The Hindu Business Line : Merc's high tee

A balmy March evening in Pune, a crescent moon in suspended animation, free-flowing spirits and cordon bleu cuisine… that’s a foolproof formula for a successful event. Throw in a hilltop venue, a live crooner and pianist, a fashion show, exclusive entry and what you have is the prize-giving ceremony of the 9th Indian Mercedes (Golf) Trophy.

Held at the Corinthian Club, the evening came up tops in every way, except for one discordant note. This coming from the realisation that the magnificent 6.3-litre machine in smoky Prussian blue and silver was, well, truly out of reach. I am talking, of course, about the Mercedes SL 63 AMG convertible on display which costs at the lower end a cool Rs 1.5 crore. There were three in a row and, to be brutally honest, the inanimate beauties provoked a tad more longing glances than the flesh-and-blood counterparts sashaying down the ramp.

Young designer Gayatri Khanna showcased a collection specially inspired by the luxury wheels.

Her eponymous label — Gayatri — concentrates on western couture. She has one exclusive outlet in Mumbai and plans a second in Delhi. Her other venture, Milaaya, undertakes embroidery embellishments for well-known labels such as Armani, Versace and Escada.

The evening’s fashion event — Exquisit! — featured high-end pret in five sequences: casual wear, corporate, sporty, evening wear and sophisticated tradition. Gayatri has a penchant for fabrics like jacquard and silhouette prints.

The last sequence featured elegant evening wear in vibrant colours and with glittering embroidery. The emerald green outfit was clearly the frontrunner for the best dress of the day.

Winners in their respective handicap categories — Shiv Puri, Sadeev Sandhu and Sanjay Setia took away glittering trophies, having beaten 650-odd participants in four regional finals (Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh) to ensure themselves a place in the Mercedes Trophy World Final 2009 at Stuttgart in Germany.