Here are the stories that were woven in the recently concluded 'INDIA COUTURE WEEK 2020' and amidst this pandemic, this is the 'digital' showcase for the first time in India.
(All images belong to the respective owners)
Seven months down in the turn of events that followed with the Pandemic hitting a variety of sectors around us. The whole world, though reeling back to normal, seems to have embraced the new normal. And this isn’t something that I am observing but the amount of fashion showcases that are happening are suggesting. There is a certainty in the showcases that promise that the world is better (though reality differs with great gravity) and the possibility of the showcases to still happen (Hello, Digital Fashion weeks) make the industry look futuristic. But again, the reality differs. Nothing has changed and yet, something has evolved.
Being a graduate in 2020, I can tell you for sure, the speed at which I was graduating was slow, irritating and patient; then suddenly the trajectory just shot up and I was on my sewing machine stitching my graduation capsule and BAM! I was fresh out of fashion school.
Now, Why am I discussing my ‘Quarantine Graduation’? I’ll tell you about the similarities that I felt when I was watching the Fashion Design Council of India’s India Couture Week 2020. It was India’s first fashion week that took place amidst the pandemic and certainly the only one in this year (as this gets up and running, FDCI announced Spring/Summer 2021 week starting in October), from 18th September till 23rd of September. And this time I marked my calendar to make sure I follow this one because it was exclusively on the council’s IGTV and youtube channel. However, first when I heard about this couture week, I wondered whether 3D artists would be hired to curate the 3D versions of the fabulous designs by the 10 showcasing designers. However, it was more about videography than the actual dive into Fashion’s future in 3D fashion week.
You can find the videos of the showcasing designers on FDCI’s youtube page and Instagram handles.
FDCI Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thefdci/playlists
The design houses showcased the best they had to offer amidst the pandemic. These ten designers presented their stories, ideas, moods, designs and messages (sans masks!) into show stopping videos. Here we have to appreciate the work and effort of the entire team for tirelessly (risking their lives) pulling off the whole couture week with giving us an insight into Indian fashion’s response to the current situation and other global fashion weeks (so much to catch up on!) The fashion weeks distinctively gave away their concepts with stellar execution.
So, here are the concepts that are worth mentioning:
Gaurav Gupta’s - ‘My name is love’ spun a concept around the inclusion of all the gender identities featuring a poem with the same name.
I was awestruck by JJ Valaya’s showcase which was opened by the veteran designer’s choice of being inspired by one of the historical places titled ‘BURSA’ showcased the stark magnificence of the Ottoman empire. The looks, setups and the models looked lively with the narrative. It was magnificent and that’s the power of it.
‘Falguni and Shane Peacock’ had the ‘Backstage frenzy’ as their execution to the backdrop full with glamour, glamour and glamour (say Hi to the team at FSP; only missing were the artisan’s who put the garments in reality?)
Amit Aggarwal (I am fanboying over him currently as the designs are shooting the sky and have propelled into an evolution when it comes to Indian trousseau) took a deep dive (literally) into a swimming pool with the models wearing the designs. It took the garment’s acceptability and vision into a new dimension. Shantanu and Nikhil continued to expand their sharp, edgy story telling revolving around resurgence and emergence.
And finally, the one that I’ve been so excited to share, ‘Sindhuri’ presented by Anju Modi. The collection was simple, symbolic and momentous telling of bridal wear by being literal about the category but taking the route of investing into the unfiltered journey of the celebration. The entire visual was impactful and conveyed the right emotions by speaking volumes of the concept delivery. It was characteristically different from the usual set ups of ‘Dulhan Shringaar’ (Bridal Trousseau). The ending, where the designer Anju Modi appears alongside her muses (I simply would not call them models because they represented themselves in the most natural and genuine narrative) as she puts ‘tika’ (Bindi) on her muse. The storytelling held me from the start to end with the selection of colors ranging from mustards, cremes and deep dark reds with a huge backdrop of tie and dye ‘Bindi’ (the red dot). It was just WOAH!
Watch Anju Modi’s couture collection here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2JLddmFayw
(Snippets from Anju Modi's 'Sindhuri' Courtesy: youtube)
The design houses showcased the best that could adorn this year. However, I would like to take this brief moment to understand the less involvement of the developments in menswear. When it comes to the wedding looks, Kunal Rawal (menswear), Falguni Shane Peacock, Manish Malhotra, Shantanu and Nikhil and Gaurav Gupta included menswear in their showcases but confining it to the silhouette variation and acceptability. If we are accepting different colors of spectrum, then I guess we can surely look around ways to elevate it with concepts that are far away from the usual ‘Stiff men like stiff wear’
Rounding off India’s first ever digital showcase was full of excitement, inclusivity and definitely let the design houses (to the artisans, models, photographers, stylists, make up artists, logistics team and interns working in these conditions) to tell their stories that they always wanted to put picture to picture. Of course physical shows are better but in these trying times, some effort is appreciated from all the sides!
Also, wear masks!
//P.
P.s - Are you ready for the upcoming "India Fashion Week' S/S'21. I know I am!
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