"Aditi was the perfect Muse for the Payal Singhal SS’18 collection as she imbibes the spirit of ‘SAIRA’."
It’s that time of the year again when Indian fashion looks ahead to Spring/Summer 18, with the lavish Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2018. Held in Mumbai, it delivered 5 days of high-glamour fashion.
In total, 97 designers showcased their upcoming collections for all to see. From couture gowns to luxurious ethnic wear, the event excelled in showing luscious pieces we would love to wear.
As expected, an array of Bollywood stars also attended, turning heads as they walked down the runway.
This year featured the likes of Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari, Karan Johar and more. All oozed with style as they donned magnificent pieces from designer’s latest collections.
DESIblitz takes a look at the five days, presenting you with the highlights of the Lakmé Fashion Week!
Day One
The fashion event began with its opening show Gen Next, presented by INIFD. Similar to last year, the catwalk highlighted the new collections from rising designers – showcasing intriguing, innovative pieces.
It witnessed agender, anti-fit ensembles from Two Point Two, with a monochrome palette, and light, handwoven dresses from Mohammad Mazhar.
Afterwards, Free Spirits took the collections of Ragini Ahuja and Dhruv Kapoor to centre stage. Bold prints dominated their pieces, often mixed with denim or combined together to create striking looks.
Day One also witnessed a unique show in the 6Degree Studio, with the plus size collection from Half Full Curve. Promoting body positivity, models walked the runway in modest, elegant gowns, in soft colours from cream to jade.
With timeless silhouettes and flowing fabric, the range looked superb and enchanting. Giving Lakmé Fashion Week a keen drive towards inclusion.
In the evening, the first crop of Bollywood stars descended on the catwalk. Taapsee Pannu was the showstopper for Rita Kumar who injected a touch of nostalgia in her show. Inspired by street and rap culture, she created pieces with new-age textiles.
Taapsee herself turned heads with her outfit. Wearing a shimmering, flowing dress, it hung off her shoulder. Underneath, the audience could see her sleeveless, crop top and a decadent choker necklace.
Meanwhile, Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira Rajput looked romantic and dazzling as they walked for Anita Dongre. Acting as joint showstoppers for the designer’s ‘Songs of Summer’ show, they coordinated in white ensembles.
Shahid looked suave in a kurta, while Mira wore a cream sherwani with floral patterns. Anita said of her new range:
“I am really excited to bring back the understated elegance of the 50s in the form of fluid silhouettes, light hand embroidery and exquisite floral details.
“I am also thrilled to add sustainable elements to the collection using R|Elan GreenGold, an eco-friendly fabric that is made from recycled plastic bottles.”
Day Two
The second day of Lakmé focused on ethnic wear and sustainable fashion. Kicking off with the #NorthEastMojo, designers from North East India showed their stylish upcoming pieces, highlighting the trends of this region.
Featuring the likes of Sonam Dubal, Daniel Syiem and Jenjum Gadi presented beautiful pieces, rich with earthy palettes and traditional fabrics. They discussed the struggles they face with creating sustainable outfits in northern India.
Throughout the day, neutral colours dominated the runway shown by the collections of Padmaja and Pankaja. While the former presented ethnic gowns in whites, greys and blacks, the latter found inspiration from neo-tribal.
Teaming up with Odisha Weaves, Pankaja featured models wearing handwoven sarees. With large amulets adorning their necks, the pieces looked remarkable in their warm palette of colours.
By the evening, bright, bold colours were back in the mix. Hemang Agrawal chose sheen as his focal material for his ‘Un-Revive’ collection. The audience was treated to a mix of Western and ethnic clothing, with flawless silhouettes.
With pastel hues and metallic tones, they certainly caught our eyes.
Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh also found inspiration with colour, however, he took a bolder turn. Each piece felt vibrant and exciting, taking a different, innovative approach to sustainable clothing.
Day Three
On day three of Lakmé, more Bollywood stars came out in force to don gorgeous outfits. Kalki Koechlin served as the showstopper for Amoh by Jade – who created a range of enchanting, cream gowns.
Inspired by the sacred Niyam Raja, each model wore luxurious pieces, made of soft fabrics and beautiful silhouettes.
