In Fine Print
From Picasso, to Banksy and Mr Brainwash, Salita Nanda reinterprets art pieces through her unique rendering of hand illustrated prints in satiny draped dresses. By Asmita Aggarwal Born and raised in London, Salita Nanda studied at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, and then further honed her skills at ...
“Embroidery is our DNA,” says Ashdeen
Dutch artist Patrick Bergsma and his broken ceramic pottery where bonsai grows is where Ashdeen found his stimuli, though his simple shapes complement the complex needlework techniques he uses to offer modern jackets. By Asmita Aggarwal Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala is a trained textile designer from the National Institute of ...
Builder’s daughter Monisha Jaising constructs ‘bling’
35 years in style business, the doyen believes, her biggest contribution has been keeping alive classic Indian ethos. By Asmita Aggarwal Her father was one of the biggest builders in Mumbai, specially the Bandra area, though he taught at the London School of Economics for many years too. Narain Bhojwani ...
80% feeling, 20% aesthetic sells a garment: Dhruv Kapoor
Dhruv Kapoor brings his PSS (print, surface and silhouette) tastes to the Denim Edit by FDCI, at LFW as he handpaints, laminates, embroiders the versatile fabric. By Asmita Aggarwal He is a regular at Milan Fashion Week, and his 10-year-old brand, was nominated earlier for the International Woolmark Prize, but ...
Blue blooded fit by Countrymade
Every setback in life kind of teaches us, for Sushant it was his brother’s sudden demise, he used the pain to pay homage to his memory keeping it alive each year. At the FDCI Denim Edit he gives the resilience of denim an interesting twist with hand painted leather. By ...
“I wanted to dress like my father,” Pranav Mishra
Huemn may be his alter ego, but the designer behind it calls himself a storyteller, who loves the possibilities of what denim can do; this season, he takes on a new journey by recycling creating invigorating landscapes in his anti-fit everything. By Asmita Aggarwal There is a huge conundrum between ...
Luck doesn’t help, focus does: Payal
From her backless cholis to Aishwarya Rai wearing her award-winning Anarkali, Payal Singhal in 25 years of business has been consistent leaving theatrics to greenhorns, adopting practicality for survival. By Asmita Aggarwal Payal Singhal completes 25 years in the business of fashion, and if there is one designer who truly ...
“Armani taught me to be me,” says Ankur of Til
Whether it was working with Armani or Bottega Veneta, even Sabyasachi, Ankur believes good design is instinctive, that’s why his latest line for LFWX FDCI is experimental, comfortable and inclusive. By Asmita Aggarwal He lost his grandmother, whom he was closest to in the family during Covid, she would always ...
A & T celebrate inconsistencies
Discarded cassette tapes, toffee wrappers, bin bags are now RTW and make for new-age embellishment, as the trio Thakore, Abraham and Nigli tell us “What we buy and how we buy” is of brevity at their LFWXFDCI show. By Asmita Aggarwal Shefali Shah is a thinking actress, chooses her roles, ...
Greenwashing is rampant in fashion: Drishti
Drishti Modi and Rashmick Bose of Lafaani, CDC runner ups, bring circularity through unrestricted shapes, kala cotton and their love for repurposing. By Asmita Aggarwal She is a big movie buff, so the brand name is a result of binge-watching cinema, although alternate, thus Lafaani, was picked from the dialogue ...
Bill Clinton told us to be at MOMA: Gautam Malik
Making bags out of discarded seat belts, the JNU kid, who grew up with a father who taught quantum physics is today building a sustainable community one gilet at a time with his brand Jaggery. If Apple can sell electronics, why can't jaggery sell bags? By Asmita Aggarwal Former US President ...
Batik has unique monotones: Madhumita
Working with Batik master craftsman Shakil Khatri for the last ten years in Gujarat, to revive the 1000-year-old tradition using vegetable dyes, Madhumita Nath of Ek Katha hopes to serenade a young audience with reimagined crafts. By Asmita Aggarwal She studied textiles at NIFT Mumbai and JJ School of Art, ...
CDC winner’s clothes with a conscience
Life took a turn for the better from seeing his grandfather’s dyeing unit polluting, to now only dealing with second hand garments, reconstructing them into new shapes, Ritwik Khanna, 25, of Rkive City is a force to reckon with. By Asmita Aggarwal This generation is something else---they really know what ...
Ujjawal’s 10th with homage to “self”
Antar-Agni as the name suggests is a journey within—thus his unisex label is a lot more than just layering, drapes and lapels, it is an exploration of the meaning of luxury, and why its connotations change to cater to an individualistic mind. By Asmita Aggarwal Some things in life are ...
