At the latest edition of FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week, which ran March 24 to 28 at New Delhi’s Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, many designers were looking to show another side to their design repertoire.
Most of India’s most high-profile designers, from Manish Malhotra, to Rahul Mishra and Tarun Tahiliani, have made their name creating elaborate, bespoke outfits for weddings and Bollywood red carpets.
But collections seen on this season’s runway, including Malhotra’s debut of a diffusion line, Diffuse, shown in partnership with fashion e-commerce player Ajio Luxe, as well as Tarun Tahiliani’s new ready-to-wear line, an 85-piece collection dubbed Global Indian, demonstrated a new path designers are attempting to navigate. At once retaining the cultural references and luxe appearance clothes designers like Malhotra and Tahiliani are known for, but recasting these elements in pieces that are accessible to a wider consumer base.
Other highlights included the event’s opening show, from Rahul Mishra. The Enchanted Garden, as Mishra called the show, was held in the grounds of the Italian Embassy and prominently featured coloured beads and floral embroideries. Adidas Originals showcased a range of sustainable footwear in collaboration with designers Antar Agni & Khanijo and Ananya Modi Jain presented a collection celebrating 75 years of the NBA.
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