Providing a launch pad to budding designers, the third show at FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week became a grand platform for fourteen INIFD designing students to showcase their streetwear collection.
Drawing inspiration from the beauty of a utopian world and the fantasy of a blissful life, with a blend with digital and hand printed whimsical patterns, was Bharvi Suthar’s collection with a two-toned ruffled dress, cropped blouse with panelled midi skirt, digitally printed dress, asymmetrical turtleneck one-shoulder shrug with corset and mini skirt. The dress was worn by showstopper Gauahar Khan.
“This is interesting. It’s a combination of chic, modern and street style,” said Gauahar Khan.
Shamiksha Chauhan and Yashika Chugh’s designs were inspired by the coastal city of Puducherry, with its colourful and quaint architecture. The designers worked with linen and khadi, with splashes of cutwork, and appliqué, as well as hand painting with appliqué and embroidery. The vibrant neon hues of green, yellow, orange and fuchsia came alive for tiered maxi skirt, cargo pants, bomber jacket, gilet, mini wrap skirt, shorts, blazer, convertible pleated pants and tiered midi dress.
On the other hand, Juhi Dhandhia and Vanshita Sharma’s collection was a merger of Korean streetwear with Kantha work for cotton, as well as cotton flax and stripes in oversized silhouettes with layers, frills, gathers and collars. The colour card was restricted to monochromes for layered skirts, shirts with bishop sleeves, jackets and flared palazzos.
Anjali Kumari’s textile waste collection was high on cotton fabric for patchwork, with Sujani embroidery making it a stylish line for Fall/Winter. There were jackets, gaucho pants, dress, coat and asymmetric cocktail wear that the designer offered for a sleek stylish look.
A local bus, old heritage and aged letterbox for an off-white cotton and georgette base, embellished with machine appliqué and hand embroidered motifs were the inspiration for Suma Devi Mondal’s collection. Shirt/trouser sets, shorts, jumpsuit, sheer shirts, cropped top with wrapped pants and dress with side panels were the eye catchers, while Shaifali’s collection created with slashing techniques for black denim embellished with fabric scraps. The detailing revolved around concealed zippers and black metallic buttons for the all-black collection. Pants, bustier, oversized jumpsuits, shorts, coats, minis and will-power blouse had a mosaic of multicoloured patterns.
Others who showcased their collection at the Launchpad were Sudha Sharma and Disha Prasad who used diverse fabrics like denim, shirting material and net along with varying slashing techniques. The men’s wear line in black offered a wide range of trousers with jackets, boleros, shirts, tunics and cropped jackets, all highlighted with multicoloured abstract fabric appliqués.
Bringing a strong message on pollution deforestation and exploitation, designers duo Bhavana Tapadia and Megha Bansal’s cotton, organic/chino and mercerised cotton were made into oversized for coats, jackets, boleros silhouettes. All while the asymmetric wrap skirts, bustiers, cropped top, long slit skirt and bush pants balanced the look.
Using suiting material, organza and cotton jersey, Prachi Suresh Gada’s collection had bright pastels, and embroidery with pin tucks. Notched collars, box pockets, epaulettes, piping, metal buckles, and belts added more pizazz to the apparel.
Bringing in a Japanese Anime Demon touch was Pooja Rabindra Ghadge’s Dori Samurai collection.
There was a marked Japanese, Ninja and Samurai flavour in the clothes. The fabric choice moved from bamboo to denim and then onto khadi followed by upcycled net and linen. The gender fluid, loose, comfy and casual look was translated into joggers with pleats/pockets, hoodies, appliquéd shirts, parallels, corset-dress, shorts, kimono, baggy tee and hakama pants.
