Archive for January, 2012

Indian Textile Day
January 31st, 2012 by Krishna Mehta		 Krishna Mehta

One more year, one more season, and the LFW comes around with a bang!

Like each season, there’s lots of excitement, lots of hope, lots of business and lots of careers made!

So…. what’s new…. We have an  “India Textiles Day “………..  And …….

And I am to curate this one-day of the Fashion Week.. So what’s special about this ……well, it’s a day completely dedicated to the Indian Crafts and Textiles.

We have planned workshops and panel discussions, with all the very important people who have been authorities on various subjects related to Indian textiles, embroideries, arts, crafts & fashion …Whose books on textiles we use as references, and whose names we probably only hear…

Besides the fashion shows with all designers showcasing, mainly using Indian Textiles and Indian crafts in their designs through out the day!!

So…. Why should I be there….You should be there,

Because this is going to be a single largest platform

For the stalwarts, to the fashion, arts and textile fraternity to the designers and students etc to the Media…

To come together, share their experiences,

To become a hub of creativity and talent.

And…. How will it help me….

Look at the markets: Our country at large is our biggest market,

And Internationally,

The world today is not looking at India for the western garments made with Chinese silks or Italian linens.

They want from us, what no where in the world can they get…our unique hand woven textiles, with value additions that no machines can make …our hand block prints, our hand embroideries etc.

It is for us, the textile/ garment designers, the embroiders, the craftsmen, etc., to understand the versatility and the endless success possibilities in related businesses that we can achieve with the understandings of the nuances of one this most beautiful asset, of arts and crafts,  that our country has nurtured.

Most of us, Designers need to come out of our comfort zones,

To understand that coming up with one off lines on one off fabrics like ikat or chanderi or bandhej etc once in a while, cannot work as a business model.

We have to invest our time and resources in research and development,

And understand the importance of creating something that is original, contemporary and that will stand out,

yet be sustainable and production oriented.

Besides, It is us, who are in touch with the trends, the markets, and the customers.
It is for us to bring this to the weavers, to create unique works that are contemporary and that the global buyer of today can relate to , thus opening markets and bringing back the weavers to their looms and making sure they get their due.

And…. Is it only a new marketing gimmick….Nope…. its not.

We plan to make this as a strong platform, to promote our strength,
One day, one attempt, is surely not enough. It needs the consistent patronage of the entire community.

But all said, it is important to get the ball rolling, and then ensure ways of keeping it rolling.

Ok…. So how do we attend? Is entry open to all students?  Or designers??? Or interested people at large???….Yes.

Please send your area of interest, as in workshops, lectures, panel discussions,  etc, and I shall ensure you are mailed the agenda,

You can choose where all you wish to be present, and register yourself. Your fee , is your commitment to work towards your success…..

And I wish you succeed beyond success………

Posted in Indian Textile Day, LFW Summer / Resort 2012 | No Comments »

Tik Tok with fingers crossed!
January 30th, 2012 by Megha Garg		 Megha Garg

Tik Tok – Tik Tok the time is running by and the days are getting shorter. Its either hours are getting lesser or the work is getting tougher. The anxiety is at its peak and the excitement refuses to recede.

This is how the past few days have been. Tough! Hectic!

With only about one month to go before I launch my collection at Lakmé Fashion Week as a GenNext designer, the idea that seemed a dream sometime ago is slowly seeping in as reality. It is taking shape. The collection is on its way. There is no looking back.

Every day is a new challenge and every day is an achievement. No two days have been the same. New ideas keep coming up every day. Not only is there excitement for the show, but the preparation for it is also an enthralling journey.  I spend most of my time working on the detailed sketches and on the dress form to extensively work out the drapes of the garments. New silhouettes, which not only would appeal on the ramp but also cater to the buyers is the main focus of the draping marathon. Combination of opaque fabrics with translucent layers is experimented with, to get the right balance of the mystical occurrence of Aura. Colors of the human aura are strategically placed on the different layers of the fabric to play peek-a-boo with the eyes of the audience and give it a curious feel.  Different lengths of the different layers of the fabric with asymmetrical hemlines would play a major role in defining the collection. My idea for this collection is to create a sense of numinous inquisitiveness in the minds of the viewer and the wearer.

The theme of the collection- Aura, is not something, which is experienced with the naked eye; it is a phenomenon, which requires tremendous concentration and effort to experience. So my theme is not only my inspiration for creating a collection but also a guiding force to work forward.

