FASHION
Buyers, Designers Welcome Seasonal Shift At Lakme Fashion Week

Spring collections were the focus of the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) instead of autumn-winter. Designers as well as buyers welcomed the seasonal shift, saying it suited their business and also complemented the Indian weather. “If you look at Indian geography, we are basically a summer-dominated country. Eighty percent of the country witnesses hot weather and even if north India witnesses winter, it lasts for not more than two months,” Pradeep Hirani, owner of Mumbai retail outlet Kimaya said. “So it is a good shift. Orders are small, production won’t take much time and as a result retail outlets will get new designs every three months, which is a very good thing, keeping in mind how fashion forward today’s consumer is,” he added. This year, keeping the domestic market in mind, LFW organizers had taken a collective decision to present a spring-resort collection instead of an autumn-winter one during the five-day fashion event from March 5 to 9.

At fashion shows the world over, an autumn- winter collection is presented early in the year and a spring-summer edition in the latter part. But Hirani feels the Indian fashion market is so huge and so creative that it need not follow the international fashion week formula.

‘We don’t have to go by international fashion weeks because our fashion caters to the domestic market and that is where designers make business. This is the time to show our attitude and our identity,’ he said.

Even Middle East-based buyer Khaled Mekkawi feels the strategic shift is good for business because nowadays designers are so capable that they deliver apparel at two months’ notice.

Among the designers who participated were Manish Malhotra, Narendra Kumar, Malini Ramani, Rocky, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Satya Paul, Shantanu and Nikhil, Suneet Varma and Vikram Phadnis.

Anand Bhushan, Anand Kabra, Digvijay Singh, Lecoanet-Hemant, Nachiket Barve, Payal Singhal, Pooja Kapoor, Vipin Batra also showcased their collections at LFW.

Lakme Fashion Week always gives more reasons than one to look forward to. Apart from its intriguing theme of resort wear, this season had some popular celebs walking the walk for various designers and the event seemed promising on the first day itself.

Celebrity designer Pria Kataria Puri enveloped the ethereal beauty, elegance and charm of the Royalty and Rajmata Gayatri Devi in her ‘Royal Rajputana Collection’ using all exotic embellishments and patterns. But what really topped it all was Bollywood glam girl Mughda Godse who walked the ramp as a showstopper in a dazzling slim orange lehenga, choli and net dupattas; aptly presenting the NRI bride.

Pria’s collection saw use of bold digital prints in the hues of bold pinks, green and blue in kaftans, saris and tunics.

‘You don’t have to wear much jewelry with this outfit. So it makes things a lot simpler. You just slip into the dress and you are ready for the function,’ said Mugdha.

Krishna Mehta made a fancy trip to Paris through his creations this season. The showstopper too was in tune with the theme inspired by the Parisian beauty, as the very dramatic Rohit Varma of Bigg Boss season 3 fame glided elegantly and posed on the ramp in a sultry red printed georgette gown with a flowing scarf.

For Gitanjali Lifestyle, that presented Rocky S with stunning ornaments by Queenie for Giantti, fashion lovers saw a unique ‘Bridal Extravaganza’. Bipasha Basu in a lemon sari and blouse with a net pallav splashed with the most sensational embroidery and wearing a grand diamond necklace by Queenie for Giantti, stunned all with the grand finale.

Babita Malkani’s Boho Chic line saw Bollywood actor Harman Baweja in a sharply cut double breast jacket and billiard ace Pankaj Advani in an ivory woven Nehru jacket. While Pooja Bedi made a dramatic entry in an ivory net and satin draped gown sprinkled with sequins and a dazzling diamante cummerbund, for celeb designer Riyaz Gangji. 

[ BY HEMA FERNANDO ]