Fashion Week begins -- but what's the mood like?

As one of the biggest fashion dos in the country opens today, Rajesh Karkera captures the vibe -- this is Lakme Fashion Week, Winter/Festive 2012.

A lot has been said about Lakme Fashion Week losing its lustre in this, it's latest instalment.

The stalwarts like Rohit Bal and Manish Malhotra are nowhere on the scene, celeb attendance is expected to hit an alltime low and for the first time, the Grand Finale is being shared by two up-and-coming designers instead of being a solo showcase by one of the industry veterans.

What's more, Delhi Couture Week, staged by the Fashion Design Council of India, starts just as the LFW ends and has managed to lure some of the biggest names in the business.

Whether the LFW sinks or swims this season remains to be seen -- will high-profilers like Wendell Rodricks, Ritu Beri and Narendra Kumar, who have prominent shows coming up, ensure it's as much of a success as in past years?

Here we bring you stills from the first few hours, before the very first showing at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai.

Seen here is an attendee, taking pictures of the lobby display.

A large laser light display, arranged to look like it's emanating from a sewing machine draws attention outside the auditorium.

Model Alesia Raut will be strutting her stuff on the ramp soon enough, but is off-duty at the moment and smiles for the camera.

Attendees await the first showing of the day.

Veteran designer Wendell Rodricks is spotted with Anjana Sharma, Director Fashion at IMG Reliance.

In the outdoor section, models and guests -- including a foreign gentleman who tells us he like to dress like Johnny Depp -- sip coffees and get a nicotine fix.

In a grungy get-up and tattooed all over, Augustine from Manipur gives us the thumbs up -- from Manipur, he's here to support a designer friend participating in the GenNext show.

Designer Narendra Kumar seems in the pink -- literally -- as he greets friends.

Theatre personality Dolly Thakore is one of the early birds, waiting to catch the first show of the day.

And it's not far off...