One of the most-awaited events in the calendars of every fashion enthusiast in the country, the Lakmé Fashion Week is back in its physical form in the post-pandemic world. Making its move from Mumbai to Delhi, the event opened big with a showcase at the Italian Embassy by designer Rahul Mishra, setting the tone for the exciting new launches to come. With Day 3, we’re halfway through fashion week and things are getting more fun with each designer’s showcase. The day started with Swatti Kapoor, Jajaabor, and Kiniho presenting their collections. They were followed by Aisha Rao’s whimsical exploration of colours and fabrics and Nikita Mhaisalkar’s collection inspired by the opulence of the Navajo tribe from North America. Huemn showcased what all cool kids would be wearing in the months to come with their collection celebrating their 10th anniversary, while Ashish N Soni proved that pantsuits don’t have to be boring. Rimzim Dadu made a case for metallic everything and Manish Malhotra closed the day by introducing his bridge line called ‘Diffuse’. The Kaveri Label, Rajdeep Ranawat, Aartivijay Gupta, and Siddhartha Bansal also showcased their new collections.
Feeling the FOMO yet? Fret not, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you might have missed at Day 3 of Lakmé Fashion Week 2022…
Reviving Art Forms
Designer Ibalarihun Mallai, of Kiniho, started off the day by introducing all of us to the beauty of Eri silk from the Ribhoi district of Meghalaya. Through the Khasi folktale ‘Sier Lapalang’, the designer highlighted the beautifully hand-woven fabric and the Khneng embroidery technique which is considered to be the oldest and only known form of embroidery technique in Meghalaya. Neelanjan Ghosh and Kanika Sachdeva’s showcase was inspired by the Usta art from Bikaner, Rajasthan. The dying art form dates back to the time of Mughal Emperor Akbar and is now exclusively practiced by the eight brothers of the Usta family. Through their collection filled with pastels and delicate cutwork, the designers brought attention to this slowly dwindling form of art.
Travel Bug
Day 3 was the day for you if you’re struck by wanderlust. Nikita Mhaisalkar’s Navajo tribe-inspired collection and designer Rajdeep Ranawat’s East-Asian-influenced showcase made us want to pack our bags and head to the closest beach as soon as possible, while The Kaveri Label’s soft, pastel creations evoked strong feelings of getting lost in lush gardens and verdant forests.
Pantsuits
Ashish N Soni’s Lakmé Fashion Week 2022 showcase gave ample proof that pantsuits can be fun too. The designer experimented with surface textures and silhouettes throughout the collection giving a playful twist to the classic.
Wearable Art
Rimzim Dadu is known for her metallics and she came through with this collection, titled ‘A Sea Of Million Stories’. The designer sent models in wearable art down the runway in re-imagined silhouettes and draped in expertly molded materials. The effect, as always, was a breathtaking blend of fluid and structure.
Future of Streetwear
Huemn celebrated its 10th year anniversary by revisiting some of its past offerings but with a 2022 twist. The brand prides itself on its ability to stay relevant through a dynamic socio-political climate by being acutely aware of everything that’s going on in its community at all times. Taking this thought forward, the brand showcased the future of streetwear, with the trademark Huemn edge and new silhouettes.
Star Gazing
Day 3 of LFW 2022 was packed with stars. Punjabi film actress Sonam Bajwa closed the show for Sidhartha Bansal. A radiant Mira Kapoor walked the runway for designer Aisha Rao and star siblings Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem turned showstoppers for ‘The Spotlight’ featuring Two Point Two. The day ended with Gully Boy actor Siddhant Chaturvedi and star kid on-the-rise Shanaya Kapoor closing the show for designer Manish Malhotra’s ‘Diffuse’.
Explosion of Colors
Speaking of ‘Diffuse’, veteran designer Manish Malhotra introduced the world to his new and accessible line which, in his own words, has been inspired by the “Instagram generation”. The collection presented distinct geometric shapes and iridescent colours paired with metallic accents.
Keep checking this space for more updates on everything that’s going on at LFW 2022!
