pitti, to a press conference on day one, she was already setting the bar high in what to expect in the fashion circuit at the festival. The sari blended to suit the modern day design, her look was lean and sleek.

Whilst Sonam Kapoor stole the limelight at the festival, Aishwarya Rai was not overlooked. She was noted, more so for her title and history in the Bollywood Film Industry, but, I don’t believe for her style. She may have appealed to a more demure demographic and of course to her loyal fans. She played safe with her choice and opted for more classic styles, which has always suited her look. Aishwarya basically was just that, Aishwarya. Everybody expected classic and she did not disapoint, nor surprise.

Another actress, which I believed played it her own way.. all the way was Vidya Balan. Unfortunately she created a buzz in the fashion forum for the wrong reasons. Oddly, she chose ensembles which reflected a very ‘aged’ take on the style of classic. Her most talked about fashion faux pas was her choice in allowing designer Sabysachi dress her for the premeire of The Great Gatsby. Comments such as “she looked like an old maid” ( no offence to maids), and “give her a candle and she’ll look like a fresh aatma from a ‘bolly’ horror movie” were making its’ rounds around the social media universe. The reaction was a gasp of disdain. I am sure on this day, everyone was wondering “why, Vidya?”.

Another actress who stole a semi – ovation for her efforts in fashion, was Freida Pinto. Her style was selective, however one begs to differ whether there was much preparation or careful thought put into it, at all. Although petite and beautiful by frame and face, her somewhat choices for each day, gave me the impression that she may possibly have been slightly indecisive with the style she was trying to achieve. Congratulations though to one look, which gave her the tick and I think let her just slide into the ‘one of the best dressed’ lists at Cannes Film Festival; She wore a custom made gown by Indian designer Sanchita Ajjampur, the theme was ‘dragon fly’s and the gown gained a postive nod in the fashion world.

However she then decided to confuse everybody by choosing to wear a custom pink Gucci gown.. the gown itself was not the confusing factor, it was everything else her ‘style team’ decided to throw onto it; a jewelled chopard belt and the swedish like hair… the hairstyle was the actual element, which threw the complete look to the side. Nevertheless, it wasn’t bad enough to see her go into any worst dressed lists.

Overall, on a commentary platform. The fashion scene at the Cannes Film Festival was a combination of stunning with odd. As the whole world drew their attention on the fashion just as much as the premieres of films, it was the Bollywood Actresses who decided to shine at this year’s festival.

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By Madam AE

Madam AE ( Kim .T. ) is a fashion blogger lending her opinion on all things about fashion and style. She is hailed as ‘giving real critic advice in the world of fashion’, by Vogue Brazil fashion correspondents. Her fashion mantra; everyone should look in the mirror before you step out of the house, or at least turn on the lights, and don’t dress in the dark.

www.madamae.com