Sustainability Is Fashion Week's Favourite Term

The 49th edition of Lakme Fashion Week in association with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) kicked off in Mumbai on Tuesday with new talent and seasoned designers showcasing the latest ready-to-wear creations.

Gen Next designers Kriti Greta Singhee, Rosani, Shimona Agarwal, and The Terra Tribe unveiled their debut collection. Structured silk dresses, Benaras weave, feminine designs on men’s wear in skirts and garters, and earthy tones with African motifs were the highlights of the show. Rajesh Pratap Singh’s opening night finale ahead of his royal chic Tributa al Polo collection featuring Men’s and Women's wear, had a polo match with horses and professional players at the Mahalaxmi Race Course.

The runway featured several plus-size and queer models sashaying on the ramp, keeping in with the gender positivity trend in the fashion industry.

Over the next four days fashion bigwigs J J Valaya, Anamika Khanna, Gauri & Nayanika, Shantnu & Nikhil, Rana Gill, Arjun Saluja, and Rahul Mishra will launch their new collections at the Jio World Convention Centre.

“Mumbai Fashion Week is all about the business of fashion. Our focus is on buyers and generating business for the brands to help them towards sustainability,” FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi said.

The LFW is showcasing the work of 60 designers which includes innovative designs in Khadi and Smart Fabrics infused with recycled plastics. Special focus has also been lent to environmentally friendly practices. “Inclusivity, sustainability, upcycling, and reuse are no longer buzzwords for fashion, they are an integral part of the fashion week experience,” Sethi added.

French trend consulting agency Peclars Paris, launched the first India trend book in collaboration with Lakme, featuring Indian designers and elements. “We noticed there are global trends with local interpretation based on craft in a modern way and the trend book showcases that,” said Anne Etienne-Reboul, CEO, Peclars. The Peclars curated trend book highlights the trends in the upcoming season in fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

Designers Akshat Bansal (Bloni), Aneeth Arora (Pero), Anish Malpani (Without), Anjali Patel (Verandah), Bhavya Ramesh, Kanika Goyal, Karishma Shahani (Ka-Sha), Pankaj & Nidhi, Rahul Mishra, Sudheer Rajbhar (Chamar), Shweta Kapur (431-88) and Suket Dhir have interpreted the trends with a distinct fashion installation which will be displayed throughout the fashion week.