FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week came back to the ground, after a long hiatus of 2 years. Before the pandemic, both these fashion bodies operated independently in Mumbai and Delhi—but for the last couple of seasons, they’ve joined forces and come together for virtual and phygital showcases. The fashion week returned to Delhi, in all its glory. 6 days of extensive and exhausting runway presentations by the big-wigs of the industry along with some emerging names, concluded with an extravagant grand finale—all in the heart of Delhi. It was a homecoming for Indian fashion industry as things returned to normal. From seasoned editors and models to influencers and budding content creators—everyone came to play.
Let’s talk about the fashion at fashion week—while there was no blanket theme or season that was being followed—a sartorial celebration seemed like the underlying mood. There were many hits and misses. Here are some trends that ELLE spotted, and approved.
1. Itty Bitty Tops
Judging from Varun Bahl and Outhouse Jewellery’s runway collections, we’re taking it a notch higher from the cropped tops and going ahead with tiny crochet and bikini tops this summer.
2. Bold Body Suits
Bodysuits are not new to the runway, but they certainly aren’t a regular on the Indian catwalk. Designers have deconstructed the versatile bodysuit to wear under casual and glamour wear.
3. Cropped tops for men
Popular opinion: Men wearing cropped tops are the moment we are looking for. Label Huemn and Shivan & Narresh sent their models down the runway wearing a quirky but stylish cropped top paired with relaxed jeans and fitted cargo-style pants.
4. Chaotic Prints
We have moved on from mismatched prints to print-on–print and are now looking at chaotic prints. Rajdeep Ranawat and Rara Avis by Sonal Verma made a strong chase for chaotic prints that weren’t necessarily symmetric or coordinated with the rest of the outfits.
5. Balaclavas
Balaclavas were a big hit on the international runways during the Autumn-Winter 2022 presentations. This trend was brought to the home by labels such as SatyapaulAnd HuemnThis innovative accessory was cleverly integrated by a customer of theirs into their latest lines.
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6. Daring Denim
Denim on acid – the vibe this season. Our beloved jeans were given a bold treatment on runway, from barely-there to fully tethered.
7. Dresses & Lehengas for Dudes
These remarkable moments from Siddartha Tytler & Shantnu&Nikhil have redefined Indian menswear. Genderless clothing does not mean that it is a trend. Fashion is subjective and personal. So why set boundaries on who can wear the pants (or skirts).
8. Body Positivity
Before the keyboard warriors get to us and call it tokenistic. As someone who saw the entire fashion week in real life, body positivity wasn’t just a single show. Not only were diverse body types celebrated, but they also weren’t singled out in a separate show—an equal platform for all is the only way to go.
9. Age Is Not A Number
Fashion has been ageist for as long as we can remember—while it hasn’t entirely changed, these are some steps in the right direction. Veteran designers JJ Valaya and Tarun Tahiliani opened their runway to elderly models that aren’t generally seen sashaying down the ramp in couture or pret.
10. More is better
Designers are returning home and they wanted to go big. Judging by the opening show and the final show, it was clear that designers wanted to go big. Whether it was Rahul Mishra’s botanical 3D textures on sculpted ensembles to Falguni Shane Peacock’sOTT glamour was at the forefront of fashion with its extravagant feathers, sequins, and faux-fur etched outfits.
