Blurring the lines between fashion and art, three creative projects became the highlight off the runway at the Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI Delhi Edition. So what makes these special? Like the saying goes, Art is where the heart is…All three fashion innovations celebrated art in three unique and versatile narratives.
Leading creative director and stylist Hormis Anthony Tharkan explored fashion through a photography exhibition; sustainable fashion label 11:11/eleven eleven designed the exclusive print of reusable water bottles to prevent water wastage as well as tackle the use of single-use plastic; and Shuriya Varma’s State of Mind artwork won the Creator’s Lab contest and became part of the official merchandise for LFW x FDCI.
Fanny Pack: State of Mind by Shuriya Vermaa
Nexa and Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI together launched an exclusive programme wherein the artist community got a chance to showcase their creative vision on the official merchandise. This year, the theme was futurism. Winning the contest was Shuriya Vermaa who chose to express her views through colour.
Describing her artwork, which is aptly titled State of Mind, Shuriya took to Instagram to share the inspiration behind her design. She wrote: This artwork is inspired by the contrasting nature of two parallel realities between the ones who go and those who stay. And in this artwork, I have highlighted the impact of AI in today’s scenario, which is definitely here to stay. While AI’s making a huge space in today’s reality, there’s a fading of our traditional roots, which are modernised with futuristic life approaches. I have used colours as my main source of contrast between both realities and tried to present the state of the future as viewed by our old selves.
Shuriya’s artwork was printed on the official merchandise, which conisted of an ultra-chic fanny pack.
Photography Exhibition: The Voyage that time forgot by Gautam Kalra and Hormis Antony Tharakan
In a powerful series of 26 black and white images, Gautam Kalra and Hormis Antony Tharakan’s creative journey was unveiled at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI in October 2023.
Captured against the stunning backdrop of Nubra Valley, Ladakh, each frame explored fashion, nature and solitude through the eyes of leading creative director and stylist Gautam Kalra chose to work with friend, fellow creator and fashion photographer Hormis Anthony Tharakan.
In a relationship built over 11 years, Gautam and Hormis have learnt to communicate without words. “The energy from the land of Ladakh is so powerful that it made my soul yearn to go back repeatedly. Hormis felt that same hunger. I also wanted to go back to my roots and use clothes that were simple yet complex, against this starkness. I wanted to showcase the beauty of simplicity and silence. This work more than ever had to reflect my personal taste, my journey, my life through my eyes, and that craving for artistic imagery,” said Gautam Kalra about his work.
Speaking about this association, Hormis Anthony Tharakan shared, “Gautam and I share a mutual respect and admiration for legendary photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta’s work. We wanted to pay tribute to him by bringing our own visual language and direction to create magic.”
Fashion Wears Art, Edition One, is FDCI’s endeavour to view both forms in a new light by bringing them together. Mentored by Sunil Sethi, it is the council’s newest initiative to pay homage to visionaries in their respective fields by combining creative forces. “I am grateful to Sunil Sethi for not only championing my craft but also pushing me to do better and better. My best is not good enough for him. He asks for more and always gets me to deliver,” expressed Gautam Kalra.
Reusable Water bottle: 11.11/ eleven eleven
Over the years, through various initiatives, Lakmé, Fashion Design Council of India, and Reliance Brands have championed sustainable fashion innovations. This year, the platform collaborated with sustainable fashion label 11.11/eleven eleven, which not only showcased it’s new collection on Sustainable Fashion Day but also designed the exclusive print of reusable water bottles to prevent water waste and tackle the use of single-use plastic.
Through this collaboration, 11.11 celebrated handmade traditions, bringing to the forefront the craftsmanship of the makers who embody the rich heritage of indigenous artisanal skills. The bottle prints, designed by the label, represent the indigenous cotton, the Kala cotton, which has been a staple in the fabric portfolio of the brand for many years.
Commenting on the collaboration 11.11 said, “It is an honour to take our commitment towards sustainability a step forward by collaborating with Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI. Mastery in design, accompanied by purity in practice and product, that nurtures the environment and people, has always been the core pursuit of our brand. We are thrilled to have our designs enable Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI to enhance its sustainability efforts. We hope this initiative encourages attendees to be more conscious of their consumption of single-use plastics and helps them make greener choices.”
The previous season of Lakmé Fashion Week, in partnership with FDCI, introduced the use of metal water bottles designed by Abraham & Thakore that were circulated across the venue, which helped save approximately 15,000 single-use plastic bottles.
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