Mumbai, March 13
The GenNext show at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI turned out to be a stellar one for the fashion fiesta on its latest edition, as four new faces gave a promising, fresh and inclusive start on Wednesday.
The five-day fashion celebration commenced on Wednesday and will bring down the curtains on March 17 with its grand finale. Four excellent designers Rohitash Notani, Charmee Ambavat, Kriti Greta Singhee and Shimona Agrawal gave a creative start to the new edition with their debut collection.
First to showcase was Kriti Greta Singhee.
Geometric patterns of mathematical art was the theme for designer Kriti Greta Singhee's collection titled 'Third Space-Sustainable Future', which focused on flow of lines and folds.
The fabrics used for the collection include organic, sustainable and eco-friendly hand-woven natural silks, cotton silk from Phulia in Bengal.
Talking about her collection, Singhee told reporters here: "I was so excited to showcase as it was a lot of hard work. It really feels amazing... My collection is all about textile manipulations and I have used the origami technique."
Designer Shimona Agrawal, 28, came next and showcased the collection called 'Hue' under her eponymous label, which had been made out of myriad techniques. Inspired by the art and history of the spiritual capital of India, Banaras, ensembles were tastefully made from pure handwoven silk.
Agrawal said of her collection: "Hue is a captivating tribute to Benarasi silk but with a twist that it is completely brocade free. The collection is a celebration of the craftsmanship we have in the present and commitment to preserving it in the future."
Then, there was a collection by brand The Terra Tribe by 35-year-old Charmee Ambavat. Christened 'Indigene', the collection showcased cultural references to indigenous tribes of Africa and the intricately painted mud houses in rural Africa made out of locally manufactured organic cotton made consciously by the makers in India.
Ambavat said: "The collection has taken inspiration from Africa. The primitive and raw nature that you find in Africa.... We have tried to keep it as conscious as possible."
Then came 40-year-old Rohitash Notani, who showcased a collection under his brand Rosani. His collection 'Anima and Animus' is a comparison between the conventional masculinity and sensuality that is associated with feminine energy. The collection revolved around office wear and uniform fabrics made out of cotton drill, blended with an array of embroidered materials.
Talking about his collection, Notani, who is an alumnus of the IED Milan, said: "Celebrating the duality that coexists within us. The pluralistic identities. The masculine and the feminine. So, the intention was to take what I grew up knowing."
The first day, first show of the fashion celebration was dominated by hues such as black and grey infused with several other colours and textures. The GenNext platform has previously churned out some of the best designers such as Masaba Gupta, Nachiket Barve and Rahul Mishra.