shish Soni offered a slice of youthful, contemporary India at the New York Fashion Week on 9/11. Showing his Spring 2006 line, Soni became the first India-based designer to make an appearance at the twice-a-year Manhattan carnival.


Opening to the sound of dripping water, he showed long draped white and black shirts embellished with jet beading. Though the lady next to me kept offering to write the spellings of all the Indian dresses, it was not the traditional Indian references, but more how he got away from them that was of interest in this commercial and restrained collection.


It was Little House On The Prairie or Russian boho rather than all the bling bling of Bollywood, but it had very clever detailing. The drape of the sari was used as inspiration and a black jacket was tailored to look the same, flesh was demurely covered, jodhpur-style pants came under flounces of linen and there was a touch of Dries van Noten, mixed with Delhi and Downtown.


Soni’s show - sponsored by the Ministry of Textiles, the Ministry of Tourism and Air-India in a package that amounts to “around $200,000” - was more than just a show. It was actually a part of the Incredible India campaign.


The idea, said Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury before the show, is that the hundreds of international journalists at the fashion week will get to see a “younger, contemporary and more vibrant side to India”.


In keeping with that aim, Soni is now working on various other products, including T-shirts bearing the Incredible India logo. His entourage of 25 (including several Indian models) will wear these T-shirts all through the Fashion Week.