The young designer, , from the former Himalayan kingdom of Sikkim, took his audience on fashion s equivalent of an ancient caravan across Central Asia, weaving inspirations from Uzkekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan together with the traditional handcrafts of his own homeland.
His collection, sold under the Sanskar label, focused on an ethnic and exotic silhouette in traditional, hand-woven and handblock-printed silk and cotton. Long, flowing coats, and kaftans were worn with pleated trousers.

Sherwani small-collared jackets and side-tied tops came with wrap-trousers, layered with a striped apron, or Tibetan bakhu skirts. The colour palette of deep reds, saffron, brown and turquoise echoed the monastic robes of Bhutan, while many of the geometric, mandala and cloud prints owed their origin to Tibet. Detailed zari metallic embroidery and multi-coloured, mirrored patchwork trimmed evening cloaks and sashed robes.

Earlier, , who numbers Elizabeth Hurley and Anna Kournikova among her clients, based her collection upon the ethnic prints of the Saura, Godaba and Bonda tribes of the state of Orissa on the east coast of India. Silk chiffon and brocade, printed with tigers and leopards, were used for short shifts and off-the-shoulder tunics, worn with gold stretch micro-minis and knicker-bockers, tied at the knee.
Intricate chain, coin and bead-work decorated jewel-toned, raw silk kaftans and sensual, empire-line gowns in animal-print chiffon were embellished with trailing, and multi-coloured striped ribbons.

Maharajah-inspired velvets, lavishly embroidered and beaded in silver, gold and pearls, dominated the Ananya collection, designed by sisters, Anu Mirchandani and Nandita Mahtani, who have a flagship boutique in London s Notting Hill. Mumbai s Lakme Fashion Week, featuring the autumn/winter collections of more than 40 different designers, continues until Saturday.