I am extremely excited for the show, the work is on at its own pace, and the ideas are taking shape. It is just a few days time when I would be able to get a reaction about my collection and see how it is accepted. I have my fingers crossed and the hopes are to make this collection the next trendsetting collection in the industry.

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Gen Next: A show you cannot miss this season!
January 25th, 2012 by Jasmeen Dugal		 Jasmeen Dugal

Designers have brilliant inspiration (Banyan tree), creative design aesthetic (weaving wooden carving into the garments) and The Gen Next category at Lakme Fashion Week is exceptionally important and where I have witnessed many a miracle. There is so much young talent that needs to be supported and nurtured to ensure we are building brands and businesses for the future. Last night I poured over the sketches and blogs of all Gen Next designers and it felt great to see out-of-the-box ideas within the realm of wearibility. Here’s a guide to what you can expect!

TANYA SHARMA

I am a white shirt addict. Crisp button-down white shirts are a wardrobe staple and I feel every girl must have at least one. So when Tanya Sharma told me she would be showcasing white shirts with a touch of fabulous I knew it would be an interesting showing! Let’s be honest ladies: we’re all looking for a way to stand out from the pack! “I have taken the classic white shirt and infused it with street wear elements reminiscent of Pop culture. The aim is to transcend the conservative look into a space that is subtly influenced by genres like hip hop, rock and roll and street dance. I have some classic button-down shirts in bright colors and floral prints too”, she tells me. You can be sure now that you won’t see a dozen girls in the same white shirt and that’s a huge plus in my book!

MEGHA GARG

She has wooed NIFT and courted Central Saint Martin’s. Now, Megha Garg has her eyes set on Lakme Fashion Week. Her strongest weapon? Digital prints on cocktail dresses! Hey it takes a special kind of lady to carry off the strong digital prints that left their mark on the autumn winter 2011-12 catwalks and not all of us have that je ne sais quoi. This season Megha attempts a softer-edged look: “I have designed dresses with carefully placed colors digitally printed on the fabric. One of the dresses has been made with five layers of fabric and the silhouette of another follows the contour of the body”. Most editors feel the popularity of digital prints lies in optical gratification. Won’t you spontaneusly smile if you look in the mirror and are greeted with a colourful burst of patterns? There is also a touch of luxe about an attention-grabbing look that cocks a sartorial snook at the style police… so it will be interesting to see how Megha garg showcases this trend!

MANOJ AND VINOD

How many young commercial appeal (convertible versatile garments) this season? Possibly only designer duo Manoj and Vinod: the latest up-and-comers to showcase at Lakme Fashion Week! “Commercially, the collection should be successful as it is designed with low-priced raw fabric and is also versatile as each garment can be worn in more than two ways! We have taken Infinity as our theme… inspired from the Banyan tree,” they tell me. Look out for the rope jacket that is fully hand weaved with wooden carving and the handkerchief draped garments!

ARCHANA RAO

NIFT and Parsons School of Design, New York graduate Archana Rao certainly knows her menswear from valuable experiece at an export house and should have no trouble giving it a girlish twist! She couldn’t have chosen a seasonal better theme! Menswear-inspired looks dominated the past few seasons and the trend meter is now shifting to a hybrid of boyish look-meets-girlish grace. “This collection is inspired by menswear and pays close attention to accidental design like crisp folds and ombre effects. High-tech fabrics are contrasted with traditional textiles for a deliberate course feel and structured clothing appears fluid with the use of oversized garments and soft palette”, says Archana. Indeed, there is something appealingly easy about the looks in her sketches—you might want to start making a little more space in your closet now!

SHIKHA AND VINITA

There is nothing simple about this designer duo’s collection. Pushing the envelope on their very first Fashion Week outing, it would be interesting to see how these girls bring the complex multi-layered theme to life. Just ask Shikha and Vinita and the excitement is plain: “We like using simple materials and teasing out-of-the-box designs out of them! The designs must be wearable and at the same time take a leap in aesthetics. Using the butterfly metamorphosis as a theme, our collection is an allegory of the transition and creation of a new style of design and sub culture…” Look out for the knot dress under a cape that glows in dark signifying the possibilities that the future holds for the butterfly being formed within the chrysalis and the cocktail dress with a structured back and shoulders and a sheer draped lower,which represent a developed butterfly!

