It’s that time of the year again. One of the most-watched fashion events of the year is back and it has had everyone get up and take notice. From bringing back trends from the pages of history books to awakening our inner consciousness, this year’s Winter/Festive edition of the Lakme Fashion Week has been quite the pleasure to track and document.
The Indian fashion fraternity has undergone a sea change in the last few years. We have gone from seeing bridal-heavy runway showings to more wearable, every day, in-touch-with-our-roots shows that have been created keeping in mind the modern sensibilities of the average Indian woman. And that, more than anything else, has been the biggest win for designers and consumers both, over the last few fashion weeks.
The trends that have stayed with me after five days of obsessively following LFW Winter/Festive 2017 are the perfect meeting point of contemporary silhouettes and ethnic leanings.
Take a look at my top four picks –
Corsets
Before you take me to task about heralding a trend that was banished forever for being restrictive and painful, hear me out. The 21st century version of corsets that we saq on the ramps of LFW are fun, flirty, and flattering of quintessential hourglass figures. These aren’t restrictive but fun additions. I am talking about fabric corsets worn over quirky sarees (think Masaba, the queen of all that is different and edgy) and Ritu Kumar’s corset belts adorned with tassels and corset dresses.
Shoulder Dusters
Statement jewelry your favorite thing ever? Then this is a trend you will be totally on board with. Shoulder-skimming, extra-long, stunning earrings that play peek-a-boo with your hair, it was a trend spotted on many a model. From the catwalk of SVA to Label by Ritu Kumar, and even Rara Avis by Sonal Verma, these jewellery pieces were absolutely eye-catching. Planning on a ramp-to-road transition. Wear these statement-making-babies with an understated color and skip any other piece of jewellery.
The Colour Neutral
Blame it on the season, I guess. Or we would have if these were international waters and the runway was showing only shades of greys, blacks, beiges, and whites. But India’s Winter/Festive season generally means a smorgasbord of colors. While we did have several different hues this time around, too, there were a surprising number of fans of the neutral palette of colours. Anavila, Antar-Agni, Divyam Mehta, Indigene, Nikita Mhaisalkar, all went the neutral way, letting the cut and style of their outfits speak loudest.
Sustainable Fashion
With an entire day dedicated to sustainable fashion and Indian textiles, we saw many Indian designers showcasing their collaboration with craftspeople. Master craftsmen of Paramparik Karigar were paired with 5 young designers for the #Craftiscool show, a grand installation with live models highlighted the beauty of khadi, and Restart Fashion built an association between post-use fabric makers and three designers focused on sustainable clothing.
Two words rang true through the second day of fashion week: conscious fashion.
Tulle skirts, sarees in contemporary drapes, lehengas showcasing traditional artistry were all also on show at the Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2017; trends that promise to jump of the ramp and walk into our wardrobe. And I for one, can’t wait to wear them all.
- Shirt Skirt Dress - September 1, 2017
- Dangling Dungarees - August 31, 2017
- Suited Pastel-y - August 30, 2017
