Day 2 at Lakme Fashion Week AW 2018
Technology and fashion came together when the Digital Empowerment Foundation teamed up with 3 designers and clusters for a great showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018
Mumbai, 23rd August 2018: It was a show with a great difference. 21st century technology and three top fashion labels came together with three clusters at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018 to celebrate a grand fashion fusion.
After its first exhibit at Lakmé Fashion Week earlier this year, Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) collaborated with three fashion designers who shared their concepts with the weavers who, in turn, translated them on to the warp and weft.
“DEF has been working in the space digital interventions in the handloom sector for almost a decade now. In these 10 years, we’ve seen barely ‘educated’ youth designing patterns for some of the finest saris on CAD/CAM, we’ve seen weavers earning their rightful profits though sales via E-commerce portals, and we’ve seen women promoting their products via social media. In the times that we’re living in, it’s extremely integral that our artisans, too, are digitally enabled to leverage the benefits of computers and the Internet,” said DEF Founder-Director, Osama Manzar.
Digital Empowerment Foundation
Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) has been working for a decade to make underserved rural communities have access to equitable information. By making use of digital tools like wireless technology, mobile phones, computers and other ICT tools, DEF creates an ecosystem of digital villages with access to many digital services. Digital Empowerment Foundation in partnership with various government bodies and CSR groups has initiated Digital Cluster Development Programme (DCDP), which primarily involves inclusive and decentralised use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other digital tools in critical aspects of handloom cluster development, especially improving and scaling up weaving skills, designs, marketing and entrepreneurship, besides creating sustainable livelihood options for the youth in the clusters.
DigiKargha, an initiative of Digital Empowerment Foundation has digitally driven the designer - artisan collaboration in 3 clusters under Digital Cluster Development Programme (DCDP) - Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) identified mutually by IMG Reliance and DEF:
Three with Barabanki District Cotton Weavers in Saidanpur Bihar
Cotton Weavers of Barabanki
Banka, in Awadhi, means a bully or brave. Others derive the name from ban, meaning wood or jungle, and interpret Barabanki as the twelve shares of jungle. With this interesting history in mind, Barabanki district has been given the unique name of Baank-e-Loom.
Saidanpur village in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh holds a valuable place in the history of Awadh. Project Baank-e-Loom runs from a 150-year old Haveli in this village that was
constructed in the typical Awadhi style, surrounded by many traces of Nawabi culture. The village is home to around 50,000 weavers who make cotton Gamchas. Arabi rumaal and stoles and are known for zari embroidery.
Three - Creating Tradition into Fashion
The label ‘Three’ by Pallavi Dhyani believes in the concept of immortal designs with a timeless quality. Cotton is the mainstay of all garments under the ‘Three’ brand so the USP of the creations was its versatility. It allowed the clothes to be layered and matched with whatever is available in one’s wardrobe.
The collection visualised with the weavers of Barabanki was a relaxed line of comfort wear called “Mute”. The clothes had a marked minimal look that has been the label’s characteristic trademark. Using 100 per cent handloom cottom, Pallavi gave the weaves an appealing contemporary touch. The very rustic, earthy, hand woven textiles appeared in shades of grey, deep purple and burnt orange - all ideal colours for the coming season. While the silhouettes were simple and almost basic, the appliqués and quilting were great surface ornamentation treatment. Some interesting detailing emerged in the form of classic stripes that were juxtaposed with vertical appliqués. Relaxed easy shapes for the midis, pants, cross tie-up kurtas, smocks, double breasted jacket and stylish notched lapel double-breasted coats were beautifully crafted. It was a collection that highlighted the beauty of the lovely woven fabrics that had international appeal.
Indigene with Bargarh District Ikat Weavers In Barpali And Nuapatna Odisha
Ikat Weavers of Barpali and Naupatna
Digikala started as a project for the love of Ikat handlooms of Odisha. The project envisaged a marriage of hand woven textiles and digital technologies to enhance and expand the appeal of handloom products. The intention was to preserve the age-old tradition of Ikat weaving and empowering handloom weavers to sustain themselves in the competitive market. Ikat weaving is defined by the age-old tradition of intricate designs, tie-dye, and deep colours. While Barpali uses cotton, Naupatna uses Mulberry, Malda and Tussar silk.
Indigene – Working with the Wonders of Ikat
Working with the the famed Ikat of Odisha, the Indigene label used the motifs and amalgamated them into the garments inspired by the different regions of the globe. Staying true to mostly geometric patterns inspired by the counted thread embroidery of that region, the silhouettes were regal in shape and form.
