Young designers ready to challenge the rules of the game - Day 2 at Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week or #LMIFWAW was largely about presenting something out of the box. Whether it was Huemn’s experimental play with Blacklight, Prashant Verma’s theatrical presentation or Nitin Bal Chauhan’s graphic novel-inspired act, there was a clear attempt to break-free from labels and stereotypes.
Here are the key highlights from day 2.
Karisma Kapoor Sports the Mekhla Chador for Sanjukta Dutta
The opening act for day 2 was in fact a wholesome tribute to the textiles and designs of Assam, by designer Sanjuka Dutta. She brought the signature silk sari of Assam on the LMIFW ramp, with former Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor as her showstopper.
Swara Bhaskar in Prreeti Jaiin’s ‘Aranya’
Nikita Mhaisalkar, Prreeti Jaiin Naintutia and Pooja Shroff’s Autumn/Winter 19’ collections were all about giving an ode to the flora and fauna of wilderness.
While Nikita’s 'Rumi’ collection made use of hand-spun hemp and Marino wool to bring out the colours and textures of the woods, Prreeti Jaiin’s Aranya played with lined silks, georgettes and organzas. The highlight was definitely actress Swara Bhaskar as the stopper in a dirty-mauve sari with metallic sequin work.
Pooja Shroff did a great job of marrying traditional Batik-style dying technique with modern prints in her binary coloured layered designs.
Modern Industrial Art-Inspired Fashion
Dhruv Vaish’s Autumn/Winter ‘19 collection for men flaunted prints inspired by modern industrial art: geometric prints with solid colours, and asymmetry. It coupled satin with cotton and wool, as far as fabric and texture were concerned.
Theatre on Ramp by Prashant Verma
Prashant Verma’s high concept show had everything that a good theatrical act needs: singing, dancing, drama, romance, and of course, great costumes.
The young designer transformed the ramp to a stage and introduced characters instead of models, played by veteran actresses from the film and television industry.
His models ranged from 40-year-olds to a school kid.
The message was simple: road to achievements and ambitions should not be restricted by age. Prashant Verma’s act was lauded by the audience – from his live singing to the theme of the show.
One could however argue that the highly dramatic act distracted the viewer from actually appreciating the regal designs.
Huemn’s Tribute to the Youth of Kashmir
The act began with a monologue that spoke of how one can use art and fashion to give voice to others, to speak up against injustice. It questioned if we are using our voice enough.
Inspired by the designers’ travels to Kashmir, the collection played with bold colours and predominantly black fabrics. The make-up, head accessories and footwear reflected rebellion and the spirit of today’s youth that refuse to be categorised into boxes, the designer pointed out.
While the motifs and the experiments within the designs were praiseworthy, the presentation fell a bit short when the supposed UV-light-led ‘glow in the dark’ act failed to impress the audience and had to be stopped abruptly.
Samant Chauhan Celebrates a Woman’s Inner Conflict Through Layers
Set amid a makeshift grassland, the collection sports elegant, and pristine deigns.
Designer Samant Chauhan describes his collection as an attempt to capture the various contradictions and conflicts that represent the modern woman who dares to create her own path and lives by her choices.
The collection was brought out beautifully through the heavily layered designs, fine bejewelled embroidery on a range of white fabrics. The accents of burgundy, orange, green and pink broke the binary of the black thread on white fabric, the designer shared.
Nitin Bal Chauhan’s Graphic Novel-Inspired Collection
Chauhan shared that his collection titled ‘White Chapel’ was inspired by the street in London, where one of his favourite graphic novels, From Hell by Eddie Campbell and Alan Moore, is set.
Following the theme of the graphic novel, the tone and presentation of the show were grim. The designs had sharp cuts embellished by details inspired from Victorian era London – such as scuffles and pleats.
The collection followed a black-and-white colour palette with the binary only broken by the metallic shades from Chauhan’s signature 3D hand designs.
All in all, Day 2 at India Fashion week ‘19 Autumn/Winter was refreshing with experimental presentations – there were some hits, some misses. There was a conscious attempt to spread awareness on sustainable means to carry forward couture with young designers determined break out of the box.
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