YOGESH CHAUDHARY

This young man has several credits. After graduating from NIFT with a specialization in knitwear and Masters at NID, he was awarded ‘Emerging Designer’ at Van Heusen Men’s Week and was the first Asian to bag Supreme Award at the World of Wearable Art, New Zealand. His winning garment ‘Loops’ (2010) and ‘Juxta’ (2011) were acquired for display at the World of Wearable Art Museum! “I am a firm believer of wearability in fashion. My theme is “In A Box”: a ready-to-wear line of separates, dresses and few Indian pieces focusing on box-pleats with stripes. Since I am a big fan of crafts, one of my outfits pays a tribute to the mirror work technique from Gujarat and is made solely of mirrors while another favorite is a dress crafted from the finest cotton in powder-blue stripes and asymmetric hem with a box-pleated trail and in it is almost homage to ’60s futurism,” he tells me with a gleam in his eyes.

Remember these names, people! Don’t miss their incredible designs!

Posted in LFW Summer / Resort 2012, Media | No Comments »

Boxed Out
January 20th, 2012 by Yogesh Chaudhary		 Yogesh Chaudhary

A long time ago, a very wise woman once said that “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” The woman then went on to change the way the world looked at every woman in that generation. Such was the force of her conviction that she toppled some of the greatest thinking minds in fashion. Her name and lineage is still looked towards as perhaps one of the most recognizable and powerful forces to reckon with in fashion. Her name was Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. I often find myself pondering over those famous words, wondering if I am indeed irreplaceable. For my first collection on a SERIOUS runway, the GenNext programme at Lakme Fashion Week, I have been working within mundane outlines (stripes and pleats), and trying to create not-so-mundane outfits. As I move forward everyday with new silhouettes wanting to break in, and new fabrics demanding attention, it has been exhilarating to say the least, to attempt to create a cohesive collection with unique outfits. The uniqueness is not as much a challenge as trying to control an overflow of ideas. Yet the adrenalin rush of cutting and tailoring outfits everyday is indescribable, almost as ‘rushing’ as it was my first time bungee jumping.

However, reverting back to Ms Chanel’s famous words, while trying to stay minimal (as minimal as you can be with an interest in Indianwear), it is proving to be very rewarding, being “different”. I often find myself drawing from my roots in Haryana, subtle referencing of which might not be visible to the naked-eye. Yet as days transform into weeks in a blink, I am now constantly running against traffic signals, from printers, to dyers, to fabric suppliers, to my sketchbook. Even dreams are now occupied with visions of floating stripes and pleats in space.

All in all, I would say that my collection is on track, and is shaping up exactly as I had envisioned, even as it evolves every time I sit alone with my sketchbook. I only hope Ms Chanel would approve, and find it “irreplaceable”.

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The Gen Next….
January 18th, 2012 by Pradeep Hirani - Chairman, Kimaya Fashions Private Limited		 Pradeep Hirani - Chairman, Kimaya Fashions Private Limited

Lakmé Fashion Week has always been ahead of the curve and a strong supporter of fresh energy. Every year nearly 2500 students pass out of fashion schools, passionate about being designers – they have the zeal and the creativity, what they lack is proper guidance and platform to showcase their ability. Being one of the most prestigious fashion weeks in India – Lakmé Fashion Week is the best stage to display their thought-process and prowess, and it has done just that. We have got some amazing talent through this initiative of LFW – Nachiket Barve, Rahul Mishra, Masaba, Prashant Verma, Vineet Bahl and Rimzim Dadu bear testimony to this. In my capacity as the Board Member of LFW and CMD Kimaya, I have always attempted to make sure that Upcoming Talent gets their due. They are the future of Indian Fashion Industry, if we don’t nurture them now; we put our future at stake!

India has some amazing creativity and in addition we have a rich heritage of crafts and culture. Some of the applications for this season showed an intriguing use of dying Indian arts and others took a plunge at European styles in a very contemporary fashion. I have a lot of hope from the young designers, based on which, I have always promoted India as a strong contender of next Fashion Capital of the World.

This season’s Gen Next Designers are very promising! Young designers besides being creative also have a commercial bend of mind. They have reached the inflection point much before their predecessors. All seven of them had a diverse portfolio on offer, giving a breath of fresh air to Indian fashion. When you are young, your thought process is naïve, so you dare to experiment. Once established, you develop your style and think around in boundaries; hence it’s always a pleasure to see a Gen Next Designer’s creation on the ramp.

Indian customer is coming off-age, they now demand for global Fashion and style. They want fresh stuff; they are done with buying same embroideries and surface ornamentations for ages. Hence Gen Next Designers should keep in mind the commercial viability of their merchandise. They should understand the Indian consumer psyche and make clothes that flatter their personality. Despite the liberalization and global exposure, Indian customers are little hesitant in experimenting – especially with the silhouettes. For example, off late a lot of beach-wear designers coming up with focussed collections, but their sales in India are limited. So, if you want to run business, give customers what they want, rather than give them what you want!

