Dedicating a Sonnet to Fashion
The FDCI presented its first ‘phygital’ edition of Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2021 where designers unveiled collections through a series of well-directed videos
The Fashion Design Council of India presented its first ‘phygital’ edition of Lotus Make-Up India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2021 (LMIFW SS 2021) from October 14 to October 18, 2020, where 43 designers unveiled their collections at 34 shows in a mélange of colour, style, fabrics and well-directed videos. Meher Castelino writes more…
DAY ONE
Rajesh Pratap Singh opened LMIFW SS 21 with his amazing ‘Fall.ing 2020’ line featuring a range from pretty pastels to hot hues with mesmerising hand block prints and embroidery. The fabrics included handlooms, glass cotton and silk satin. The detailing was minute and intricate with pin tucks - a specialty of the designer - on white creations.
The DHI collection which was called ‘Mirror Me’ was practical and wearable. It was showcased in organic cotton and khadi in shades of aqua, neutrals and navy for dresses. The line also included jumpsuits, pants, blouses and skirts.
Nitin Bal Chauhan brought to the forefront extreme fashion, called ‘Naevus’ - inspired by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Metallic rings, leather straps/belts, lacy Victorian collars/cuff, 3D embroidery with exaggerated sleeves and silhouettes were presented in blood red, black and pink. The bold prints and design construction reflected a military-like look for the collection.
Payal Jain’s ‘Holy Script’ showcased beautiful holiday wear with vivid abstract prints, in rich hues. The silk and cotton Chanderi, organza and Munga fabrics, gave her garments a fluid, flowing appeal. Vaishali S unveiled her ‘Rebirth’ collection, showcasing her corded web-like detailing and intense construction. The Khunn weave was also evident along with Murshidabadi silk in innovative silhouettes and separates.
Namrata Joshipura ended Day One with her elegant sporty cocktail line which displayed intense pearl embroidery on sharply cut jackets; figure-hugging gowns, evening dresses, high-waist trousers and two-button jackets. Feathers appeared to soften the capes and blouses in their detailing, while dressy pinafores were brought to attention.
DAY TWO
Archana Rao’s ‘The Wild Flower’ line was a melody of floral prints on wispy summer wear.
Guapa’s ‘Enchanted Forest’ had motifs of birds, bunnies, tree of life and marigolds.
Abirr N’ Nanki’s Limerick unveiled their ‘Chrysalis SS ‘21’ look that had bouquets of motifs from the Mughal gardens in soft pastels for sheer/solid fabrics.
Nirmooha’s geometric squares in teal, blush, black, maroon and mauve were a fun and frothy line created from hand spun Muga silk and organza.
Ranna Gill’s ‘Floral Opulence’ featured pleated skirts, tunics, maxis and belted dresses in bold black, ivory, ruby, green and marigold with embroidery showcasing a more flamboyant look.
Siddartha Tytler gave bold fashion directions for men and women’s wear in his presentation of lehengas and Sherwanis displayed in glittering brocade, cotton, mulmul, leather, suede, linen and crêpe as the base. The creations which were exotic, dramatic and bold, were perfect for adventurous dressers.
Gauri and Nainika’s ‘Spring/Summer ‘21’ look displayed romantic midis and gowns visualised in flowing crêpes and sheer fabrics for wrap skirt dresses, and asymmetric creations in red, bottle green and black with floral and leaf prints.
Ravi Bajaj brought retro Bollywood glamour to centre stage with classic shaded embroidered saris, ornate cholis, jackets and slinky skirts for women. For men’s wear it was stylish sherwanis, bundies and bundgala jackets in bold colours with heavy texturing.
Suneet Varma’s ‘The Eternal Lightness of Being’ was an ethereal line in soft pastel yellow, blue, lime, pink, ebony and ivory for the exquisitely embroidered creations in crushed georgette organza and crinkled chiffon.
DAY THREE
Ashima-Leena’s label showcased only bridal-wear glamour of the ultimate kind for Indian ensembles in the ‘Umme Rabab’ collection. With shimmering embellishments for lehengas, cholis, dupattas and kurtas in lush brocades, the look exhibited tradition as well as grandeur.
Gaya’s fun lounge wear line in vibrant, bright prints and denim offered two looks – the Palm Leaf print and Loungy Denims in tropical colours. Kaftans, robes, knitted dresses; tracksuits and soft pants were also displayed as comfort wear.
Naturally Anuradha’s Mekhela Chadar saris were a glorious carnival of hues and weaves, showcased for the festive season in Endi, Muga and Nuni Silks and cotton fabrics using 100 per cent pure vegetable dyes.
Niki Mahajan’s collection ‘The Midnight Sky’ also brought Indian textiles with silver metal wire and mirror work for the black, grey, blue and purple collection.
Rimi Nayak’s ‘Bloom’ collection blossomed with foliage prints for a relaxed summer resort line of dresses, kaftans, skirts and batwing blouses.
