At the Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India, we have designers making their debut on the ramp alongside the veterans who are pioneers of the India fashion industry. This democratisation of talent makes the concept of fashion week exciting. The runway shows of emerging talents are as packed as the solo shows of veterans.
Antar Agni by Ujjawal Dubey
Sameer Madan’s summer/cruise line 2023 was Untamed as the title of the collection suggested. What appealed to us was that Sameer revisited the power-dressing era of the late 80s and the 90s when shoulder pads would accentuate the silhouette and cinched-waist would allude to a powerful feminine aura. Madan used jersey, faux leather, latex alongside, tulle, organza, and crepe to fashion his glamorous construction.
Untamed by Sameer Madan
Animal printed fabric was a central element about the collection. What was interesting was the figure-hugging bodycon dresses that had ruched shoulders to create the power dressing aura, strategically placed animal prints and plunging necklines that was reminiscent of the glam 80s look. Sameer Madan’s collection was glitzy with myriad techniques running through the collection.
ITRH by Mohit and Ridhi also showcased a glitzy collection, ‘Dancing Queen’ that was all about shimmer and opulence. The designer duo too, found their inspiration from the 80s Disco era. In the ITRH collection we saw plenty of ruched slitted skirts that were studded with Swarovski and paired with bralettes, jackets with padded shoulders, shimmering gowns with thigh-high slits, fish-tail skirts paired with bralettes and long shrugs.
The duo remarked, “We are the late 80s babies, so disco has been an integral part of our growing years. Dancing Queen is an extension of it. We have modernised disco for today’s generation – being extra yet chic.”
Antar Agni by Ujjawal Dubey
Antar-Agni by Ujjawal Dubey caused a stir with his collection, ‘Disquiet’. As the name suggests, the collection managed to create a lot of talk with avant-garde styles. Ujjawal showcased a collection for men and women but many of his creations can be worn by either as his style is essentially gender neutral.
The high point of the collection was the surface texturization and the deconstructed look. Ujjawal used his signature pleats to create dramatic surface ornamentation. Colours used were black, mint, olive green and white, all of which highlighted and complemented the details. The tuck-in details around the waist and the butterfly sleeves in women’s tops were an interesting style quotient.
Sheer Drama by Tarun Tahiliani
Tarun Tahiliani presented his Luxury-Pret collection, which is a hybrid of Pret and Couture. The collection titled ‘Sheer Drama’ was essentially crafted out of sheer organza and net and yards of luxurious shiny fabric – ‘Lame’, which was used to craft out the glittering gowns.
Tarun did what he does best- the beautiful drapes. Be it the traditional lehengas and cholis, the elegant shararas, the scalloped sarees, the sheer corsets and gowns in Grecian drapes, Tarun kept the embellishment muted and mostly tonal. The emphasis was on the sheerness of fabrics like net and silk in nude tones and mastery over drapes. A showstopper in a bold red gown got the designer a standing ovation.
Expanding on his collection, Tarun Tahiliani said, “The collection is all about the drape, which is rooted firmly in the Indian identity. As it evolves into a more global instrument of sculpting fashion narratives, I now try through the structured drape, to preserve our heritage on a more cerebral level.”
Hiro by Hiral Jala
Hiro by Hiral Jala showcased a beautiful collection at the GenNext segment of designers. GenNext segment is a platform for new designers who are shortlisted by a jury and mentored to make their collection for their debut shows.
Hiro’s collection was contemporary in style and showed a lot of promise. The finesse in construction, the modernity of style and the treatment of fabrics did enthuse us a lot. Jalal dominantly used denim dyed in different hues. Hiro’s collection sure hit the right chord in fashion considering the national and international trends hugely gravitating towards denim.
Text by Jaydeep Ghosh
Image Courtesy: Sameer Madan, Ujjawal Dubey, Tarun Tahiliani, Hiral Jala, Mohit and Ridhi
Find out more about the collection:
https://www.instagram.com/lakmefashionwk/
https://www.instagram.com/itrhofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/antar_agni_ujjawaldubey/