The very exotic chappans, kurtas and khalats that are a favourite of men and women from Central Asia were reworked. The silk, and silk cotton Ikat appeared for contemporary garments worn with slim fit pants. The colour story remained true to the Ikat shade card as jewel blue, olive, neutral grey, maroon and black were the favoured hues.
Believing in zero wastage, Indigene made use of textile leftovers and turned them into patchwork scarves as well as buttons and tasssels for the garments.
The mix of different Ikat weaves and colours were flamboyantly merged into layered entries that featured cropped pants, harem trousers and calf length bottom wear. These were matched with flowing kurtas, intricate boleroes, loose coats and panelled tunics. The low crotch black pants were ideal match with the intricate Ikat weaves. While the red/black pleated midi and the several trios of layered ensembles had many mix and match possibilities. The soft unstructured coats were at times, reversible, revealing varying weaves.
Naushad Ali with Musiri Tiruchirappali
Weavers of Musiri Tiruchirappali
Musiri is a historical city situated on the banks of the river Cauvery in the district of Trichy, Tamil Nadu.
Musiri is predominantly a cluster of weavers who hail from low-income families and mostly weave cotton saris or veshti (dhotis). Like most other weaving clusters in the country, here too, the occupation is a family tradition where the art of weaving has been passed down the generations, therefore, the entire family is involved in the weaving process. In fact, children start weaving as early as at the age of 10. Producing a simple sari or three dhotis takes about two to three days. In the end the weaver ends up earning a meagre wage from middlemen due to exploitation and lack of awareness.
Naushad Ali - Turning Ethnic Fabrics into Future Fashion
Working with Musiri, the small village in Tamilnadu, Naushad Ali was inspired to create a line of garments that would highlight the beauty of the textiles created by the talented weavers. Working with checks, stripes and Ikats, Naushad gave a more abstract and colour blocked effect to patterns. The colours were inspirations of nature, so the lush green of trees and the muddy fields’ earthy tones appeared throughout the garments. The hand-woven saris had reflections of the temple walls, while the cotton was given more body with the aid of quilting.
Turning the very traditional weaves into western silhouettes, Naushad offered cropped wide pants with checked tops under double-breasted, short, tie-up blouses. The checked kimono style coats with oval lapels was ideal for cooler climes, while the panelled, medium checked, empire line, cross over, midi had immense comfort possibilities. The basic shirt made an appearance worn with a fluid skirt, while the checked shift dress and knee length trench coat like garment had a basic shirt collar as the focal point. Asymmetry appeared for a three-quarter-sleeved jacket worn with a checked dress, while the quilted biker or the bullet proof inspired cropped jacket were trendy additions. The cape-sleeved, quilted, green coat, artist smock with asymmetric hemline, jumpsuits and comfy jackets were perfect for the coming season.
Celebrities spotted at LFW Day 2
Tencel™ and Rajesh Pratap Singh ended Sustainable Fashion Day two at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018 with a grand Indian style collection
Mumbai, 23rd August 2018: Last season’s initiative in India of Lenzing’s collaboration with #IMGReliance continued as Lenzing’s Tencel™ brand presented once again Rajesh Pratap Singh’s collection to end Sustainable Fashion Day Two at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018.
Lenzing’s Tencel™
Austrian company Lenzing’s Tencel™ branded lyocell fibre is derived from sustainable wood sources and harvested from 100 per cent traceable certified and controlled sources following the stringent guidelines of the Lenzing Wood and Pulp Policy. Tencel™ branded lyocell fibre is produced in a closed loop solvent-spinning production process, which transforms wood pulp into cellulosic fibres with high resource efficiency and low ecological impact. This economically viable manufacturing process recycles process water and reuses the solvent at a recovery rate of more than 99 per cent. This process received the European Award for the Environment from the European Commission in the category “The Technology Award for Sustainable Development”.
Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers have been certified as Biobased under the BioPreferred® Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a governmental body. It has been certified as biodegradable and compostable under industrial, home, soil and marine conditions, and can fully revert to nature. This enables Tencel™ fibers to offer unparalleled standard of sustainability to meet evolving demands of the fashion world and consumers.
“With more than 150 billion garments being produced annually, to provide 20 new garments for every person on the planet, the apparel is the second largest industrial polluter. With India facing the issue of pollution caused by the textile industry, it’s even more critical for us to adopt sustainability. Lenzing’s flagship fashion fiber – TENCEL™ – offers one of the most sustainable fabrics where renewable wood raw material comes from certified sources and uses an award-winning “closed-loop” production process to create fashion fibers. We at Lenzing have always believed in providing eco-friendly solutions to the industry and our association with Rajesh Pratap Singh is to reinforce the importance of ethical clothing and is also an endeavor to innovate and identify ways to create interest amongst Indian consumers to consider sustainable collection,” said Vineet Singhal, SVP (Regional CEO), Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA), Lenzing AG.
