Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour 2022 Powered By Fashion Design Council Of India Kicks Off With Its First Show Of The Year In Kolkata

Leading designers Shantnu and Nikhil showcase ‘Pride in Bringing Twists in Traditions’ inspired by cricket icon Harmanpreet Kaur, the Captain of Indian Women’s National Cricket Team

November 20, 2022: The 16th edition of Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour Powered by FDCI kicked off with its first show in Kolkata on November 19, 2022, at The Royal Calcutta Golf Club. Ace designers Shantnu and Nikhil, together with Harmanpreet Kaur, the Captain of Indian Women’s National Cricket team, brought alive the concept of ‘Pride in Bringing Twists in Traditions’ by unveiling a magnificent collection that captured the spirit of our most beloved game, Cricket.

Designers Shantnu and Nikhil (S&N) launched a new collection called the ‘Shantnu Nikhil Cricket Club (SNCC)’, built on India’s passion for cricket and the lifestyle promise of superstar cricketers of today. Sports has always been a strong virtue of the S&N design philosophy, and to create a unique cricket collection that brought twists to traditional cricket-inspired fashion wear, the designer duo collaborated with the one and only Harmanpreet Kaur, a modern-day cricket icon.

The fashion show was a celebration of the vibrant & evolving expressions of ‘Pride & Authenticity’ of the youth of India. S&N launched the new collection with ‘S&N by Shantnu Nikhil’, their bridge-to-luxury brand created for the younger, fashion-forward generation of today. Harmanpreet Kaur herself being part of the new generation of cricketers who score centuries and feature in ad campaigns with equal aplomb, further uplifted the youthful spirit of the evening. The collection was a line-up of athletic-chic outfits, highlighting contemporary craftsmanship with eye-catching silhouettes, specially designed to create a unique identity in the ever-changing world of Indian fashion and lifestyle.

Talking about the show, designers Shantnu and Nikhil shared, “It’s been an exciting journey to be a part of Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour. The format of the Fashion Tour is entirely new this year, and we were very excited to come together with Harmanpreet Kaur, a cricketing star herself, to launch our new cricket-inspired collection. Our show in Kolkata was an ode to the unwavering spirit of cricket, and its influence on the lifestyle of today’s generation. It reflected the pride we take in our culture, and the various iterations it takes with evolving times. ‘Shantnu Nikhil Cricket Club’ is a culmination of our unique design philosophy combined with modern techniques that bring new twists in old traditions.”

Cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur commented, “Fashion for me, has always been a reflection of my personality. And I’m proud to collaborate with the exceptionally talented Shantnu and Nikhil, for their cricket-inspired collection that showcases twists in traditional sportswear. This is also the first time I have stepped into the world of fashion, and I’m thrilled to take this step with Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour, which is an iconic name in fashion & lifestyle.”

Besides the spectacular fashion show, the evening featured an exciting new element in this year’s Fashion Tour that is the ‘Style Gallery’ called ‘This is not a T-shirt’, curated by Ashish Soni and FDCI — an exhibit of T-shirt outfits designed by over 60 designers & homegrown fashion labels, who have embellished or even deconstructed the basic T-shirt into a design celebrating their authentic interpretation of Pride. The Style Gallery exhibit was constructed with undertones of sustainability, using recycled materials which puts into action the Fashion Tour’s pursuit towards becoming more sustainable & ecofriendly. Featuring within the Style Gallery was also the ‘Step into the Metaverse’ booth where guests were able interact with exciting features of ‘Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour Park’ – the Fashion Tour’s metaverse avatar.

Speaking on the occasion, Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India, said,“The 16th edition of Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour is all about embracing the changing dynamics of the fashion & lifestyle industry, bringing an impressive new format that’s more inclusive, diverse and youthful. The Kolkata show, in partnership with FDCI, was all about celebrating the confluence of fashion with cricket, where designers Shantnu and Nikhil came together with iconic cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur. The experience was not only brought to life in the physical world, but also in the virtual world with our initiative of taking the Fashion Tour experience to the metaverse this year. With this, we continue to forge ahead in our journey of celebrating ‘Pride’ of today’s youth with exciting innovations throughout this edition of the Fashion Tour.”

Talking about the new avatar of the Fashion Tour, Sunil Sethi, Chairman, FDCI, said,“Fashion Design Council of India is proud to continue its partnership with Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour, both of which are leading names in the fashion & lifestyle industry. Our endeavour for the Kolkata edition was to present an exciting new format that showcased pride in bringing twists in traditions of fashion with designers Shantnu and Nikhil. The Style Gallery is our attempt to make the Fashion Tour more inclusive and highlight different interpretations of the pride & authenticity of various designers. This partnership is a fitting way to showcase our drive to reshape and reimagine the evolving face of fashion in India.”

As curator-in-chief of Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour 2022, ace designer Ashish Soni said, “For its 16th edition, Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour is truly expanding its horizons and going beyond the ordinary. We’ve added exciting new elements, including designer and artist collaborations, a one-of-its-kind Style Gallery and the Fashion Tour Park metaverse, all of which bring to life a fashion experience like never before.”

Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour 2022 Schedule:

For more details on Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour, visit www.blenderspridefashiontour.com

For further information, contact:

Avian WE

Parvati Mohanakrishnan | Akshita Attri

Contact: +91 9899299942 | 9810960850

E-mail: parvatik@avianwe.com | akshita@avianwe.com