Making fashion responsible

Day one of Lakme Fashion Week 2022 opened with presentations of five winning GenNext designers unveiling their latest collections.

Aseem Kapoor and Pooja Haldar (Aseem Kapoor), Ateev Anand (re-), Somya Goyal (Somya Goyal), Arshna Raj (Stoique) and Ankur Verma (TIL) made their LFW debut.

Aseem and Pooja's collection "Ambi" draws spiritual inspirations from Indian sadhus. It included hand painting, digitised prints, appliques in fabrics like crepes and mushroom twills with zardozi, Manori work in fine zari and gemstones beading. It comprised jumpsuit kaftan in hues of red, black, saffron, beige and pale sea green, shorts with matching bralette topped with a loose robe, asymmetric hemline poncho over a long skirt.

Goyal's gave a creative makeover to the leftovers from her previous collection to shape up her latest collection "New Light". She has used fabrics like silk, cupro, vegan fabrics, blends and recycled PVC to add textures to her garments. The collection in navy and grey included intricate 3D bodice detailing for the long-sleeved blouse, wrap trouser with front button closure which resembled a skirt.

Raj's unveiled the "Rising" collection in fabrics like cotton matty, viscose, lycra and khadi cotton in a colour palette that ranged from blue to grey, beige, white and black. It comprised black/white loose tunic and palazzo set with giant abstract motifs, dual toned black/white asymmetric muffler, white, three-button waistcoat with slit pockets matched white palazzos.

Verma presented "Khwab" made in woven cotton silks with satin weave methods, along with silk chanderi and organza. The runway saw long, fluid tunics with matching stoles, loose, hip-length jacket with sharp cut shawl collar paired with parallels and blouse, saffron kurta with piped, black neckline as well as sleeve inserts teamed with matching pants.

Anand launched a ceremonial clothing line called "re- ceremonial" that included recycled and organic cotton along with bamboo and indigenous silk yarns that were all handwoven with traditional techniques in shades of blue, saffron and red. The designer included saris, lehengas, cholis and dupattas, kurtas with high slits paired with ghera pyjamas, a hip-length kimono with wide ankle cuffed salwars, pre-stitched sari.

The day also saw three labels on the runway, part of the FDCI Emerging Talent (Men's Edit). Khanijo, by Gaurav Khanijo, Countrymade by Sushant Abrol and Son of a Noble SNOB by Mani Shankar Singh and Ritu Jain unveiled men's wear trend perspectives.

Abrol launched his collection "Homecoming" which included a line of vintage, military, cropped jackets along with more simplified options of the M65 and HBT22 jackets, and relaxed workwear shirts and comfy bottom wear in all-natural line of heavy linen blends in a variety of hemp, cotton, twill, handloom, denim and silk.

The brand SNOB's latest collection for Autumn/Winter 2022 was titled "The War Within". The menswear line was restricted to just pure linen for fabric, in earthy colour palette with black in focus, along with a variety of monotones.

Khanijo's collection "Into the Labyrinth" was inspired by the Greek mythical Artificer Daedalus's labyrinth, that was believed to be a symbol of confusion and disorientation. The collection moved from casual to formal wear, including loose, comfy silhouettes, inventive touches for trousers, sharply cut jackets and easy-on-the-eye shirts and tunics.