Organised by Indian Fashion for Fashion Development (IFFD), India Runway Week (IRW) is back with its seventh edition. Considered Asia’s youngest fashion trade event, the IRW is slated to be held between 16 -18 September at the Thyagraj Stadium, INA, New Delhi. Like every season, this season has also welcomed fresh and new talent and placed them on the global stage. At IRW, ideas are exchanged and networking paves the way for adequate business opportunities.
With an exciting line-up of designers and special menswear collection, from shimmer and sparkle to quirky and minimalist, IRW Season 7 Winter/Festive 2016 is going to witness a wide range of fashion on the ramp.
Keeping up with their trend to introduce fresh fashion talent, IIFFD has announced the latest group of young designers. Ten designers are in the New-Gen Designer frame and eight designers are in budding designer category for the Winter Festive 2016 shows, which will also be shown at Asia’s youngest fashion trade event, IRW Season 7.
This season, the selection of the New-Gen and budding designers was made from more than 300 submissions. IFFD chose these designers on the basis of some key criteria that included quality, innovation, marketability, and ability to legitimately take their business to the next level.
The new-gen designers this season are Payal Kothari and Zinal Shah, Meghaa Mahendru, Disha Doshi Gandhi, Shilpa Chaurasia, Rachat by Shruti&Rohan, Manika Sureka, Varun andVidushi, Stuti Shah, Sana Khan, Preethi Fazel.
“The number of entries for new-gen categories are increasing with each season and moreover we are quite glad to see that the design sensibility of new designers is not only innovative but mature than already existing designers” said Kiran Kheva, Fashion Director, IFFD.
Mithi Kalra, Kanchankuntala Das, Chhandak Jana, Gouri Gosain, Vinay Rana, Foram Rambhia, Ravneet Toor and Ashfaque are there in budding designer category.
Avinash Pathania, Founder, IFFD said, “We launched IFFD’s India Runway Week with the aim of giving best quality in terms of production, business and exposure to these young designers and we are immensely happy with the way the new-gen and emerging designers are growing with each season after launching at our platform.”
Designer Manika Surekha is presenting her collection titled The Flute Enchanter at the event. She has sought inspiration from the life of lord Krishna. She says, “The inspiration of my collection comes from the magnificent life of lord Krishna. Use of hand painted motifs with a fusion of fabrics forms the center of my collection. While keeping my inspiration as my focus in all my creations, the garments are very fresh and modern. The exaggerated flow in the garments is perfect for all body types. People long for the enchantments and gaieties of the rich lifestyle of lord Krishna and that is exactly what my collection lends. Enchanting flowers, peacocks, cows are symbolic of my collection which is in hues of the color blue. The use of many fabrics in one garment is my USP and that has been used extensively in this collection.”
“The number of entries for new-gen categories are increasing with each season and moreover we are quite glad to see that the design sensibility of new designers is not only innovative but more mature than ever.”
Various celebrities are walking the ramp for designers. On 16 September, Soha Ali Khan walked the ramp for designer Shweta Sarda. Sharda will present the glory of womanhood through her designs on the ramp, depicting the brave step taken by women in redesigning their own map to explore the world and Soha is looking forward to it.
On the collection, Soha says, “Her (Sharda) collection is about women like me who love to travel around the world.”
Actresses Mugdha Godse and Mandana Karimi walked the ramp for Satomi and Studio AV respectively.
On Day 2, actress Eesha Gupta walked the ramp for Yoshita Couture.
Veteran actresses and bollywood divas Zeenat Aman and Sharmila Tagore are walking the ramp for Akassh K Aggarwal and Rohini Gugnani respectively on 18 September.
Jewellery designer Akassh K Aggarwal says, “I am very much delighted that Bollywood diva Zeenat Aman is walking the ramp for me. She has been my first crush and will always be my muse. Keeping her in mind, I have created the whole collection and have kept my collection name as The Muse Room.”
Zeenat Aman is quite excited to walk the ramp for Akash. She says, “Walking the ramp is always fun. It is a feel good factor when you get the instant reaction from the audience. I have seen the jewellery of Akassh K Aggarwal and I am all excited to walk the ramp for his show at India Runway Week.”
Sharmila Tagore who is walking the ramp for Rohini Gugnani says, “When Rohini Gugnani told me about the theme Nawabi Elegance to be showcased at India Runway Week, I really got excited and was happy to hear the concept. She showed me the collection and I liked the colours especially.”
Rohini is quite humbled that Sharmila Tagore has agreed to be the face of her collection. She feels no other actor in the industry can pull off a Nawabi elegance and style, symptomatic of her collection, other than Tagore.
India Runway Week seems like an interesting amalgamation of young and budding designers and the veterans in the field. It also offers interesting choices for the consumers. Kiran Kheva, Co- Founder of IRW says, “India Runway Week is considered as one of the best platforms by so many other cities and we get hundreds of applications from all over India. With our national level designer reach we are all set to host buyer meets in each cities and provide business to India Runway Week designers after every season.”