FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week Day 1 Was All About Grandeur, Spirited Prints, Sustainability, And Of Course, Showstoppers!
Can I say I am glad that the physical runways finally opened the door for us to experience the magic of style? Day 1 at FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week 2022, felt like a wonderland, as my fashion soul, was finally served with some stylish delicacies, hitting the scintillating runway. Post a long halt, (blame it on the pandemic), FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week’s season-fluid edition showed us the many colours and a glimpse of what the whole glam week is geared up to deliver. Right from stunning tulles, popular stars, pearl core love, to flipping the books of history, day 1 witnessed a full house, with celebrated labels– JJ Valaya, Shantnu & Nikhil, Varun Bahl, Samant Chauhan, Shruti Sancheti, Rara Avis to Outhouse jewellery, designers displayed their varied creations and fuelled our love for dressing up again. Take a look at the highlights from all the showcases, that made our soul happy and wanting for more.
Outhouse Jewellery
Fueling our love for dressing up after many-many mundane at home days, Outhouse jewellery brought the sass back in our closets with jewellery that speaks to you. With dopamine dressing housing at its core, a scintillating lineup of mini bags, earwear, headpieces, bracelets and more graced the runway at the Outhouse showcase for Day 1 at FDCI X Lakmé Fashion week. A burst of neon greens, edgy construction, statement moulds, dazzling tassels and an element of glamorous joy left me awestruck. Tapping to the beats of ear-splitting music, that exactly matched with the models parading in the jewellery house’s latest collection, wore pearls in their glossy curls. A happy welcome to the physical show, designers Kaabia and Sasha Grewal brought home the feeling of statement-making. Titled– the “OH Dopamine” the Avant-Garde collection played around resin, feathers, rhinestones, raffia, seed beads. Embellished with tassels, and enamelled brooches, mini bags refused to go off the runway and my sight. Indeed a well-cooked recipe to declare, that Y2K is here to stay, the incorporation of vegan leather was indeed the cherry on the top.
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Rara Avis By Sonal Verma
Heading towards the spirit of summer, Sonal Verma knitted all the greens for us at FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week. Titled– “Hodophilic” Sonal’s idea of marinating Uzbeki handloom silks with Indian Mashru and the line-up’s hero fabric–cotton, felt nothing short of a sweet summer dream. Eclectic and easy, Sonal’s choice of colour palette ventured into a medley of white, green and pink. Strong padded shoulders, bohemian belts, sequinned motif design of lush green palms, ruffled hearts with hats accompanying the models to the runway, Rara Avis’ line-up included everything from flouncy maxi-dresses, oversized long coats, co-ordinated wearables, headbands, funky cross body bags, and column dresses. All and all the runway adorned with kaaleen played along with Sonal Verma’s mood boards turning into reality and telling the tale of her inspiration– combined thoughts that give zest to life.
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Also Read: Exclusive: Designers Alpana Neeraj’s #LitWithLumi Showcase For FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week 2022 Is All About The Right Amount Of Glimmer
Alpana Neeraj
As I entered the venue to get myself seated in, a roof filled with the classic disco balls, and a multitude of its fresh spotlights danced in unison and invited the mood of the #LitWithLumi show by designers Alpana Neeraj. Playing with truckloads of shimmer, and sheer net fabric, the designer duo’s collection was a well-marinated collaboration between fashion and glamorous skincare by Lakmé Lumi Cream. Replete with statement bows, artistic construction, tessellated bodice, paid homage to the label’s understated glimmer. Mirroring the texture of the Lakmé Lumi Cream, Alpana Neeraj played by the fence and rooted for minimalism amidst the mela of maximalist designs. The collection exhibited a mixture of light fabrics, tonal embroideries, creative hemlines, with interesting moulded designs stitched to the thigh-high slits. Indeed lit and extremely luminous, glitter made space in almost every piece, with the label’s signature creative construction marking its seat on the shoulders and waist.
