By Prithwish Ganguly

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The love story of an imaginary princess inspired Krishna Mehta's multi-hued collection on Saturday, the best part of an otherwise lacklustre opening day for the fashion week in Mumbai.

The designer replicated elements of nature -- landscapes, animals, oceans -- through an array of prints, embroideries and fabric effects on jackets, sherwanis, empire line dresses and sleeveless outfits.

"My collection is my fascination for fantasy," Mehta said. "The clothes are very intricate as if poetry of love has been printed on the silhouettes and fabrics."

Mehta is among 57 designers showcasing autumn and winter collections on the ramp at the five-day Lakme Fashion Week.

Designer Arjun Khanna's "Sandstorm" line unveiled bomber jackets, jodhpurs and collared bandgalas in golden yellows inspired by the rugged terrain of Rajasthan.

But veteran designers JJ Valaya and Manish Malhotra's collection was a disappointment for many in the audience.

Valaya's models walked the ramp in short dresses with balloon hems and sheath dresses in silks and satins, ending with an all red collection with patterns of currency notes embellished with golden sequins.

"It was a bad day for fashion trends and I hope it will not repeat itself," said Mukesh Manikant, a 42-year-old businessman.

Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra's line was inspired by a popular soap brand and saw models walk the ramp in sheath dresses and short outfits in orange, pink and white.

"The clothes were very basic, there was nothing that could catch your eye," said buyer Kishore Chainani of Task (India) Pvt Ltd.

"India is a growing market, it is full of richness and moreover you are showing it to the world. How can you show something so limited to people? "

Several international buyers are attending the Lakme Fashion Week this time including representatives from Coterie (New York), Browns (London), Pearson (Australia) and La Rinascente (Italy).

Bollywood, which holds sway over Indian fashion, made its presence felt in Malhotra's show with front row seats occupied by the likes of Kajol, Deepika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Farah Khan.

But only actor Ranbir Kapoor took a spin on the runway -- walking the ramp for Arjun Khanna's late night show.