Neeta Lulla’s ‘The She Universe’ unveiled a fearless glamorous collection replete with dazzling sari gowns and pre-stitched saris moulded to the figure like a second skin. From stylish cocktail creations to glittering bridal wear the look spelt opulence in capital letters.
Abhishek Gupta’s ‘Benaras’ collection was a vision in shaded fabrics with intense white embroidery for men’s and women’s ethnic creations. The brocade lining for men’s sherwanis was also a lush addition.
Varun Bahl brought glamour to his collection with ‘Bloom–Demi Couture 20’ that included layers of tulle and 3D embellishment. These were displayed in the form of gowns, tulip pants, waistcoats and capes in pure silk organza with bugle beads, ruffles and pleats.
Tarun Tahiliani’s ‘The Age of Innocence’ bridal collection was aimed at the modern bridal couple and predominantly exhibited rich red, aqua, pink, jade and meenakari hues for jamavaars and brocades for both men and women’s creations.
DAY FOUR
Nikhita Taandon of Mynah Designs brought the colours of the forest into her ‘Enchanted’ collection comprising fitted gowns with multicoloured handiwork. The 12 ensembles were replete with shimmering sequins and ideal formal wear.
Nidhi Yasha showcased a perfect resort wear line with diaphanous fabrics, prints, colours of the beach and sky, beaded with tassels, ruffles and cascades to accentuate the garments.
Nikita Mhaisalkar’s ‘Guzel SS21’ was a colourful ode to Turkey in shades of gold, bronze and brown for intricately patterned suits, kaftans, jackets and maxis.
Shivani Jain’s ‘Tisharth’ label unveiled the candy pop colour collection ‘Connected’ for cocktail wear that brought detailing like metal buckles, chains and belts to the forefront for sharply cut dresses.
Bloni’s ‘Allogamy’ collection for men and women displayed a futuristic line that paid homage to the environment and the use of innovative fabrics, with machine and hand embroidery. The oversized baggy jackets, kurtas in UV Neon colours along with some stunning tulle saris and robes ensured that Bloni presented a space-age collection which was wearable at all times.
From Geisha Designs by Paras and Shalini, the ‘Bloom in Love’ collection was a bridal line in floral prints on breezy light fabrics with colours, texturing and detailing bringing importance to the ensemble.
Samant Chauhan’s grand ball gowns with intricate embroidery were called ‘Ode’ as it was a tribute to jewel colours for silk.
The low necklines, backless silhouettes and cold shoulder constructions were the highlights of the ensembles.
Virtues brought in a gypsy vibe with ‘Indian High’ a line of mixed weaves, fabrics, silhouettes and colours.
Ashish N Soni made a strong social statement with his black and white line for men and women featuring tuxedos, bomber jackets, hoodies, long belted coats and pin tucked long white shirts.
Shantanu and Nikhil moved into the future with their ‘The Declaration 2034’ look with AI being in charge of the country. The Military regalia for men and women featured sharply cut coats, jackets, cuffed trousers belted tunics all accessorised with medals and monograms.
DAY FIVE
The Class of 2020 from the fashion design course of Pearl Academy presented a sporty street-smart line called ‘Fashion Reboot’ that had a youthful zingy vibe.
Sahib Bhatia unveiled his men’s wear line ‘Cosmos’ with Amaaré, his label, that exhibited sharp tailoring, great construction and minute detailing in deep tones of maroon, navy and black.
Felix Bendish’s ‘Water’ collection brought accessories to the centre stage. Quirky, handmade jewellery in prints, colours and crystals were turned into hairbands necklaces, brooches, earrings, tiaras, belts, hair clips, bow ties, chains, rings and pendants.
Janavi’s collection of ornate shawls and saris called ‘Talisman’ were displayed in three lines featuring dazzling embroidery of flowers, bees, bows, butterflies, doves and dragons.
Pawan Sachdeva’s ‘Blitzen’ collection brought men’s wear back with stylish silhouettes brought to male dressers in ink blue and black with grey and shiny metallics for added excitement. Jogging pants, zippered Tees and jackets that were also displayed were not only functional but also trendy.
Vikram Bajaj’s men’s look was colourful, adventurous and almost unisexual. Called ‘Conditions Counterplay’, the shade card included Kapok Green, Khaki, blue, lemon, fuchsia and striking orange prints.
Rina Dhaka’s ‘Book of Courage’ line paid homage to struggling artisans and workers in the fashion industry. It included an ethereal range of saris, kurtas, shararas, skirts and blouses that dazzled with silver and white embroidery and was in certain places edged with lace.
Shivan & Narresh brought luxury holiday glamour with their ‘Ana10mySeries’ of Swim, resort; cruise safari and ski wear lines. The colours included wild and vibrant prints that were arrestingly visual and at times tribal in nature.
The Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna Show ‘Parallax’ was all about midnight elegance for men and women. Designed in three colours - red, ink and black for women and black for men, the glittering gowns and sharply tailored suits in velvet and silk for tuxedos was perfect for the Grand Finale.