According to me, Indian fashion is still in its embryonic state, the growth can be traced back to the last ten years. Indian fashion has seen tremendous growth in the last one decade, be it the fashion institutes from where over 25,000 students pass out every year, or the number of serious fashion media publications that has gone up by 700%, from one fashion week; today we have over 12 fashion weeks in the country, from a handful of known designers in the ‘90s, we have over 300 designers today. This is the India story, one that the world is paying attention to. The world is looking India-wards. With Chanel doing an entire collection of 72 pieces with India as an inspiration there is no doubt in this. Dior, Hermes and so many other luxury brands have taken to this route – Canali’s Nawab Jacket, Ermenegildo Zegna’s Guru Jacket, Hermes’s Special Saree collection and Judith Leiber’s India-inspired Limited Edition collection are just some of the examples.

The luxury designer wear apparel market in India is pegged at INR 1000 cr; and is growing at a healthy rate of about 22-23% YOY. We believe that it has the potential to escalate to Rs.5000 crores in the next five years. A projected grow rate of 30-35 percent per annum is easily achievable. Though the size of the Indian Luxury Apparel market is small, but the potential is immense and it is going to grow exponentially over the years. The metro cities are saturated, now the brands are shifting focus to pocket-rich middle class sitting in tier-2 cities. That is where the focus is right now and will be for next decade.

India is unique and so are its fashion requirements. There being a north -south divide in the topography and the climatic conditions across the country, the fashion needs of inmates are also divided. While Delhi may observe harsh winters and people there will need woollens and knits; Mumbai or Chennai will remain warmer and hence mixed fabrics will continue to do well there. However, India is also the land of celebrations and during the months of August to December, the festive needs of fashoinistas nationwide are common.

The best advice I can give for the upcoming designers is to try and attain equilibrium between commercial viability and creativity. We need fresh fashion, but we need fashion that sells. Try and read pulse of the market and make clothes accordingly. Our hopes for being the next fashion capital of the world lie on your shoulders!

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GenNext duo’s diary
January 13th, 2012 by Vinita and Shikha		 Vinita and Shikha

How we felt about getting through Lakmé Gen Next? Euphoric! This would be a great way to get started. We created ILK a year ago, and we were keeping our fingers crossed as this was our second attempt. Luckily the response was prompt, and while we had a reason to clink glasses, we also got down to our worktables immediately.

Two year ago we were colleagues at Cue. Fortunately, we recognised a chance to work together, to create something completely new and freshly imagined. And so, ILK was born.

At ILK, we use simple materials and tease crazy ideas out of them. We pretty much do most of our work together. We seem to get the best results when we share our insights. The main thing is we want to create. We want to explore ideas further and further. Our designs are not just aimed at success in the market. We must ourselves like what we make. The designs must be wearable and at the same time take a leap in aesthetics. We have different views about things, but as a team we try to develop rather than disagree with each other’s ideas.

Lakmé Fashion Week is a fabulous opportunity that inspires and fuels hard work. We are eager to showcase our designs and find our place among other emerging designers, senior designers and also get in touch with important business members of the fashion fraternity.

Our collection for LFW is called ‘I lose myself’. It is inspired by the different stages of butterfly metamorphosis. Focusing on development and transition, it is about a state in which one is only concerned with changes happening to self. One is full of wonder at one’s own existence. The collection reflects freedom and experimentation as one is yet not complete but still exploring all that they can become.

This sense of transformation is seen in our collection through staples of casual women’s wear. With each design, more function and complexity are added. With anatomical exploration at the core, our clothing explores the different ways in which the body chooses to articulate itself. The clothes mirror body movement, celebrate form, and add that sense of identity that one transforming so needs.

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Sind Sie Bereit??
January 11th, 2012 by Kallol Datta		 Kallol Datta

I’ve been pretty vocal about the fact that if my label had to be showcased elsewhere, Berlin would be in my top 3 cities to display my line. Imagine my surprise when the call came for the ‘Berlin Calling’ show for Lakme Fashion Week. Fast forward to November 2011 when I got to know that Aneeth and I would be showing at Mercedes – Benz Fashion Week at Berlin; there wasn’t a drop of alcohol left in Kolkata that night. I debuted at Lakme Fashion Week with my Spring Summer 2008 collection and it has been an amazing road trip of sorts.  The Gen Next program is and will always be my favourite show to watch. I’ve never recovered from that jolt of adrenalin which I experienced during my Gen Next show.

