Designers Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi have an accidentally symbiotic relationship when it comes to fashion shows.
The designers are sharing opening and closing duties again at Lakmé Fashion Week’s (LFW) winter/festive 2013 edition, which kicks off tonight at Grand Hyatt in Mumbai with Manish Malhotra’s show, and Sabyasachi in charge of the finale on August 27.
This comes after the Bollywood favourites had the reverse spots at last month’s PCJ Delhi Couture Week, where Malhotra wrapped the event up with a grand finale show featuring Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
With two big ticket celebrity shows in the bag, here are seven other highlights to look out for at LFW.
1. RITU KUMAR’S BHUTAN: In June, Ritu Kumar showed her Bhutan-inspired collection at the launch of the Royal Textile Academy in Thimpu. Kumar’s collection is packed with cool Kanni weaves and jaamadar motifs from Kashmir, but also takes inspiration from Bhutanese wall hangings (thankga) and prayer flags. The designer takes nearly-extinct textile techniques and turns them into prints, allowing a new generation to explore the fashion DNA of a neighbouring culture.
2. SHOPPING AT FASHION WEEK: Online fashion boutique Pernia’s Pop-Up Shopintroduced the concept of ‘Ramp To Rack’ at LFW last year, allowing customers to shop for Masaba Gupta’s collection just moments after it was showcased on the ramp. This season, the cache has been expanded to include designers Manish Malhotra, Nishka Lulla, Rahul Mishra, Payal Singhal and more. Even more reason to stay updated on the shows!
3. RANNA GILL’S FIRST LFW: Delhi-based designer Ranna Gill makes her LFW debut and is timing it with the launch of her first store in Mumbai, scheduled to open at the end of the month. Expect bright colours and flowing resort silhouettes, Gill’s hallmark.
4. THE AMIT AGGARWAL SARI: Amit Aggarwal’s structured drapes are instantly identifiable and well-loved, which is why we’re happy to see his name back on a fashion week schedule, especially since this marks his debut show at LFW.
“This is the first time I’m doing saris and lehengas on the ramp,” says Aggarwal, “though you have to watch the show to decide whether it falls under the conventional Indian ethnic wear category or not.”
5. KATHAKALI-PUNK JEWELLERY: Jewellery designer Nitya Arora has collaborated with rising star Nikhil Thampi on a spanking new accessories collection. The resulting mouthful, Valliyan by Nitya for Nikhil Thampi, is inspired by the traditional ornaments of Kathakali dancers, with a punk element introduced via the use of leather. Where should you run to buy a piece post fashion week? Atosa in Mumbai and Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop online.
6. THE NEW GHAGRA PANT: Manish Malhotra has announced a new invention of his: the ghagra pant. Which he describes as “a fusion of the sharara and the classic pant, as a fun, stylish alternative to the lehenga.” We’ll be looking out for that.
7. NASTASIA KUZNETSOVA: The international model will add a global fashion flavour to LFW when she joins the other models on the ramp this year. The Russian has been the face of Max Azria and has modelled for Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Philip Lim, Kenzo, Topshop and even bagged one of modelling’s top jobs: the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2009.
