By Vidhi Bubna
Lakmē Fashion Week recently took place at Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai from March, 13 to 17 at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre, located in the heart of Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex. With an insightful and diverse list of designers showcasing their work, - collections ranging from haute couture, street style, country wear, gothic vampire inspired, 1800’s cowboy tribes, Indian bridal, Venetian tea party to Victorian gowns; and, the Lakmē Fashion Week 2024 had every genre covered. With the recently concluded fashion week, it's time to decode some of the key fashion trends for SS'24.
When it comes to accessories, the boots worn by Arjun Saluja’s male showstopper were a winner. The footwear, a gothic art piece normalised heels worn by men and the entire collection presented in a graveyard sound music denoted the depth of male vulnerability. Similarly, the leather co-ord set for men by Countrymade showcased in the backdrop of a nostalgic broken home which a young man (the model) visits showcased a strong emotion to return home experienced by many humans. There was a leather cannister accessory, most likely used as a bottle holder for alcohol by men in the army anciently but now showcased as a cool accessory by Countrymade. Nirmooha showcased a soft male side with softer tones of pink and purple along with sequins and bold embossed work in kurtas and co-ord suit sets.
For belts, Shantanu and Nikhil particularly stood out with their leather belts that looked like royalty. Also spotted on the duo's runway was There was also a metallic belt which looked like a couture piece straight from the archives of a museum in Paris. Gauri and Nainika stole their show with a Parisian vibe of women wearing velvet dresses with colourful rhinestone pieces. Apparently, large gowns from the Victorian era are in again as the Gauri and Nainika show suggests.
Shifting our focus to beauty trends, make-up was rather soft and subtle throughout the Lakmē Fashion Week 2024 at the whole event suggesting a trend inching towards adopting a natural look make-up lookstyle. On day 2, a day dedicated to sustainability we saw designers showcase their collection highlighting ethical and environmentally friendly practices. From the Without showcase, highlighting sunglasses manufactured from disposed chips packets to Urvashi Kaur representing going back to the roots and wearing clothes like second skin - giving back to the environment and local communities was highlighted at the event.
Hairstyles were where numerous designers showcased their creative leaps. I admired hairstyles at Urvashi Kaur’s show that looked like seamlessly connected with the environment and with the roots and culture of India. Chola had also played around with hairstyles quite a lot with showstopper Neha Dhupia’s hair standing out differently and creating a powerful aura. The Gauri and Nainika show made me appreciate classic bun-style hair more and I realised sometimes the easy way out is truly the best.
Speaking of interesting backdrops, meticulous thought was put into the Siddhartha Tytler show. Creativity was at its helm with the models showcasing their designs on a chessboard amidst chess pieces. The black and white colour theme allowed the collection to truly stand out. There was also an element of surprise at the Tytler show since the collection was well-crafted and thought-provoking from a design angle. The Kalki show measured up as well almost in close competition to Tytler’s show. Kalki showcased their collection amidst opulent Indian chandeliers placed thoughtfully on the ground, almost resembling a royal affair. This made their collection look like a gala party. Another set backdrop at Lakmē Fashion Week I truly appreciated was the Tea Culture Of The World collaboration show with Chola. With clay tea sets and tables set on the runway, models walked the runway, sat on tables and sipped some tea, adding zest to the event. The opening show by Rajesh Pratap Singh brought equestrian style back to the runway. Set was amidst a polo match at the Mahalaxmi racecourse.
The choice of music at the shows is also worth a round-up mention. Rana Gill aced her show with a grand flute performance of famous cover songs. The show almost had the same feeling as the viral Victoria's Secret show where The Weeknd performed live. The musician at Rana Gill’s show danced with the models, for a change models were also spotted smiling rather than having a straight face. The R|ELAN JJV Kapurthala show had amazing live music too — a rendition of classical music DJ style with songs like Ranjha Ranjha sung live. The Kalki show played a pop version of Hans Zimmer'sfamous theme song. And of course, Jaywalking who aced the whole show with his Ganpati Visarjan style music choice and his authenticity and “rowdiness” as he called it.
Rahul Mishra's finale show was an inspiring extravaganza featuring designs involving nature and colours. Highlighting nature at the forefront of designs also works towards spreading awareness about our vibrant environment and conserving it. The leather high boots at Shantanu and Nikhil also won the show, along with Rahul Mishra’s finale showstopper Ananya Pandey’s knee-high. The couture pieces at Rahul Mishra’s finale show were the stand-outs of the whole five-day fashion week. Be it the beautiful multi-coloured sequin pieces, the casual jeans with loud trinkets at the bottom or even the white jackets with simple straight-line mountain shapes on the back - Mishra’s show was refreshing. It was interesting to see the finale end on a high note creating anticipation for the next season.