Lakmé Fashion Week 2012: Nupur Kanoi/Shashank & Prajwal/Eina Ahluwalia/Payal Singhal

Crafted by accessories designer Eina Ahluwalia, the egg was just one sumptuous design among the many others in her collection titled Forgotten Jewel. Tinier eggs strung together on multiple gold strands, matte gold flowers that crept up a slender arm, large gold filigree hearts beating with red veins and multiple monocles worked with an eye motif, that could be taken off to reveal other monocles, and pendant boxes that opened into other boxes — Eina's line was heavy with symbolism. The designer said the collection was a reminder of "the most precious jewel — one that you already own and may have forgotten — the golden light within".

Showcasing along with Eina was Payal Singhal with her Summer Brides line. Payal said she had been inspired by "the fragrances of summer weddings: Jasmine and turmeric" and there was plenty of summer in the predominantly off-white colour tone of her creations. There were patialas in deep green with a gold paisley print, embellished anarkalis and churidar-kurtas with a sheer overlay, and even a few Western silhouettes like a jumpsuit with a jewelled collar and a cocktail dress.

Payal and Eina's show had been preceded by the morning shows of Ruchika Sachdev, Nupur Kanoi and Shashank and Prajwal. Ruchika's line for her label Bodice carried forward the work she has been doing over the previous seasons, with lots of androgynous touches and architectural, industrial influences thrown in. Nupur's on the other hand, was called The Kundalini Project and was decidedly more indigenous in its look.