India on New York ramp

Homegrown handlooms to accessories — India leaves an impact on global runways

The spring/summer fashion calendar rolled out, with New York as the first stop for 2018’s trend forecast. While we’ve had staple labels and designers showcasing their rendition of prêt-à-porter, like every season, India also made its presence felt. The regular lineup with an Indian connect at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), which concluded recently, included Rourkelaborn designer Bibhu Mohapatra, Mumbai’s Naeem Khan and Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia (Of Sachin & Babi) with Sachin’s roots in Mumbai and Babi’s, in Delhi (she is an alumni of Lady Shri Ram College for Women). Apart from the core calendar, there were other peripherial shows, also a part of NYFW, with more Indian names on the roster. Designer Vaishali S (Vaishali Shadangule) and designer Purvi Doshi made a case for Indian textiles on the runway. While Vaishali played with easy silhouettes and spring layering, designer Purvi Doshi, who calls Ahmedabad home, had khadi at the core of her collection.

When it comes to models, while those like Pooja Mor, Bhumika Arora, Natasha Ramachandran have made it to the international ramp, this season, model Ashika Pratt (her mother is Indian while her father is English) made a mark. London’s now underway (designers such as Karishma Shahani Khan, Ragini Ahuja and Ujjawal Dubey will be a part) and Milan and Paris (Rahul Mishra and Manish Arora will be showcasing) will follow.

India-inspired jewellery at Naeem Khan (L); Purvi Doshi’s creation (above) A creation by Bibhu Mohapatra showcased at NYFW PHOTO: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES/AFP

PHOTO: JP YIM/ GETTY IMAGES/ AFP (L-R) A model in a creation by designer duo Sachin & Babi and model Ashika Pratt on the New York ramp PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ ASHIKA_PRATT