Twice a year, Lakme Fashion Week and Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) bring to the forefront the best of Indian fashion, from different walks of life and the industry. But the highlight for us, at Her Circle, is Sustainable Fashion Day which provides a platform for conscious, mindful, and eco-friendly fashion businesses to showcase what they do best, conscious fashion. This season was a reminder of what Indian fashion specialises in - genius crafts, the versatility of the sari and a lot more!
Sari, Not At All Sorry
If there was one thing that dominated the ramp at Sustainable Fashion day this season, I’d have to say it was the six-yard wardrobe staple that many of us swear by, only in some really distinctive drape styles. Take designer Anavila’s showcase, for instance, where the Dabu-printed six-yard saris in natural dyes of ivory, ochre, sage green, indigo, madder, kashish and black were seen draped gloriously in experimental versions complete with off-shoulder and knot details. Unconventional sari drapes were also spotted at the Khadi India showcase in earthy yet vibrant hues and lightweight khadi. Akaaro’s collection also featured metallic jewel tone drapes and knots, often with a mix-match with different textiles, adding a unique effect of juxtaposition. Akaaro used handwoven fabrics made using materials like stainless steel, merino wool, monofilament silk and cotton. The constant showcase of the quintessential sari in these multiple forms and shapes only highlights how a versatile piece of clothing is essential for a sustainable wardrobe as you are free to re-invent it in more than just a few ways.
Akaaro, Khadi India Collection, Anavila | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk
Prints Galore
Sustainable fashion is often imagined as starch fabrics in neutral ivory hues, but that’s being overrun steadily with not just textured and colours far from this orthodox imagination, but also with eccentric prints as seen on this season’s runway. While Anavila’s intricate Dabu with floral details started things on the right note, prints were well-dominated throughout the Sustainable Fashion Day. At the Circular Design Challenge show, upcycling brand Doodlage’s nostalgic, multi-hued prints on ivory and zero waste brand Iro Iro’s classic yet vibrant checkered prints stole the show. At the Khadi India show, designer Divyam Mehta’s ‘Kacho’ (Raw) Khadi collection featured detailed prints inspired by rural Rabari wall patterns with dots and geometrical designs as well as brush stroke style prints. Suket Dhir’s signature florals gave khadi a fresh take in neutrals, pastel blue shades and bright reds.
Iro Iro, Doodlage, Divyam Mehta | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk
Texture Talk
Sustainable Fashion Day calls for a range of conscious fabrics- often handwoven or regenerated- giving them a unique texture mixed with metallic details, print-like designs and intricate details. The Vaishali S showcase was filled with exactly this. The sea-inspired collection featured carefully chosen threads and yarns from various villages in India, woven into the finest metallic silk, for artistic drapes and silhouettes. Akaaro’s handwoven fabrics with metallic threads lent a textured contrast to the collection’s rich-hued outfits. Bodice’s signature pleats in neutrals as well as vibrant colours were a breath of fresh air, in contemporary and modern classic silhouettes.
Bodice, Akaaro, Vaidehi S | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk
Circularity
At the Circular Design Show, circularity in fashion was at its best with Doodlage’s upcycled collection and Iro Iro’s zero-waste showcase. The cherry on top was conscious brand Chamar’s bags made from Dharavi’s waste materials featuring models’ hands painted in black- an ode to the artisans whose hands often turn black from working on handmade products. The materials used included recycled rubber procured from industrial leftovers, automotive scraps, and other discarded materials.
Chamar | Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk
Case of Crafts
A thought-provoking addition to the day was that of a panelist talk and the topic was – ‘Are Indian crafts on the verge of extinction?’ Moderated by designer Karishma Shahani, the panellists included designer Anavila, Simran Dosaya - Seventh generation Dabu Artisan, Dr Nilesh Priyadarshi – Founder of Kaarigar Clinic, Bandana Tewari- Fashion Journalist and Sustainability Activist. While Priyadarshi and Dosaya shared a more on-ground reality of the Indian artisan, both Anavila and Tewari added what one can do to support the artisan as a designer, journalist and consumer.
Image Source: Instagram/lakmefashionwk