At the latest season of Lakmé Fashion Week X Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), spirits soared high to celebrate and usher in spring-summer fashion from around the country. But amidst the street style fashion, eccentric glamour, energetic runway sprints and seasonal trends, the moments of mindfulness and consciousness in fashion really made the mark. Let’s take a deep dive into fashion week with the Her Circle lens to find out what really had the potential to be the change that Indian fashion needs.
Craft Talk
The international industrialisation of numerous Indian crafts has led to a major decline in the economic and social progression of the local Indian artisan. On a rather positive note, a panellist talk on ‘Are Indian crafts on the verge of extinction?’, a pressing question in itself, helped steer the conversation towards the importance of sustaining the crafts of India in a more socially conscious way. Crafts were at the forefront of designer collections on Sustainable Fashion Day with showcases like those of Anavila, Suket Dhir, Shruti Sancheti, Khadi India highlighting various heritage textile crafts.
Want a lowdown on what transpired on Sustainable Fashion Day? Click here
Labels like Anushree Reddy highlighting zardosi work, Bhumika Sharma using Dabka and tila work, Sejal Kamdar Designs using the printing technique of Ajrakh and Punit Balana’s use of marodi and gotta work championed the Indian craft at the front lines of the country’s biggest fashion showcase.
Bhumika Sharma, Punit Balana, Sejal Kamdar Designs, Anushree Reddy
Inclusivity
For a long time, the inclusivity movement in fashion focused on bigger sizes and more recently on height and colour. What was missing though, was inclusivity in terms of age and pregnancy fashion. This season’s showcases did make a phenomenal difference in that regard, filling a void that needed to be addressed. Veteran actor Zeenat Aman was seen taking on the ramp with a rather poised strut in a black and red pant-suit by designer Shahin Mannan. If you thought her introduction to Instagram took the internet by storm, the actor’s showstopper act was a step ahead and truly iconic.
Zeenat Aman in Shahin Mannan
Bodice’s showcase featured women of all shapes, sizes and ages- proving how versatile the brand’s designs can prove to be- enough to be handed down to generations given its evergreen silhouettes and brilliant craftsmanship.
Bodice | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk
Vaishali S’s marine-inspired showcase featured real women from the creative space like Ekta Rajani, ace stylist and sustainability enthusiast as well as Divya Thakur, founder of homeware brand Design Temple.
Ekta Rajani in Vaishali S, Vaishali S with Divya Thakur | Image Source: Instagram/eksters
Joining Carol Gracias and Kareena Kapoor Khan in the list of iconic pregnancy moments on the ramp was style curator Antara Motiwala Marwah for Itrh in a bump-highlighting glamourous metallic outfit.
Antara Motiwala Marwah in ITRH
Drape Drama
While experimental drapes, especially those with saris were dominating the ramp already on Day one/Sustainable Fashion Day of the event, the same continued for the rest of the event with distinctive drapes and sari styles turning eyeballs with a stunning style statement. Designer Tarun Tahiliani, best known for his draping genius delivered the best of sari drapes, mixed with the gown, dress and cape silhouettes. The showstopper ensemble, sported by Sobhita Dhulipala, a scarlet-hued corset and draped sari style was more than a stunning fashion statement. Another showstopper look that highlighted the classic sari was a uniquely draped metallic and grey one by designer JJ Valaya and sported by actor Rashmika Mandana.
Anavila, Akaaro, Sobhita Dhulipala in Tarun Tahiliani, Rashmika Mandana in JJ Valaya | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk
Gender Fluidity
Gender-fluid silhouettes formed a strong nuance for many collections at the latest season of the fashion week- a strong and steady movement seen since the past few seasons. Labels like Ujjawal Dubey’s Antar Agni saw a male and female model strut together on the runway in identical outfits. The entire showcase was an impressive collection of versatile pieces that blurred gender lines effectively. Showcases by labels like Suket Dhir, Divyam Mehta, Two Point Two, Six 5 Six and Tisa Studio included a subtle language of sartorial gender fluidity.
Divyam Mehta, Antar Agni, Tisa Studio | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk