Rafiq Maqbool
MUMBAI, INDIA (AP) – From the front-row seats, fashion shows could be mistaken for a spectacular party with models sashaying down the ramp in stunning ensembles.
But this confluence of fashion, designers, celebrities and buyers is hardly possible without an army of people furiously working behind the scenes to make sure the show goes smoothly.
At Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI, India’s premier fashion event’s backstage was buzzing as everyone from the hair and make-up artists to the stylists and the designer raced to get that perfect look that would stand out on the catwalk.
Clothes and make-up were strewn around as the models went through last-minute fittings of shoes, and their faces and bodies were adorned with jewellery and given finishing touches.
Organising fashion weeks can be intense and chaotic, with months of preparation. Concept, styling, clothes – everything is scrutinised with a critical eye in the fiercely competitive Indian fashion industry.
With multiple shows lined up for each day of the production, there were frayed nerves and tense moments as models waited for their turn to go on stage. The elaborately designed runway is where it all came together.
Every sway of the garment is caught on the celebrity audience’s cellphone cameras and amplified through their social media posts.
“Fashion has long served as a window towards social change as it reflects and influences the cultural, economic, and political climate of the society,” Chief of the Fashion Design Council of India Sunil Sethi said in a press statement.
This season’s Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI had a sharper focus on sustainability and circular fashion, with designers focussing on minimal waste generation through reusing and recycling materials during production.
Many designers are also trying to bring back traditional Indian fabrics such as Khadi, a hand-woven cotton fabric.
Conversations around sustainability have dominated recent discourse in the industry, with growing awareness of environmental concerns within the fashion ecosystem and the need to revive artisanal textiles and craftsmanship techniques.
The popular biannual event brings together both established industry names and emerging talent, along with hundreds of brands and stakeholders. Among the fashion designers who presented their creations at the Lakme Fashion Week in March were Manish Malhotra, Namrata Joshipura, Rahul Mishra, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Ranna Gill, Rina Dhaka, JJ Valaya, Tanieya Khanuja and Varun Nidhika.
