FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week has been a thought leader in Sustainability for over a decade, through the Sustainable Fashion Day (SFD). SFD has seen multi-stakeholder programs and showcases that have set new benchmarks for the industry. This phygital edition will witness a well-thought curation across digital & physical showcases. Handloom, craft and artisans have been a cornerstone for SFD and this season we take it up a notch with RISE Worldwide’s documentary on how artisans are adapting to the ‘new normal.’ This season brings industry veterans like Abraham & Thakore, Gaurang Shah, eka by Rina Singh & Satya Paul by Rajesh Pratap Singh alongside budding sustainability champions like Circular Design Challenge Winner 2021 – Bandit & German Sustainability Award Winner 2021 – Cocccon.

12 PM – RISE WORLDWIDE presents BYLANES – CRAFTING THE NEW NORMAL

‘Bylanes – Crafting the New Normal’ is RISE Worldwide’s initiative to capture the current state of business for the artisan clusters in the country. A lot has changed over the years, especially in the past 2 years due to the pandemic. This documentary explores the way craftspeople are adapting to technology and digitisation be it through using online tools for training, selling or marketing; how the youth are looking at craft through a new lens and growing into micro-entrepreneurs. Featured here are the crafts hubs of Chanderi, Srinagar and Kutch but truly it’s a mirror to India’s hands that create magic across the length and breadth of the country.

1 PM – COCCCON, CREATIVITY CAN CARE

Cocccon returns to SFD with their latest collection Abundance Paradise – It’s a utopia, not a fantasy.  This Collection presents luxury nightwear, home wear, street wear, formal suits, avant garde dresses, scarves, sarees, and more. Cultivated in Jharkhand, Fairtrade & organic Peace Silk is at the centre of this collection, where sericulture allows silkworms to complete their full life cycle and grow into beautiful butterflies. In addition to this, the patterns are made using zero waste techniques and the little waste from side cut is used for surface ornamentations. As a GOTS & WFTO certified brand, Cocccon does not believe in using any synthetic, chemical based trims for their garments, hence promoting the use of natural materials like bamboo or cane for boning and use low or zero impact dyes for printing & dyeing.

2 PM – 6 DEGREE presents GAURANG SHAH ●

Award Winning Heritage Textile & Fashion Designer Gaurang Shah will present Chaand – a collection that will bring forth an anthology of ethereal Jamdani Sarees from across India. The collection is inspired by the moon rising in the heavens above with pulsing beams of radiant moonlight to waken and transform the world. Crafted using the legendary and complex Jamdani weaving technique and its innovative diversity, the ensembles represent the magical creations woven from Dhaka, Benaras, Kota, Srikakulam, Uppada, Venkatgiri, Kashmir & Paithan. The looks sequence at the show will reveal the enchanting “Chaand ” as it begins her ascent from the horizon in a graceful, majestic arc—soft luminous light flooding the landscape below.

4 PM – R|ELAN^TM presents CIRCULAR DESIGN CHALLENGE WINNER – BANDIT– IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM ●

In an ongoing endeavor to move beyond and forward, Bandit presents the Shourai Collection. ‘Shourai’ literally means ‘the future’, in Japanese but specifically speaks about the surety of an event happening in the future. In addition to their trademark tarpaulin, new materials like billboard flex, used canvas and car seat belts are explored to make accessories. The spotlight is the jewellery collection that is made using repurposed metals such as aluminum & copper combining with gold and diamonds. Last but not the least, Bandit introduces fountain pens made from aircraft aluminum, brass from artillery shells and wood from old handloom spindles. Here’s to a new future, to not use new materials but to repurpose old ones, in a stylish and circular way.

5:30 PM – R|ELAN^TM presents ABRAHAM & THAKORE

The gentlemen of Indian fashion, David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, most sought after for their timeless, sustainable ensembles will be collaborating with R-Elan’s ‘fabric of the future’. The duo will be creating a collection that explores different ways to create fashion using practices that are sustainable and mindful.

