The ramps of Lakmé Fashion Week FW 2018 came back to life as INIFD presented the 26th batch of Gen Next designers whose collections showcased the trends for the coming season.
AUR by Ajay Kumar Singh
Equipped with creativity and social relevance, Ajay Kumar Singh, a NIFT, Mumbai alumnus, opened the show with his label ‘AUR”. Inspired by the talented minds of mentally disabled children, he transformed their creations into lively motifs printed on his easy yet chic garments. The line was further detailed using Kantha technique over digitally printed Khadi silhouettes. The main highlights were layered dresses with cloud doodle prints, biker jackets against contrasting kurtas, appliquéd maxi outfits and layered ensembles of three-piece attires.
Label Anurag Gupta
Anurag Gupta showcased his label of the same name, with a hint of Fashion Metamorphosis inspired by the artist Maurits Cornelis Escher’s Day and Night Artwork. Denims and Khadi as his main focus, he presented an eye-catching combination of silhouettes, forms, colours, motifs, fabrics and even dyes. The collection had a relaxed aura around it and the highlights of the show were carefully constructed jackets, intricate detailing on cuffs and sleeves and embroidered jumpsuits with asymmetric silhouettes.
Jajaabor by Kanika Sachdeva
Using fashion as a way to converse stories, Kanika Sachdev presented her label, ‘Jajaabor’ with a collection called ‘The Artful Lodger’. With the use of Khadi, cotton, Chanderi silk and silk organza, the confluence of reactive prints and embroidery was presented. Zippered Jackets with quirky street names, architectural prints on long dresses, floppy cropped pants and saris paired with accessories were characteristic of the collection done in a myriad of colours, blue, white, red and pink.
SWGT by Shweta Gupta
S.W.G.T., the label of Shweta Gupta, was a spectacle that was textured for perfection. Crafted using handloom Chanderi and Merino wool, the collection took inspiration from age-old rocks and nomadic travelers. The weaves were carefully done, encompassing a series of smocking and fabric hand manipulation to create the effect of landscapes and textures. The earthy colours of grey, mud, slate, silt, beige and brown gave the collection an edgy, raw look.
Yavy by Yadvi Agarwal
The show concluded with fashionably exclusive creations of Yadvi Agarwal, who showed the perfect blend of art and fashion, via her label ‘Yavi’. With hand paintings being the focal point, the subtle slam of Parisian impressionism style juxtaposed over indigenous traditional textiles was the main attraction of the collection. The most stirring parts were the eye-catching work of abstract textures, patches and mini motif embroideries placed over flowy silhouettes of asymmetric blouses, pleated skirts, slim skirt with tie-up top, cropped pants, waistcoat over shirt and sari.
Several trends for Winter festive 2018 were set by these new designers, who are here to stay, seeing the success of the entire event. Every year, this programme launches a new set of designers to give them an opportunity to enter the industry. As a part of LFW Advisory Board, the bigwigs of the industry like Anamika Khanna, Anita Dongre, Manish Malhotra, Rohit Bal, Sabyasachi, Priya Tanna, among others, choose the new talent every year.
