A Week Full of Glamour- Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive- 2014

Lakme Fashion Week is back and has taken the fashion quotient up a few notches this season. The Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014 took place from 20^th August to 24^th August, 2014 at the Palladium Hotel. Along with showcasing new talent, this event sees the who’s who of the fashion world descend to redefine fashion. Spread over five days, the event has over 80 fashion designers who dazzle the stage, each showcasing their unique sensitivity of fashion. 

This year’s winter collection was inaugurated by an opening show of Amit Aggarwal and Masaba Gupta. 

Both of the designers brought their unique styles that blended beautifully on the stage. 

Yogesh Chaudhary’s label ‘Surendri’ dazzled the ramp with his collection that was based on the movie ‘Chandrawal’. A celebration of the love that blooms amidst a Haryanvi summer, the collection incorporates the prime motif of a Sunflower, the main sight at a harvest. Red, mint greens, orange and tie and dye detailing with a touch of glitter highlighted the femininity of the collection. Silhouettes were classic ones like Jumpsuits, pleated skirts, body fitted dresses and a kimono adapted overcoat. But it was a modern lehenga consisting of a white crop top with sunflower prints and an emerald green dupatta with gold embroidery detailing that truly caught attention. 

A sensual collection presented by Krishna Mehta had a touch of traditionalism in it. On Textile Day, Krishna showcased her strength with Indian textiles. The glory of Indian handlooms from Benaras, Maheshwar, Bhagalpur and Manipir were given a new life on the ramp in the form of modern silhouettes that will appeal to today’s perceptive patrons. A tale of four distinctive colors layered with textures, and soft silhouettes were the basis of the various prints and tonal embroidery. 

Collaborating with TRESemme’s, Rocky S created a timeless collection that was hand crafted. Sharing TRESemme’s philosophy of every woman deserving to look their best, Rocky’s collection named ‘Rocky Star for TRESemmeSap’ allowed the ladies to indulge in the finest of women’s wear. The show aimed at bringing alive a woman’s transformation from stress to rejuvenation. Models walked down the ramp amidst a shower of dry leaves in lovely textured gowns. The show stopper Diana Penty underwent a live transformation as she unfurled her knotted gown to reveal a black jeweled gown. She then undid her scarf to showcase her beautiful tresses with the iconic waves of the 1940s. The dramatization did not end here; a burst of the fragrance of the new range of TRESemme engulfed the audience creating an ideal glamorous show. 

Anita Dongre gave Indian heritage a new interpretation. Presented by ‘Taj Mahal A Flavor of Darjeeling’, the collection called ‘India Modern’ was a reflection of mesmeric Indian craft. Taj has always also associated itself with classical music, which is why sitar maestro Niladri Kumar was seen playing live at the show. Inspired by the brand, he has composed a special raag called ‘Raag Darjeeling’ and the models walked to the notes of this raag during Anita’s show. The collection suited the contemporary thinking along with keeping the proud heritage alive.

This is just a small glimpse of the four daylong events that was filled with talent, glamour, fashion and more fashion! Names like Varun Bahl, Shantanu & Nikhil and Manish Malhotra are yet to come, and this will give fashion fanatics something to look forward to! 

Seeking a Quality Fashion Education

Fashion designing is one of most artistic fields and has witnessed a steady growth in recent times. One of the reasons for this is globalization. A lot of international labels have established themselves in the country and a lot of Indian designers have made big on the global scene. But to reach those heights, your fundamentals need to be strong and for that you need a quality education.

Education is the first step towards starting your career, be it the typical nine to five job or a job with unrestricted hours. As far as fashion designing is concerned you may have the artistic skills to become a fashion designer, but you need the backing of a formal education to learn the very essence of designing. A formal education is necessary for anyone for any career in the fashion industry, from designing to managing.

Rocky S

Rocky S, one of the most influential designers in India, has made a niche in the fashion industry. He has successfully established his brand ‘Rocky S’ on both national and international levels. His initial education was in commerce, but his passion was fashion. He had the knack for picking up the right clothes and would be the fashion advisor for his friends. Coming from a conventional family, breaking away was a little challenging. But he did emerge victorious and joined J. D. Institute for Fashion Designing. He had an eye for fashion and the hands of an artist but these skills need to be developed and enhanced which is what a formal education did. Working for Roopam was his first break and a couple of years he entered the world glamour by designing for Akshay Kumar.

Neeta Lulla

Another prestigious personality in the world of fashion that reaped benefits from a formal education is Neeta Lulla. With her classic elegance and enormous amount of knowledge, she has been among the selected few to earn numerous awards. She has been on top for nearly two decades, but she started with a Degree in Dressmaking and Apparel Construction from SNDT University. Each of her works has been vibrant and unique, right from Chandni to Devdas. Now the Dean of Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion, Lulla is a firm believer in formal education.

Often young aspirants have a lot of questions regarding the need of education pertaining to careers in creative fields. Even with the internet making things easier, there is still a certain hesitancy among students. The Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion is dedicating an evening to aspirants, a little A & Q time with Subhash Ghai and Neeta Lulla. So make sure you’re ready with your questions on 5^th July 2014!