Make this Valentine’s special with a quick getaway to Goa’s Divar Island for two days of fun and fashion. The Island of Love is a one-of-its-kind pop destination for the ninth edition of the India Beach Fashion Week (IBFW) which flags off at Mercure, the Goa Devaaya resort, on February 13. Presented by Ikonic and powered by Timex, it is India’s first Island Week and Fashion Festival.
The two day-event will see the curtain raiser showcase by noted designer Vikram Phadnis, who makes his debut in resort wear. One Minute Sarees will also be making an appearance on the Indian runway for the first time. Gavin Miguel will be the designer for gran finale of the two-day fashion extravaganza.
The 18th-century island with its lush tropical forests, a vast expanse of emerald green paddy fields and meticulously restored colonial-style Portuguese villas is a picture-perfect setting for IBFW. Open-air ramps, including India’s longest ramp and the first one facing the sea, makes it a one-of-its-kind fashion festival. There are designated festival areas and brand engagement booths, makeover zones and experience zones with store installations and villa blocks within the man show area and even an after-party conclave zone. Pop-up companies will also be setting up a flea market which should be another crowd-puller.
Day One of the fashion show will see designer Srishto Kaur, who is also Miss Teen Universe collaborating with Eliferous. The second day is dedicated to fashion bazar and discussion. Expect a live music show on the day 2 by some of the famous international musicians. This royal musical experience will be followed by fashion shows from a bunch of young designers, starting with Isha Khanna and Ken Ferns to Moonshine by Swapnila and Meeami Fashion by Amit Bharadwaj at the colonial villas. All shows are in the open air, beautifully integrated with the island’s tropical setting. Also scheduled are shows of Anuthhi by Nishant and Preeti, Ripci Bhatiya, Solo and FDCR.
Anaita Shroff Adajania and Srishti Kaur |
IBFW has showcased ace designers in earlier editions, including Wendell Rodricks, Pallavi Jaikishan, Suneet Varma, Falguni and Shane Peacock, and Varun Bahl. Other prominent names who have also showcased their work are James Ferreira, Rocky Star, Pria Kataria Puri, Arjun Khanna, Rina Dhaka and Saisha Shinde to name a few. Among the showstoppers and brand influencers were Sushmita Sen, Bipasha Basu, Kiara Advani, Lisa Haydon, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Leone, Aditi Rao Hydari. and Rana Daggubati.
This year, the only Indian-American brand on the 2023 runway is the Los Angeles-based One Minute Saree. A direct-to-consumer online saree brand, it will unveil its eclectic collection on a fashion ramp for the first time at IBFW. It is a homecoming for founder Sasha Revankar who is originally from Goa. Rooted in tradition but crafted for the modern woman, these custom-stitched sarees have sparked a fashion revolution for the next generation of Indophiles, helping them drape the fabric immaculately in under a minute. One of the highlights of IBFW is a funky hair show presented by Ikonic.
When: February 13,14
Where: Divar Island, Goa
