Blazing The Fashion Trail

DESIGNER PRIYANKA MODI TALKS ABOUT FIVE TORCH-BEARERS WHO HAVE REVOLUTIONISED THE STYLE INDUSTRY IN THE LAST DECADE

Mickey Contractor

Mickey Contractor has been at the forefront of make-up in India for over three decades. He’s a oneman industry, a glamour machine bringing Indian beauty trends to the international stage and vice versa. His grasp of the minimal is unmatched, as is his flair for sensual and dramatic looks.

What sets them apart

He is the man who witnessed and partook in the transformation of make-up from the cakey 80s to the glam 2000s. As MAC’s Director of Make-Up Artistry in India, he’s more than an icon to the Eastern audience.

Sabyasachi

Sabyasachi’s entry into fashion was celebrated from his very first show in 2002. He has successfully forayed into other creative fields such as costume and interior design, and collaborated with some of the biggest names such as Christian Louboutin and Pottery Barn, putting Indian fashion on the global map.

What sets them apart

It was his approach to couture and how it’s sold, which changed the entire landscape. He brought in a never-seen-before aesthetic, a unique language and a whole new set of rules for the business of fashion.

Prabuddha Dasgupta and Lakshmi Menon

This was the most dreamlike collaboration between one of the finest photographers India has produced with one of the most surreal beauties of the country.

What sets them apart

Prabuddha, noted for his black and white photography and Lakshmi, who won acclaim for her work on the international stage, have created magic as a team.

Sunil Sethi

I first knew him as an exporter extraordinaire, who, among other things, dared to export Indian fashion to the world and placed Indian designers at some of the most notable retail addresses around the world. He is now a true revivalist, and his achievements have been rewarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts.

What sets them apart

One of the last standing champions of the Indian fashion industry, Sethi’s reign as the President of the Fashion Design Council of India has been prolific. He took over at a turbulent time in the council’s history and acted as a solidfying force by keeping the industry from acting against its own interests.

Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor

A sensational partnership between someone who loves dressing up and someone who really knows how.

What sets them apart

What started as appreciation of great sartorial choices, turned into a revolution in Bollywood, fearlessly spearheaded by Sonam. But it has been her sibling, Rhea, credited with her iconic fashion choices, who’s worked tirelessly with designers from around the world to put Sonam into a league of her own.