Arundhati Roy, Mira Nair, Kiran Rao and me share common artistic goals: Aneeth Arora
From little hearts floating on smocked dresses, Hello Kitty nostalgia, to intensive embroidery details, as well as design interventions on textiles, Aneeth Arora celebrates 15 years of Pero with a FDCI show at LFW. It has been a long road from Udaipur to creating a million-dollar business for this craft ...
The War Within
Bomb blasts, barren land, soldier writings on walls and stones, how war destroys the fabric of mankind and its futility has been beautifully mirrored through deft stitches by Sushant Abrols label Countrymade. By Asmita Aggarwal From writing poetry, to working with 8-10 needlework techniques, using imagery of his late Air ...
Moon Power
Paying homage to the moon landing and Indias homegrown space programme Pearl Academy students delve into the future to showcase how it could be the next vacation destination through metallics, anti-gravity hair and hybrid ensembles. By Asmita Aggarwal The Chandrayaan-3 mission, was a homegrown one, as the country reached the lunar south polar region, India ...
Sari Stories
From jersey to satin Shweta Kapoors saris tell us you can walk the talk with this slithering drape, as she adds an 80s touch to it, this season. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Brand by Hand
Giving leather longevity through contemporary design, Sonal Varma of Rara Avis, offers versatile shapes for a global traveller. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
The last resort
Offering sustainable fabrics, swimwear with reversible styles and interesting prints, Reby Kumar of Guapa is embarking on, making dressing for your next holiday under the palms, super comfortable. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Engineered embroidery
From embroidery created out of scrap, to making even the motifs move along as you wear the ensemble Anurag Gupta woos the unusual. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Lost Tribes
Tribal imagery comes alive in Aseem Kapoors free size, super comfy offerings for women who choose practicality over transient shine. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Study of contrasts
Anju Modi is paying homage to white weddings, with signature crafts and a wish to move away from conventional palettes. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Bead Seeds
From launching various verticals to the mothership brand Geisha Designs, Paras and Shalini this year elevate embellishment with corsetry and serenade the extended family with their love for Victorian needle work and beads. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Revisiting Memories
15 years and making a mark with classics from the stable, Pankaj and Nidhi combine their strengths from dori work to quilting, creating affable tuxedo jackets and trumpet skirts. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Right Strokes
Swimwear mavericks, and now ski wear experts, Shivan and Narresh offer us a glimpse of Finland through their specially crafted prints combined with hand painting. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Spinning Luxury
Handspun is Himanshu Shanis leitmotif this LFW, as he celebrates innately Indian techniques and processes from Bandhej to Ajrak and natural indigo dyeing making a play for incorporating kala cotton in Gen Z style lexicon By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Social Intelligence
Anjali Mehta Patel, a first timer in Delhi is hoping to wow buyers with her au naturale offerings constructed with Bemberg, replete with India stories done in heady prints. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Crafting a legacy
Working with renowned weaver Prasanta Basak to offer a new language of Indian clothing, Swatti Kapoor is hoping to elevate the humble salwar-kameez, with innovative substitutes in natural fabrics. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Simple Thinking
Ka-Sha completes ten years in fashion, she infuses the line with imagery of emotions replicated through the prism of relaxed clothing, and monochromes as bead work becomes a show stealer. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Retro Revival
Think disco, bell bottoms, Manhattans Studio 54 and Ashish Sonis play with the oversized, androgynous look -strong shoulders and suiting materials as his forte tailoring, takes centerstage. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Motorcycle Diaries
Riding, and utility make a play in Abhishek Paatnis line that takes us back to the simple joys of life, finding peace through biking and urging us to slow down, choosing the wild road less travelled up the mountains. By Asmita Aggarwal You would imagine an MBA and engineer to ...