The eco-friendly presentation inspired by the theme of ‘Assemble. Disassemble. Reassemble’ will be made from Green Gold; a unique fabric created from recycled PET by R-Elan. The range will consist of classic shapes that are timeless and versatile, forming the basis of a contemporary ready-to-wear wardrobe, perfect for every occasion. 

7 PM – EKA

Born from moments of reminiscence of faded memories and the bliss in remembrance. Eka’s Aw ‘21 collection is an excursion to the sublimity of the countryside. The ochre landscape of autumn lined by clear blue skies lends a meditative state of mind, taking us back to slow living in its truest form. The earthiness of the pastoral surroundings is reflected in the natural silk, wool, merino wool, and tussar silk fabrics from Eka’s archives.  Punctuated by shibori, appliques, and handblock prints with kantha-embroidered details, the collection is an extension to our continued venture into a mindful, pared down, and paced living, in line with our natural surroundings.

9 PM – TENCEL^TM X SATYA PAUL by RAJESH PRATAP SINGH ●

The colourful and sustainable collection titled ‘The Master’s Words’ will pay tribute to the late Satya Paul who passed away earlier this year and launch the revolutionary Carbon zero TENCEL™ fibers. As a brand, Satya Paul has echoed sustainability over the years and experimented with a range of fabrics. The upcoming ready to wear collection in association with the Carbon zero TENCEL™ fibers by Lenzing is a stride in this direction and addresses the growing demand around circular fashion and carbon neutrality.

In addition to having a higher environmental value, the Carbon zero TENCEL™ fibres will also feature the functional benefits of standard TENCEL™ fibres including gentleness on the skin, long-lasting softness, silky smoothness, enhanced breathability and colour

retention.  These fibres are certified as CarbonNeutral® and Lenzing’s key initiative towards its goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Having been about a year with Satya

Paul, RPS who has always had sustainability in his own practice has strived to make the brand more contemporary and also worked towards making it more sustainable not only in terms of production but also by using fibres that are sustainable.  These practices have made the entire collaboration have a deeper and truer meaning.

FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week is all set to host a live showcase of Carbon Zero TENCEL™ fibers and Satya Paul by Rajesh Pratap Singh at the finale of Sustainable Fashion Day of FDCI Lakme Fashion Week 2021.

The colourful and sustainable collection titled ‘The Master’s Words’ will pay tribute to the late Satya Paul who passed away earlier this year and launch the revolutionary Carbon zero TENCEL™ fibers.

As a brand, Satya Paul has echoed sustainability over the years and experimented with a range of fabrics. The upcoming ready to wear collection in association with the Carbon zero TENCEL™ fibers by Lenzing is a stride in this direction and addresses the growing demand around circular fashion and carbon neutrality.

In addition to having a higher environmental value, the Carbon zero TENCEL™ fibres will also feature the functional benefits of standard TENCEL™ fibres including gentleness on the skin, long-lasting softness, silky smoothness, enhanced breathability and colour retention.  These fibres are certified as CarbonNeutral® and Lenzing’s key initiative towards its goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Having been about a year with Satya Paul, RPS who has always had sustainability in his own practice has strived to make the brand more contemporary and also worked towards making it more sustainable not only in terms of production but also by using fibres that are sustainable.  These practices have made the entire collaboration have a deeper and truer meaning.

Speaking about the association Avinash Mane, Commercial Director, South Asia, Lenzing Group shared, “We are pleased to introduce our most innovative offering – Carbon zero TENCEL™ fiber at this season’s Lakmé Fashion Week. It is an honour to co-present a collection that is an ode to the late Satya Paul, an artist extraordinaire who redefined traditional Indian fashion. At Lenzing we are on a journey to true carbon zero, with a vision to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and contribute to a carbon neutral fashion industry. Our collaboration with Satya Paul by RPS will allow consumers to explore the frontiers of aesthetic appeal and make a difference to our planet.”

