After the frenzied fashion week, we finally sat down and let all the drama sink in. Spending a week among the best and brightest of the Indian fashion industry, we’re in awe of the creativity of our homegrown artists. Trust us, when we say that our scribble pads were overflowing with notes about each and every show that we attended! There are high points that deserve a special nod from our direction. From experimental shows to bold moves taken by fearless designers, here are some of the highlights from the Lakme Fashion Week 2018!
1. The Incredible Offsite Shows
(Pictured above: Anamika Khanna)
Taking a break from the hustle and bustle at Jio Gardens, two incredible offsite shows made quite a mark with the audience. Anamika Khanna’s grand finale collection ‘Nudes Reinvented’ was set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Bandra Fort. And Anita Dongre presented her bridal collection in a more ambient and picturesque starlit garden of the ITC Grand Central Hotel.
(Pictured above: Anita Dongre)
2. The Designer Duo That Branched Out And How!
Designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock stunned us with the launch of their first ever menswear collection titled ‘Louche’. The intricately embroidered suits were a treat for the lovers of all things dark, bold and mysterious! The show also included Sonakshi Sinha dressed in a signature piece, with a sexy bustier that will haunt us for days!
3. Celebrity Show Stoppers
(Pictured above: Kareena Kapoor for Anamika Khanna)
The five days of fashion at the LFW Summer Resort 2018 saw many Bollywood big leagues walk the ramp. From Kareena and Karishma Kapoor to Kangana Ranaut and Shilpa Shetty, many celebrities took up the role of showstoppers to support their favourite designers.
(Pictured above: Kangana Ranaut for Shyamal & Bhumika)
4. The Sustainable Fashion Collaborations
(Pictured above: Manish Malhotra for The Woolmark Company)
LFW 2018 had many conversations about sustainable fashion. Many innovative collaborations among designers enthralled the audience. The Woolmark company, in collaboration with Manish Malhotra, presented a fine collection made out of sustainable fabrics.
(Pictured above: Karma Sonam for Northeast Mojo)
United Nations India, for the first time, collaborated with the fashion industry to promote designers and artisans from Northeast India. And the ‘Usha Silai’ initiative received tonnes of praise for their work with the female sewing communities of rural India.
(Pictured above: Amit Vijaya and Richard Pandav for the ‘Usha Silai’ Initiative)
5. The 6 Degree Studio Shows
(Pictured above: The Princess Pea and Lovebirds art performance)
The 6 Degree Studio at the LFW has always been a platform where fashion and art came together to create something meaningful. This year it was no different! The Delhi-based brand Lovebirds collaborated with performance artist The Princess Pea to showcase their collection of free-flowing and feminine comfort wear. 6 Degree Studio also provided a platform for designer Pankaja Sethi to skip the ramp and have models recreate a moody installation instead.
(Pictured above: Pankaja Sethi)
6. A Fresh Take On Bridal Wear
(Pictured above: Shyamal & Bhumika)
Taking a detour from the traditional reds and pinks that dominate bridal wear, designers at the LFW presented a range of alternate colours brides can pick from. Shyamal and Bhumika had a bunch of emerald greens and navy blues on the runway.
(Pictured above: Anushree Reddy)
Hyderabad-based designer Anushree Reddy gave us lessons on how to wear beige and mint greens to your own wedding! And SVA by Sonam and Paras Modi curated their collection out of contemporary colours that will please all the young brides to be.
(Pictured above: SVA by Sonam and Paras Modi)
7. The Venue Grounds Street Style
(Pictured above: Manpreet Kaur)
The Lakme Fashion Week is rife with drama, both on and off the runway! One of our big highlights of the week were the quirky and fun street style looks spotted around the venue. While some chose to stay minimal to accommodate the Bombay summer, we did run into a few deliciously OTT looks as well.
(Pictured above: Majushree Saikia)
8. Aesthetic Accessorising On the Ramp
(Pictured above: S A A K S H A & K I N N I)
Accessorising is key for a well-curated look. Although they take a backseat during fashion shows, our eagle-eyed watchers by the ramp caught some of the best moments. On one hand, Saaksha & Kinni chose to elevate their collection with statement geometric jewellery. On the other, Rajesh Pratap Singh played up the appeal of his Tencel collection with cool and subtle add-ons.
(Pictured above: Rajesh Pratap Singh)
9. The Young And Chic Hair Trends
(Pictured above: Ragini Ahuja and Dhruv Kapoor)
Quite often, the hair and makeup during fashion shows give the impression of unattainability. But this year’s showcases had us beaming with joy when the stylists chose to keep the hair realistic yet stylish. From multi-coloured streaks, cool beachy waves to easy bangs with buns, these LFW hair looks can be recreated by any scrappy 20-something!
(Pictured above: Vaani Kapoor for Agami)
(Pictured above: Anita Dongre)
10. The Dreamy Makeup Looks
(Pictured above: Disha Patani For Shriya Som)
Keeping in line with the hair stylists, a highlight of this particular LFW for us were the dewy makeup looks. Stylists chose to tone down the colour and up the highlights while adding details of blissfully loud eyes. We were glad to see the fashion week stylists take a more relaxed approach for the ramp looks!
(Pictured above: Daniel Bauer Makeup And Hair for Shyamal & Bhumika)
(Pictured above: Makeup By Donald Simrock for Tarun Tahiliani)