Sari Stories
The tuxedo blouse, wide lapels, geometric shapes, hints of metallic glitter, ode to charcoals, the boy from Mubarikpur Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango, told us the sari is as cool as a floor sweeping, Paris-returned gown. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Gandhis vision 3.0
The FDCI and KVIC show proved Khadi is the fabric of the future! Khadi is no longer stiff and just meant for the intelligentsia, now it is fine, supple and malleable bringing with it modern shapes and quirky prints, serenading a fast-moving GenZ. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Poetry in Motion
Varun and Nidhika welcome the return of ivories, while Mahima Majahan pays a floral tribute to Gulzar sabebs couplets. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
M for Mixed bag
Risqué, youthful and sequinned, Manish Malhotra lets us into his world where he leaves behind elaborateness and serenades sass. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Despair to Hope
The Pearl Academy talented final year students of fashion design, show us how silhouettes can display human emotions, the crisis civilisation faces with wars to earthquakes, through hand made garments which exude confidence, and reveal skilled processes. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Classic Rendering
Dhruv Vaishs three-month long stay in Naples learning from the best tailoring geniuses can be seen reflecting in the timeless fits. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
The Furrows
Two designers Ritika Mirchandani and Bhumika Sharma reveal how their mothers shaped their creative destiny motivating them to launch eponymous labels with a focus on creating a unique language of prints By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Creating Calm
The transition from Swapnil Shinde to Saisha, also transformed the brand offering, making wearability the key and elegance the superpower. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Theory of colours
Siddhartha Bansal plays with the hues of life, as he crafts new shapes using optical illusion and sheer curiosity leaving us in admiration of his fluid, layered offerings. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Return to the Core
Shahin Mannan creates harmony with the circle at the centre, while Arpita Mehta offers ease with a line you can holiday in effortlessly. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Vagabonding
The travels to offbeat destinations find a way into Neelanjan and Kanikas collection replete with motifs that leave a lasting memory in their label Jajaabor. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
On the Other Side of Silence
From an almost fatal accident to starting a menswear brand TISA Studio, Samira Lavekars journey has been inspirational. This season, artist Zarina Hashmis ode to linearity, Partition and spirituality through art, forms the edifice of her collection. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Law of lines
Deepit Chughs label Line Outline offers a complete wardrobe solution for men with sharp tailoring intermingled with sporty aesthetics. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Ground Reality
Brother and sister team Avni and Ambar join forces to offer edgy streetwear infused with the energy and tales of their fervent travels in Six5Six. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
The Last Act
Ujjawal Dubeys ode to Portuguese writer Pessoas works comes through his monochromes, pleating and sharp draped constructions. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Ink-ing a green future
Ink from exhaust fumes carbon, or Air Ink will define our relationship with the way we print and dye believes Nitin Bal Chauhan, as he channels sustainability and begins a much-needed conversation about conservation. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Blue-Eyed Fabric of Life
Liquid molten metallics have fascinated the runways, but Gaurav Jai Gupta takes it a step forward with his glazed appeal, this season. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Something new and Borrowed
Iro Iro run by the intrepid Bhaavya Goenka, who uses upcycling techniques to create a community wardrobe where versatility remains the key By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Life is my muse
Sudheer Rajbhar is set to go global with a show in Canada, this April, as his FDCI X Lakme line titled Boot Polish highlights inequality and class divide that still persist. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Zero Waste Warriors
Kriti Tula adds recycled to her upcycled offering with denims and handlooms taking centerstage in her sustainable language of clothing at Doodlage. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Changing hues of Saris
Bagru has been reimagined by Anavila this season, as she offers the six-yard drape with the aim of restarting the conversation around its versatility. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Parked at Neutral
Gender bender is the name of the game, as grand finale designer Rajesh Pratap flirts with stainless steel, continues his romance with khadi and pleating without abandoning his reverence for Japanese tying techniques, embracing volume. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Zen Mind
Applique is rendered on boxy kimono shapes reminiscent of Japan, a recurring leitmotif in Pankaj and Nidhis collection. While Paras and Sonam Modi combine their signature stripes with Chikankari, channeling less is more! By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Light is right
Nikita M brings with her the tropical breeze of Bali in her swaying palm prints, while Shyamal and Bhumika keep it light with dhoti pants and shararas, as Pawan Sachdeva ups the fun quotient with his roomy pyjamas and leatherite patchwork pants. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Happiness Code
From winning a National Award to offering silhouettes which channel ease, Nachiket Barve, believes customization is the key to the future. By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Hidden Pearls
From Ajrah, to ungendering and changing shapes using the drawstring technique, Pearl Academy students tell us easy is the new cool at the FDCIxLFW showcase By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Light of her own
Practical and affordable are two key players in Payal Singhals stable, as this year she returns to the canvas of optimism and paints the colours of joy! By Asmita Aggarwal ...
Sari whisperer
From recreating 35 Raja Ravi Varma paintings, which took five years, 200 kg of yarn, 600 shades into detailed traditional saris to introducing Jamdani ghagras in sindoori red this year, Gaurang Shah, is a master of innovations. By Asmita Aggarwal ...