True to Satya Paul’s brand DNA, creative director- Rajesh Pratap Singh will present a contemporary collection for men and women that embodies bold prints and silhouettes that go from street wear to evening wear.

Giving a glimpse of the collection Rajesh Pratap Singh said, “This collection is a burst of optimism at a time of global volatility. ‘The Master’s Words’ threads together the past and present in 2021, where we take this journey to the next level by prioritizing sustainable design, as we work with cleaner fabrics that are gentle on the earth. Several of the dresses, trousers, and shirts in this collection are made with Carbon Zero Tencel, a sustainable fiber produced by Lenzing. Entirely biodegradable, it’s only residue is water that regenerates the earth. “

FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week presented jointly by Lakmé, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and RISE Worldwide announced the return to physical shows for select marquee designers. As an exclusive pre-launch initiative, guests will get to experience the luxurious Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) in Mumbai’s commercial hub Bandra-Kurla Complex, which will be home to FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week between 7th -10th October 2021.

The on-ground roster will begin with Tarun Tahiliani and feature some of India’s leading designers including AK-OK by Anamika Khanna, Abraham & Thakore, MXS by Monisha Jaising and Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Satya Paul by Rajesh Pratap Singh, Pankaj & Nidhi, Troy Costa, Gaurang and many more. The on-ground schedule will culminate with the Lakmé Absolute Grand Finale.

Hosting Lakmé Fashion Week as a curtain raiser for such marquee events, Jio World Convention Centre is equipped with world class facilities, state-of-the-art technology and is purpose-built to host most distinguished events in India. Part of Mumbai’s much awaited mixed-use and one-of-its kind development by Reliance and strategically located in the central business district of Bandra Kurla Complex, in the heart of Mumbai, the convention centre offers India’s finest convention and exhibition facilities.

Lakmé Fashion Week gives a sneak- peak into the Convention Centre, which is part of a multi- faceted development that is spread over 18.5 acres and comprises of one of India’s largest convention facilities, arts & cultural venues, a premium retail precinct, unique food & beverage experiences, luxury service residences and ultra-modern office spaces.

For FDCIXLFW sustainability has always been one of the key pillars of the event. This partnership is an important step in making the platform a carbon neutral event as the Jio World Convention Centre is also LEED Platinum certified.

Sumati Mattu, Head of innovations, Lakmé said, 

“Lakmé Fashion Week has always persevered towards bringing to the fore, the best of beauty and fashion to the industry. This season is no different. We continue to push ourselves to evolve the ecosystem and help the industry grow and thrive. With the JWCC, state-of-the-art convention centre being home to the physical showcases being hosted, we take yet another step in making this premier platform in collaboration with FDCI a world class event.”

Mr. Sunil Sethi, Chairman – FDCI said, 

“FDCI’s collaboration with Lakmé Fashion Week has always aimed at delivering world-class fashion . This season, with our physical shows being hosted at the magnificent Jio World Convention Centre, we have the opportunity to create an experience that will be par excellence. We are looking forward to a whole new level of showcases and creativity through this ground breaking initiative.”

Mr. Jaspreet Chandok, Head RISE Fashion and Lifestyle said, 

“We have always looked to elevate each season of fashion week, bringing in bigger and bolder concepts to the forefront. We are truly excited to have this season hosted at the Jio World Convention Centre with its flexible and dynamic spaces as we finally have a destination that can make FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week one of the world’s most celebrated fashion weeks.”

Highlights

~iconic designer Manish Malhotra to make his debut in the NFT universe~ 

~The partnership will provide a marketplace to select designers and artisans to sell their work as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Revolutionizing the Indian fashion industry, WazirX NFT Marketplace joins hands with FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week to introduce fashion NFTs by iconic designers and artisans. Non-Fungible Tokens have captivated the world of fashion and art, creating a market where digital versions of garments and accessories are linked to unique blockchain hosted tokens. With India being one of the most promising markets for creators as well as collectors, this partnership marks the entrance of India’s fashion industry in digital assets- a step towards integrating tech innovations with fashion via blockchain technology.