Soft to touch and ideal material for textile fabrics
Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers are naturally soft smooth to the touch and offer long-lasting comfort. Derived from natural material, the microscopic fibrils of Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers are structured to regulate the absorption and release of moisture, contributing to fabric breathability that supports the body’s natural thermal regulation. The ability to absorb moisture also makes Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers tension-free with no electrostatic charging. In comparison with synthetics, there is an absence of electrostatic charge under normal atmospheric conditions.
Soft to the touch, and offering long-lasting comfort, fabrics made of Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers produce a smooth drape, creating a flattering appearance. Fabrics made of Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers can also be engineered to provide warm and dry sensations on the skin and keep skin feeling cool and dry throughout the day and night.
The deeper dye uptake and smooth fiber surface of Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers make them shine perceptibly more intensively than cotton fabrics, featuring impressive colour brilliance. Tencel™ branded lyocell fibers are versatile and can be combined with a wide range of textile fibers such as cotton, polyester, acrylic, wool, and silk to enhance fabrics with regards to aesthetics, performance and functionality.
Rajesh Pratap Singh – Welcome to the Jungle
Collaborating for the second season with Tencel™ Rajesh Pratap Singh debuted his Indian, ethnic, style collection “Welcome to the Jungle”. The garments combined the ecological Tencel™ with Indian crafts such as Chanderi, Banarasi, Jamdaani, hand block prints and more. The garments revealed a contemporary twist to the Indian interpretation for Tencel™ weaves. The result was a rare sustainable fashion collection that presented innovations on a global level with green fibre and artisanal textiles.
The setting for the show was just perfect as the venue was transformed into a jungle with a backdrop of wild foliage and animals. The ramp was divided with a partition of jungle visuals and ensured that the audience was ‘welcomed to the jungle’ to the opening strains of music by Hari and Sukhmani who perfectly complemented the collection with their modern folk style of music. With creative animation visuals playing on the central spine and backdrop, the show was a veritable feast for the senses. Opening the display was Bollywood’s hottest star, Rajkumar Rao in a stately, off-white, trendy modern take on the sherwani, kurta and churidar.
The segment with animal prints were interpretations of various art works and designs by the iconic William Morris. Rajesh developed the fibre with low-tech hand spinning as well as hi-tech mills and spun it in different ways by weaving it in various parts of the country. It was a great merger of traditional crafts and weaves with Tencel™. Inspired by Indian silhouettes like the Poshak from Rajasthan and the Angarkha as well as new variations of traditional Indian dancers’ costumes, the collection had a profusion of whites; with pastel blue, pink, accents of gold and silver culminating in rich brocades woven in jewel tones. Rajesh unveiled a collection that was off the beaten path and aimed at the global dresser.
Inspired by William Morris’s design interpretations, nature and animal motifs were cleverly woven into the fabric story, while blends of silk, cotton and wool gave Tencel™ an innovative approach. Rajesh opened the show with a softly hued off-white pure Tencel™ look and then built the momentum gradually with colours to finally end in a crescendo of festive hues.
The off-white layers for jackets, sharply constructed tunics, micro buttoned coats and hooded belted maxis were scene stealers for women. Chanderi blouses, dhotis, Raja coats, tie-up jumpsuits played with transparency and opacity, fluidity and structure; this contrast becoming a focal point of most garments. Kimono style pleated kurtas and the signature micro pin tuck dress were pure Rajesh Pratap Singh sensations.
The appearance of animal prints for long coats signalled the start of the gold and white handloom segment of dhoti pants, one-shoulder jumpsuits and the gorgeous saris with bird motifs. The panelled maxi teamed with a sheer bolero and the sherwani style coat with full flared skirt were Red Carpet visions. The two final red and gold creations - a maxi hoody and the luxurious lehenga, waistcoat and kurta were stunning.
Men’s wear was interspersed in all the segments and featured large lapel jackets, kurtas, angarkhas, dhoti pants, animal prints for the suits and sherwanis were edgy and clearly bore the trade mark Rajesh Pratap Singh stamp.
The perfect accessories were the hand crafted semi-precious buttons and the innovative Maang Tikkas. Trainers with hand painted monkeys, snakes and tigers completed the look.
When it is fashion with a sustainable message then Rajesh Pratap Singh’s “Welcome to the Jungle” line in Tencel™ had the right environmental messages as well as oodles of style.
The statement looks created by Lakmé official makeup expert Daniel Bauer stood out on the runway. Apart from the smear of the white on the face well defined brows were prominent.
