The SWATI Couture collection: vibrancy and elegance

SWATI Couture evening gown with matching shawl, hand embroidered and beaded.

Fashion entrepreneur Swati Kapoor's current collection of luxurious hand embroidered and embellished evening wear mix modern day elegance with the classical vibrancy and richness of Indian design.  The construction lines flatter the women's body and movement while the intricate hand embroidery and embellishments enhance the brilliance and quality of the design.  Her SWATI Couture collection is designed by and made in collaboration with famed award winning Bollywood couturier Reza Shariffi to create contemporary fashion infused with traditional Indian style, resulting in exquisite fashion forward pieces.  In the current collection, many of the tops and dresses find their style influence from Anarkali dresses.

Traditional Anarkali dress by SWATI Couture.

The origin of Anarkali dresses date back to the legendary dancers of the Akbar court of Lahore, Punjab in the 17th Century (present day Pakistan).  The prince of the time fell in love with one of the dancers and affectionately named her Anarkali "pomegranate flower blossom" because of her exceptional beauty.  Anarkali danced wearing a long Kurt which had a fitted bodice and a waistline that gathered and elegantly flowed down like the shape of an umbrella.  Her beauty and elegant style charmed the royalty.

SWATI Couture has captured the beauty and elegance of Anarkali in her latest collection of evening wear and tops.  They reflect a mix of creativity, aesthetic design and comfort.  All are hand beaded and embroidered, taking anywhere from two to six weeks to create each piece.

SWATI Couture umbrella top.

The umbrella tops are fitted and well defined at the arms and bust, then flows elegantly from the top down in the shape of an umbrella.  The top can be worn as a dress or paired with leggings or jeans for a more casual daytime look.

SWATI Couture evening dresses in a rich burgundy red with rhinestone detailing.

The SWATI Couture cocktail dresses are created in rich colors, sparkling beadwork and a more modern, sophisticated twist on the Anarkali silhouette.  Flowing throughout the bodice in Anarkali style, the neckline and sleeve detailing are sexy design variations, resulting in a more modern refreshing look.

SWATI Couture evening dresses in playful fuchsia with rhinestone embellishment.

The color options of the collection are a well chosen vibrant palette, bringing additional depth and meaning to the design.  The burgundy reds in the collection bring an attractive brilliance and charm while the fuchsia gives a playfulness and delicacy to the styles.  The jewel tones of purples and greens create a richness and sophistication to the styles in hues that are known to flatter any skin type.

When asked about the collection, Swati commented "Everything has an undertone of making the woman look beautiful, not the piece of fabric looking beautiful.  This is the art of my designs.  How the cut of the neck is, how the sleeve is, where the waist is pinched and the fabric flows, where the tassels add the whimsy and how the sparkle completes the look.  All this is kept in mind when designing, for a woman to not only look beautiful, but feel beautiful as well."

This philosophy is clear when viewing the entire collection as a whole and when examining the designer's attention to detail, in not only the beautiful workmanship, but in some instances to the sizing.  Each style is defined by the size, with adjustments in design made to flatter the woman's body shape.  The garment isn't simply graded up and down for sizing purposes.  The neckline, sleeve cut and sparkle on a size 2 garment might be taken into consideration and entirely redesigned for a size 12 in order to compliment the woman's change in body shape.  The garment doesn't wear the woman, but the woman dictates what looks good.

It's the fine detail that makes a difference and what brings value in wearing an original one-of-a-kind Reza Shariffi for SWATI design.  With her latest collection, Swati Kapoor has captured the compositional balance of making a woman look amazing and feel fantastic.


For a custom outfit or to view the entire collection, appointments can be booked with Swati Kapoor at the SWATI Couture studio in Palo Alto, CA (phone: (510) 610-5990, email: swati@swati.us ).  Complimentary styling consultations are available upon request.  
The SWATI Couture bridesmaids sari collections and wedding gowns are also available at www.saricloset.com.  Dresses and tunics are available at The Hub at Georgiou Studio: 579 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA - (415) 331-0579.


Photo Credit for pictures 1, 3, 4 and 5: Photography- David Art # Kandidz, Model- Aubrey Rinehart, Hair - Phi Phi, Makeup- Aliya Qazi
Photo Credit for picture 2:  Photography- Rodel, Model- Isabella