BENGALURU: Catch them young and watch them grow...that has been the motto of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru. And their annual event is proof of it where the students showcased their creations through a fashion show. This year, the show, which happened on May 28, had the students showcasing their designs on different mediums like fabric, watches, gold etc.
For instance, fashion student Abhirami Rajesh, whose collection was inspired from the lotus flower, had an essence of yesteryear movies in it. “The collection is based on the different kinds of lotus’ and the different stages they go through,” says Rajesh, who originally hails from Kerala. He adds that the inception of the idea came from her home state.
“I love the old-world charm. Mostly, people watch movies for the cinematic approach or story line, but I watch it for the style and mood board,” says Rajesh, adding that Mani Ratnam movies have inspired her work to a great extent. The show had a couple of experimental themes like the ‘Downtown Fairy’, ‘If Princess Diana’s Revenge Dress had a Futuristic Take’.
But not all the work was meant for a ramp walk. For example, Veda Shivakumar, whose theme was ‘From Waste to Weaves’, says, “It is a journey of sustainability, up-cycling, and weaving. I showcased bags and fashion accessories like bucket hats, all of which were created from waste plastic upcycling initiative,” says Shivakumar. Even Samarpan Pradhan from Kalimpong, West Bengal showcased his menswear made of upcycling waste.
“There is a lot of play and experimentation on account of techniques used in coming up with this collection,” he explains. NIFT, Bengaluru has been around since 1997 and has had shows where models like Deepika Padukone, Indrani Dasgupta have walked the ramp wearing the students’ designs. This year turned out special with the college having their stage show after two years.