From creating awareness about the menstrual cycle and climate change to Payal Jain’s mélange of masterpieces in all whites, day three of Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week was one to remember.
Divya Reddy
Divya Reddy’s collection Aagami, which translates to ‘future’ depicted flora and fauna to create awareness about climate change. The embellishments used by the designer depicted flora and fauna that is rapidly diminishing from our surroundings at an alarming rate.
“This collection is a tribute to the ones we lost and an awareness to the ones we have to preserve. The abstract yellow print is a tribute to the infamous Amazon fire which should be an awakening call for the entire world. We all need to join hands to fight against this and save the world for a better aagami,” said Reddy.
Mahima Mahajan
Mahima Mahajan’s collection was all about creating a balance between fluidity and structure. Mahajan believes in reinforcing the charisma of the modern woman and allowing her to express herself in a way that transcends contemporary design ideology. The collection showcased fresh silhouettes, in a myriad of pop colours with kaleidoscopic mirror and sequin embroidery. Athiya Shetty, wearing a navy blue choli with mirror work and a heavy organza nude coloured skirt with floral prints, closed the show.
Nidhika Shekhar
No matter how much we try, the taboo associated with periods is yet to be completely tackled with. And it is this very issue that designer Nidhika Shekhar brings to life on the ramp with her collection The Red Phase. “The collection is about period shaming and how women, no matter what, come out strong,” said Shekhar, who has used handwoven fabrics like cotton, linen, organza and khadi. The show started with white dresses symbolising purity and slowly moved to red, highlighting the path girl who embraces menstrual cycle as a part of her life and comes out strong.
Payal Jain
Known for her classic and timeless contemporary designs, Payal Jain unveiled her latest collection, Crescent Moon. “It’s a heartfelt tribute to my father. For me, he remains in white, his life, his personality, everything. It is also a culmination of fabrics, weaves and textiles that I’ve worked for the past 27 years. To me, all these marry together into white and every garment has a different traditional technique,” said Jain. The collection is inspired by Neo-classical costumes from the early 19th century with a reverence for antiquity, simple lines and linear silhouettes. The designer also showcased linen gauze tunic dress with ruffle detail and oversized shirt-jacket with stich-tie yoke.
Rahul & Anushka
Designers Rahul Anand and Anushka Laul’s SS collection Janani, Amba and Jagadamba — A story of Kargha to Kamyabi was an ode to womanhood. “Our collection is all about women empowerment. We want to celebrate women and all their aspects,” said Anand. The designers trace the journey of a single thread from the loom that turns into a glamorous dress that a woman owns as her very own creation, making each thread a part of her journey to the top. The collection explored interesting drapes using handloom fabrics from Jharkhand through contemporary saris, angarakhas, layered kurtas and tie-up pants in different hues of black, blood red, earthly yellow and rustic silver. Shazia Ilmi walked as their showstopper donning black tussar silk sari with broad silver border accessorised with a bindi and a mangtika.