Iconic designer Manish Malhotra will lead the industry in this new revolution by creating 5 exclusive NFTs that will be available on the WazirX NFT Marketplace in collaboration with FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week Following the trend, big names in the fashion industry as well as artisans will be joining the NFT bandwagon and exploring the space.

Manish Malhotra said, “NFTs are a complete gamechanger and absolutely something that the Indian industry needs to consider and move towards. I am thrilled to talk about the Indian NFT Revolution in Fashion at the upcoming panel discussion at FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week.  I am also proud to announce that I will be launching the first ever designer NFTs in India on Wazir X Marketplace and kickstarting this initiative through FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week. I hope my participation encourages more designers and artisans to explore and take advantage of this new and exciting opportunity.”

The path-breaking initiative is a testament to India’s growing adoption in the NFT space. Riding on the NFT wave, this association marks a milestone in building an eco-system to encourage designers to integrate NFTs into their business strategy and open avenues to reach a wider audience base.

 Vishakha Singh, VP & Advisor, WazirX NFT Marketplace, said: “Globally, designers have commenced making a statement using NFTs to engage with fans and patrons in the form of loyalty rewards. With the trend of NFTs being at its nascent stages in India, we believe that there is a room to understand and create awareness around the different use cases of NFTs. We have seen a promising response to art and music-based NFTs on our platform – this has propelled us further to explore newer segments, with fashion being the most recent industry to jump the NFT bandwagon.The fashion NFT space is fairly untapped in India and has great potential to grow – if brands engage with the 10M + growing crypto community now, they are collecting a strong community base for the future. Additionally, for independent fashion designers, NFTs will certainly be a new revenue stream.”                                                                                                              

Commenting on the association, Jaspreet Chandok – Head RISE Fashion and Lifestyle said, “Fashion NFTs have gained huge prominence across the globe in recent months.  We believe that this can possibly be a big game-changer for Indian fashion which is why they need to pioneer the eco-system in understanding, support and access for designers and artisans.  We are glad that Manish has taken the lead in being the first to launch his NFTs on WazirX and we look forward to creating a template for the industry in the future.”

 Pioneering the NFT segment in India and South Asia, WazirX NFT marketplace is India’s most trusted platform for designers, artists and creators to explore the NFT ecosystem. WazirX NFT marketplace builds on providing multiple use-cases with NFTs, these fashion-themed NFTs being the latest ones. The NFT craze has swept through the fashion world and this unique collaboration will revolutionise the Indian fashion industry.

 Scheduled on 6^th October at the upcoming FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week, the panel discussion will bring together key stakeholders to address the current understanding of NFTs in the Indian fashion industry.

Revolutionizing the Indian fashion industry, WazirX NFT Marketplace joins hands with FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week to introduce fashion NFTs by iconic designers and artisans. Non-Fungible Tokens have captivated the world of fashion and art, creating a market where digital versions of garments and accessories are linked to unique blockchain hosted tokens. With India being one of the most promising markets for creators as well as collectors, this partnership marks the entrance of India’s fashion industry in digital assets- a step towards integrating tech innovations with fashion via blockchain technology.

Iconic designer Manish Malhotra will lead the industry in this new revolution by creating 5 exclusive NFTs that will be available on the WazirX NFT Marketplace in collaboration with FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week Following the trend, big names in the fashion industry as well as artisans will be joining the NFT bandwagon and exploring the space.

Manish Malhotra said, “NFTs are a complete gamechanger and absolutely something that the Indian industry needs to consider and move towards. I am thrilled to talk about the Indian NFT Revolution in Fashion at the upcoming panel discussion at FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week.  I am also proud to announce that I will be launching the first ever designer NFTs in India on Wazir X Marketplace and kickstarting this initiative through FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week. I hope my participation encourages more designers and artisans to explore and take advantage of this new and exciting opportunity.”