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Samant Chauhan
Metallic and majestic, Samant Chauhan’s showcase can be defined as winter rain. Depicting nature with the residues of gone by rain, Samant relied on a mix of fabrics like chanderi silk, cotton and organza. Garnished with grandeur, every piece mirrored the essence of mother nature that surrounded the runway for his showcase. We spotted both floral and geometric embroideries on the elaborate silhouettes including long capes, ruffled gowns, off-shoulder tulles, and tall turtlenecks. And turning muse for Samant Chauhan, was actor Manoj Bajpayee who added his charm to the magical runway. Wearing the showstopper attire, Manoj Bajpayee paraded on the ramp in a floral embroidered grey silk jacket and pants of the same shade, as he greeted the invitees with a sweet namaste.
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Varun Bahl
Violins played in symphony at designer Varun Bahl’s ‘Quintessential’ showcase for FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week. A spectacular display of his signature romantic thread work, Varun infused a heavy mix of bold patchwork embroidery hugging the long structured jackets and peplum kurtas, paired with feather-trimmed skirts. An upbeat modern bridal wear that displayed a version of the sequin laden cropped up veils, bridged the gap between traditional and contemporary design philosophy. Keeping the intricacy alive, a good half of the collection came embellished with sequins, and mirror work that had a friendly banter with pearl accessories worn by the models. An interesting introduction to your bridal kitty, Varun’s incorporation of lacy hand gloves, and ruffled handcuffs flagged off the new bridal accessory trend that is ready to roll on every designer shelf. Concluding the lovely show with her smile and show-stopping attire was content creator Masoom Minawala, who walked the ramp in a blush peach lehenga choli, with delicate embroidery filling the space on the skirt and beaded blouse.
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Shantnu And Nikhil
Bridging the gap between functionality and Avant-Garde sensibility was what the Shantnu And Nikhil showcase aimed at. Tuning to Kanye West’s “Praise The God,” the mood for Nomad collection by Shantnu And Nikhil was set right. Solid, fringed, braided and a lot of fabric drama unfolded on the runway with a string of Indian content creators, stylists and musicians like Juhi Godambe, Sakshi Sindwani, Usaamah Siddique and Zaeden paraded in the designer duo’s creations. An air that served right to inclusivity, the label’s line up declared its latest love for animal prints, extreme fringes, bucket hats, quilted, puffer jackets in the largest size possible and cool phone holders tied to the hats, that defined the collection as an urban jungle. The line-up included heavily detailed structured sweatshirts, headlined by Southern India’s Kirtimukha (mythological creature that stands guard for the Gods). It all took cues from realme GT 2 Pro’s polymer Paper Tech Master design, the future of fashion was jaw dropping, and exciting. Probably the best show, I’ve witnessed so far.
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JJ Valaya
Filling the room with the charm of the history, TENCEL™️ Luxe presents JJ Valaya’s showcase at the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week 2022, opened with a rushed montage of Sikh kings, with the show-stopping, highest corner seats taken by Nihang Sikhs wrapped with magnificent shawls, instantly caught my attention. A celebration of the couturiers’ 30 years in the business, JJ Valaya’s latest showcase titled–Rumeli, The Summer Story infused his classic cuts into muted elegance. With a hint of retro romance, monochrome prints, statement belts, chunky silver jewels, crescent bags and embellished collar flaps walked the runway. The celebration of 30 was made special by the introduction of his all-new bridge-to-luxury brand–JJV, that offered us some trendsetter corset belts, broad-strap cross body bags, two-tier puff sleeves, and understated maximalism at its best. An ode to the history of India’s rich culture collaborating with his design legacy, it was refreshing to see models walk in printed turbans, suiting the crisp bandhgalas, coin embroidery, metallic sleeve ends and a beautiful fabric play. Joining JJ Valaya on the big stage was his muse–actress, Mrunal Thakur, who looked nothing less than a royal princess, with hair braided into multiple twists, silver matha patti, earrings, a hand stack that matched her intricately sequinned and studded blouse, paired with a breezy cooper and black printed skirt.
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Image Credits: FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week