Next week at this time in Berlin, my show is about to be staged. With every collection there comes the apprehension of whether the viewing audience will ‘get my clothes’ and ‘understand my point of view’. The same holds true for ‘XOXO’ my Autumn Winter 2012-13 line. No gimmicks, no added doses of stereotypical ‘extra Indian-ness’ just because it’s being showcased in Berlin.  The collection is about love; sweet, sugary, nauseating love and the global confident Indian woman. Bright jewel toned colours and motifs as well as intricate hand embroidery paying homage to the Paisley – all Kallol Datta 1955 staples will be on view.

A lot of hard work, stress (which leads to graying hair and/or hair falling out) and communication is involved in the run up to a show. IMGR and its international divisions have made a seemingly daunting task approachable, and have been prompt at resolving any queries, problems and the likes. Here’s hoping to a super season ahead!

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Pro•logue
January 6th, 2012 by Archana Rao		 Archana Rao

It is rare in any field that upcoming talent is recognized and Gen Next is a wonderful and much-needed initiative by LFW to give budding designers an opportunity to showcase their work on this very promising platform. It is very encouraging for me to know that my work was appreciated and recognized by the esteemed panel of judges at LFW. Aki Narula is my mentor and I’m glad that someone whose work I respect and follow is mentoring me. He made some very insightful points about my collection and I’m looking forward to learning more from him.

Right now I’m just running from pillar to post to get things done, time seems like it is moving faster, days seem shorter and the traffic seems to get worse every time I need something done! I want my debut at LFW to be perfect and memorable and I don’t want to leave anything to chance so I’m paying close attention to detail.

My collection focuses on minimalist trends which are more useful and efficient and pays close attention to accidental design which is a major part of this androgynous theme. An ultra simplistic style will emerge focusing on hidden details and timeless silhouettes.

I am ecstatic about making it to Lakme Fashion Week, and it means a lot to me and to those who support me. Given that LFW is the premiere stage for fashion in India, I feel proud to be a part of it. My collection is aptly titled Pro•logue because this is my debut collection and I am looking forward to a lot more to come.

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Gen Next- the Dream Weaver by Megha Garg
January 5th, 2012 by Megha Garg		 Megha Garg

It was a usual December morning; I was working on my designs for a freelance work, when I received a call. It was a Mumbai number, which I wasn’t familiar with. Nervous with anticipation, I took the call. And there came the biggest news that I had been waiting to hear since long. I had been selected to showcase my collection as a part of Gen Next in Lakmé Fashion Week.  Bang!

I froze with excitement, hardly able to react to the news. I wanted to jump, laugh, shout but to no avail. I called up my close friends and informed them still unable to grasp the feeling. Very soon people started calling to congratulate, mails came in for the requirement for the show, and things were moving too fast.  I wanted to sit and analyze what was happening, when I received another call. It was from Aki Narula!!! One of my favourite designers! I seriously needed someone to pinch me!

Aki being the Gen Next mentor spoke to me about the shoot he was planning to do for the Gen Next designers with Elle, discussed about the collection which I wanted to showcase and gave some tips on what works for the buyers. It was a very comforting conversation to understand what is expected and what needs to be done. The exciting day came to an end and I finally sat with myself to look back at the journey I took to get to this day-

It had been three months in November 2011 that I had come back from London after finishing my Graduate Diploma in Fashion from Central Saint Martin’s. I always wanted to start my own line and wanted to launch it in the best way. What better way than to do it through Gen Next at Lakmé Fashion Week!

As the registrations for the application were open in November, I registered myself to give a chance for my dream to take shape. It being my first application to Gen Next and practically no work experience, I had doubts about my selection. I chose to work on the theme-Aura, which I did for my final collection in CSM, as it was something which I loved doing. Aura as a theme excited me due to its mystic elements and the colourful concoction of fantasy. I had felt that something that I did with my heart in it, should earn good result. So, I decided to send the garments made in London for my final collection, for the selection process. The result- we all know.

Now that it’s just two months to the show, I am trying hard to complete the collection way before the deadline. I do not want to settle on any design till it’s thoroughly worked out. I am trying to source fabrics from different cities and working on alternate and new garment finishes.

Launching the label under my name at the best platform of the country is a dream come true. Gen Next at Lakmé Fashion Week is the only platform in the country which recognizes young designer’s talent and not only gives an opportunity to showcase the work but also supports the designers with experienced team of people to achieve the best. All in all, Gen Next is  the perfect platform, where a young designer can weave its dreams into reality and I am happy to get one woven!

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