the color and the vibrancy that is India. New Delhi is exciting and chaotic and noisy and dusty and smoky and hot. Everything is so full of intense color and I realized that, on a subconscious level at least, I 've been influenced by Indian style... In fact, when it comes to bold use of colors and the use of these rich, deep dyes, how can anyone deny the huge influence of India on fashion around the world ? Walking through the streets, you see color combinations that you 'd never imagine would work. I recall a beautiful woman wearing a sari in bright, radiant pink mixed with a lime green print. I mean, lime and pink ! It sounds garish, but on her, with the quality of the dye and the way the colors had been combined it looked absolutely stunning. We made our way to a shop that I can only describe as a treasure trove of fabrics and other goodies. This was the place to find all the accessories, textiles, ribbons, bows, buttons, and beads that I could take back to my studio in Auckland to use as inspiration for the final creations. There were ideas there, old and new, that I 'd never thought about. Already I could envisage opportunities to use all sorts of different laces and braids, detailed examples of hand stitching, with some other antique dresses we 'd picked up from a local supplier. Much as I love them personally, I do n't sell things like saris -- and I never would -- it's