The husband-and-wife duo of Falguni Shane Peacock set the standard high with their line-up of glamorous outfits. Ready for the red carpets, these gowns oozed sophistication with their cinched waists, shimmering patterns and extravagant accessories.
The label also featured its first menswear range, showcasing dapper suits. Actress Sonakshi Sinha opened the show, wearing a trend-setting suit co-ord. Meanwhile, Karan Johar was the showstopper, debuting a salt-and-pepper look!
Celebrity designer Manish Malhotra teamed up with The Woolmark Company to present a new take on sustainable fashion. Their new line-up consisted of ethnic wear, created with biodegradable fabric, whilst still retaining Malhotra’s trademark style.
Day three also saw the jaw-dropping Tarun Tahiliani collection, drawing celestial and cosmic influences. Sparkling, decorative gowns took centre-stage, composed of light fabrics and dazzling colours. Kriti Sanon was the showstopper, looking ethereal in light pink!
Day Four
Day four witnessed more high glamour, beginning with Shriya Som. The designer showcased an array of exquisite, white gowns – perfect for the summer season ahead. She chose Disha Patani as her showstopper, looking stunning in a strapless gown with ruffles.
Shriya said of her collection:
“This time it’s all about deep ruffles, light silhouettes obviously because our summers are so hot. Disha is wearing an off shoulder ruffle gown. Something that took a lot of time to make and she looks beautiful.”
Miss Universe 1994 winner Sushmita Sen also walked the runway, but for Kotwara. She looked utterly magnificent in a regal, cream lehenga. With royal embroidery and gorgeous jewellery, she stole the spotlight!
Padmaavat actress Aditi Rao Hydari also made an appearance, walking the runway for Payal Singha. She wore a decadent, rose and mint green lehenga and choli, decorated with stunning embroidery. Her dupatta, composed of tulle, complemented the garment.
Payal explained why she chose Aditi as the showstopper, saying:
“Aditi was the perfect Muse for the Payal Singhal SS’18 collection as she the spirit of ‘SAIRA’ – someone who transcends borders and represents the beauty of new world cultures.”
The line-up also featured a mix of lavish silk fabrics with a palette of blues, mints and roses.
Shantanu & Nikhil delivered a striking show, featuring their collection of bold, monochrome pieces. Creating new silhouettes, the designers fused tribal influences with ethnic wear. With Saif Ali Khan as the showstopper, it rounded off day four spectacularly.
Day Five
The final day of Lakmé Fashion Week saw the likes of Malaika Arora Khan, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Vaani Kapoor and more descend on the catwalk. Shilpa oozed glamour as she walked in a luscious, white Jayanti Reddy lehenga.
Designers behind Shyamal & Bhumika brought fairytale romance on the runway with their enchanting ‘Wonderland’ collection. From delightful eveningwear to soft, flowing gowns, the label made a great impact.
For their showstopper, they chose Kangana Ranaut, who donned a bejewelled, bridal gown. As she power-walked the runway, she certainly emulated fashion and female empowerment!
As the show drew to a close, the Kapoor sisters turned heads with their beautiful outfits. Karisma Kapoor stunned in floral whites, wearing a breath-taking lehenga. She walked for Ravi Bhalotia.
Celebrated designer Anamika Khanna ended the week with the ‘Lakmé Absolute Grand Finale’. She showcased a range of beautiful garments, complete with incredible silhouettes and warm hues of beige and red.
However, Kareena Kapoor Khan caused a frenzy as she walked as Anamika’s showstopper. Oozing sophistication in a black evening dress, it showed off her flawless figure. With her hair straight and sleek, she truly was a sight to behold.
Lakmé Fashion Week continues to hail as the place to see high glamour and style in South Asia. This year is no exception; with a variety of gorgeous collections, it seems we’re in for a fashionable Spring/Summer 18 season.
It’s likely we’ll see sustainable fashion become a staple of the industry. Alongside striking silhouettes and pastel hues becoming the must-have trends.
With the week now over, we can’t wait to see what the designers will bring to our eyes in the next event!
Click on any image to open up our gallery of amazing images from Lakmé Fashion Week:
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