The path-breaking initiative is a testament to India’s growing adoption in the NFT space. Riding on the NFT wave, this association marks a milestone in building an eco-system to encourage designers to integrate NFTs into their business strategy and open avenues to reach a wider audience base.

 Vishakha Singh, VP & Advisor, WazirX NFT Marketplace, said: “Globally, designers have commenced making a statement using NFTs to engage with fans and patrons in the form of loyalty rewards. With the trend of NFTs being at its nascent stages in India, we believe that there is a room to understand and create awareness around the different use cases of NFTs. We have seen a promising response to art and music-based NFTs on our platform – this has propelled us further to explore newer segments, with fashion being the most recent industry to jump the NFT bandwagon.The fashion NFT space is fairly untapped in India and has great potential to grow – if brands engage with the 10M + growing crypto community now, they are collecting a strong community base for the future. Additionally, for independent fashion designers, NFTs will certainly be a new revenue stream.”                                                                                                              

Commenting on the association, Jaspreet Chandok – Head RISE Fashion and Lifestyle said, “Fashion NFTs have gained huge prominence across the globe in recent months.  We believe that this can possibly be a big game-changer for Indian fashion which is why they need to pioneer the eco-system in understanding, support and access for designers and artisans.  We are glad that Manish has taken the lead in being the first to launch his NFTs on WazirX and we look forward to creating a template for the industry in the future.”

 Pioneering the NFT segment in India and South Asia, WazirX NFT marketplace is India’s most trusted platform for designers, artists and creators to explore the NFT ecosystem. WazirX NFT marketplace builds on providing multiple use-cases with NFTs, these fashion-themed NFTs being the latest ones. The NFT craze has swept through the fashion world and this unique collaboration will revolutionise the Indian fashion industry.

 Scheduled on 6^th October at the upcoming FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week, the panel discussion will bring together key stakeholders to address the current understanding of NFTs in the Indian fashion industry.

In a first of its kind association, FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week are set to bring on board India’s largest lifestyle social commerce platform, Trell, as Official Lifestyle Partner for its upcoming season this October. Besides all shows that will be livestreamed on Trell, for the very first time a show from the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week schedule will exclusively showcase on Trell through a collaboration with designer Samant Chauhan.

Through this partnership, Trell will give 2 of their creators a chance to be a part of the exclusive Samant Chauhan fashion film as well as get access to all the live shows, while also delivering high-quality content from well-known names in the fashion world.

Pulkit Agrawal, CEO & Co-founder, Trell said, 

“Trell is home to the largest community of lifestyle creators where fashion & beauty is the highest created and consumed category on the platform. Through this association, we want to open the doors for our community to experience their passion with some of the biggest brands and designers in the industry. Trell creators and the community will get first-hand experience of the latest trends from the best fashion gurus and iconic brands.”

Since 2017, Trell has been empowering the creator community across interests like fashion, beauty, wellness, lifestyle, travel, dance and more. Through the partnership FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week will be hosting a Lakmé Fashion Week social media page on Trell for all the cool and swish fashion activities happening during the event.

Various engaging activities include live online Masterclasses with four esteemed artists across designer, stylist, show director and hair & make-up artist category, exclusive access to behind-the-scenes action from the fittings and rehearsals, and all the glamour of hair and make-up from never seen before backstage drama captured by the Trell Scanner.

The platform also has something special for the stylist community – Trell Style, a campaign that will inspire budding stylists and fashion enthusiasts to create looks using a set of items readily available in their wardrobe. A leading stylist will showcase a look and the Challenge will then be opened up to creators encouraging them to create their own looks and give audiences their interpretations of the challenge

Jaspreet Chandok, Head RISE Fashion and Lifestyle said,

 “We are excited about this one-of -a-kind association with Trell which is home to some of India’s most talented fashion creators. And are happy to collaborate all the exciting behind the scenes as well as exclusive content of FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week with this growing community of fashion and beauty content creators”