Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI puts the spotlight on sustainable fashion

New Delhi: Day 2 of Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI, acknowledged the importance of a sustainable future and showcased those designers who contribute towards a greener fashion through their work of art. The show's runway was ornamented with a diverse range of sustainable styles from leading fashion designers.

Here are some of the highlights from the designers who presented during the day:

Amita Gupta Sustainable brought the beauty of urban reforestation with diverse collections

The beauty of the Amita Gupta Sustainable brand has always been its deep affection for nature and its care for the environment. Keeping in mind the inspiration, “The Age of Urban Reforestation” the brand was focused and unveiled sustainable fashion that not only projected the latest trends and styles but was committed to the environment at Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI.

Swatti Kapoor unveiled “Sahaara” collection

Swatti Kapoor’s “Sahaara” collection inspired by the vast expanse of the largest, hot desert in the world situated on the African continent, had a marked bohemian appeal. The design directions and inspirations aimed at the global nomad were taken from the glorious desert rose or adenium obesum for the intricate motifs that created the wooden block printing.

With the expanse of the grand Sahaara stretching through countries like Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Mali, and Morocco, the collection obviously reflected the beauty and grandeur of those regions. Keeping the focus on sustainability, the line ensured that the fabrics matched the vision of the designer.

Kaveri unveiled an ethereal “The Romance of the Rose” collection

When a collection is called “The Romance of the Rose” - An Affair to Remember, it will undoubtedly be an ethereal look at fashion for the coming season.

The collection had the finest hand-crafted finesse that Kaveri is known for, as the sculpted linen along with luxurious silk was turned into a feminine line of ensembles embossed with the imprints of the beautiful rose. Using the blank, linen canvas as the base, the Kaveri brand wove its creative magic on each garment, as the colours moved languidly from pretty pastels to warm hues that will appeal to fashion aficionados.

Playing with colours that matched the ethereal quality of the collection, Kaveri chose light and dark sage, natural blush, and then added mauve and off-white. The fine linen and silk ensembles were splashed with beautiful surface techniques to add a delicate aura to the sculpted, resplendent fabrics that offered wearable art.

Swati Vijayivargie brought her collection ‘Gulaal’ inspired by the splendour of the Pink City

Swati Vijayivargie’s “Gulaal” was inspired by the pink hues of Jaipur architecture and the shimmer of Jaisalmer, the Golden City.

The lovely Parul Gulati, star of several Punjabi films walked down the runway to open the show, in a colourful, panelled lehenga, choli and dupatta trio all heavily embellished with ornate work.

Colours of India were visible as fuchsia moved in coordination with orange, while the marigold tones danced with shades of blue. The red, vermilion, emerald, gulaabi, turquoise, and purple hues mirrored the gorgeous colours of the country and completed the “Gulaal” story. Fabrics that brought the collection to life, were the luxurious silks, Mashru, cotton silk, silk organza, and Chanderi. The designing skills of Swati were evident in the layered silhouettes and the free-flowing images of the ensembles.

There were hints of nostalgia and amazing creativity, as the collection offered a variety of timeless garments that will move effortlessly through varying festive occasions. There was also a great amalgamation of colours, styles, and patterns that will delight buyers of luxurious, well-crafted apparel.

Payal Pratap brought a modern adaptation of craft on sustainable fashion day

“The Soft Parade” collection by Payal Pratap on Sustainable Fashion Day was an ode to the glorious and abundant craft of Kutch with contemporary accents.

The fabric base was a melange of handloom linen, woven stripes, and chambray weaves, while the luxe silks, Chanderies as well and Bandhani prints on silk complemented the presentation. Keeping the inspiration intact, the myriad stitches inspired by ancient Kedias were reworked into detailed asymmetric patterns that featured some geometry as well as floral motifs and a dollop of shine.

Payal also extensively explored the intricate beauty of patchwork in modern and abstract motifs of nature. It was a great festival of craft as the collection brought together the old with the new of Bandhani, applique, multiple hand-stitched techniques along with abstract rose motifs that were juxtaposed to create a carpet of patterns. Adding more excitement to the embellishments, Payal created designs of bird chintz, flowers, and Tree of Life patterns.

The colours of Kutch brought to life the apparel, as a tinge of red was merged with varying shades of blue, neutral ivories, and blacks to form a palette of multicolour hues. The silhouettes were characteristic of Gujarat and appeared in perfect unison on the runway. Asymmetric wrap skirts, swirling long and short kedia-inspired jackets, relaxed dresses, and comfy lungi pants created a fashionable tapestry for the line.

Ensuring that the collection offered a comprehensive fashion look that moved from head-to-toe wardrobe solutions from day to night, Payal designed handmade footwear, which featured Bandhani brogue patterns, while the semi-precious stone jewellery gave the ensembles the added glitter.

11.11/eleven eleven celebrated 15 years of sustainable fashion at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI

Designers Mia Morikawa and Shani Himanshu, the driving forces behind the ‘11.11/eleven eleven’ pret label from the parent company CellDSGN Pvt Ltd celebrated 15 years of presenting India’s indigenous crafts and practices at Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI.

Spring Summer 2024 collection is an ode to handspun textiles, the handspun yarn is a realisation of time, where every millimeter of yarn records every second of time as a memory. The beauty of the handspun yarn lies in its low twist breathability and its irregularity which is imparted by human hands, and in how it becomes second skin to the body.

The Ka-Sha label unveiled a balanced line of different elements at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI

The brand ‘Ka-sha’s’ inspiration was a connection that brought the coming together of different elements to create an absolute synergy of fashion.

The brand founded by Karishma Shahani Khan in 2012 unveiled the “Milan” collection, which was inspired by Khalil Gibran’s work. The inspiration is based on the lines from Khalil Gibran’s “Poem on Marriage” - “You were born together and together you shall be forevermore. But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you.”

Referencing these words, the collection “Milan” enquired into the foundations built on individuality, through different elements that come together to play their part in total synergy, thereby creating an effect greater than the sum of its parts.