Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI Day 1: Three creative designers unveil stunning collections

The 40th edition of the ldquoNIF Global Presents GenNextrdquo show at Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI unveiled three creative designersrsquo collections that were impressive visions of style and substanceThe new wave of emerging designers was identified by their fashion narrative which had each designerrsquos individual sensibilitiesLakm FDCI Reliance and NIF Global have been instrumental in introducing designers who have begun with their debuts at ldquoNIF Global Presents GenNextrdquo and made a mark in the fashion arena The ldquoNIF Global Presents GenNextrdquo has been presenting exceptional talent to the Indian fashion industry over the 39 very successful seasons Top names like Rahul Mishra Masaba Gupta Kunal Rawal have rocked on the international fashion ramps and brought accolades to Indian fashionMohammed Anas Sheikh 23 degrees N 69 degrees EIndore based designer Mohammed Anas Sheikhrsquos quirkily titled label 23degN 69degE brought the beauty and visuals of the Ajrakh craft along with hand painting and natural dyes for the collection To showcase more eyecatching appeal mirror work created an unconventional story while the coordinates of Kachch added to the design sensibilities of the lookThe FallWinter 2025 line paid quiet homage to the land of Kala Cotton which was the base of the creations Allowing the prints and textures to do all the talking Mohammed retained minimal silhouettes The intentional use of worn out broken Ajrakh blocks was a conscious effort to give the passage of time importance The beauty of the collection lay in the personal hand painting and the block printing executed personally by the designer that presented a valuable offering The 23degN 69degE brand by Mohammed Anas Sheikh ensured that an unconventional fashion offering would be presented for the coming seasonldquoThe indigenous cotton of Gujarat and the beautiful craft of Ajrakh has been honoured in my collectionrdquo revealed Mohammed Anas SheikhAnam Husain CutPutlyAnam Husainrsquos eponymous brand was all about creativity of the extreme kind Her collection ldquoCutPutlyrdquo was metamorphosed from Rajasthanrsquos Kathpuli dolls when the designer worked her magic to bring the folk lore of the dolls into a more contemporary story on to the apparelThe material that enhanced the collection revolved around sculpted denim which was repurposed from nearly 1000 kgs of postconsumer waste The lining of the garments also stayed true to the sustainable path with discarded hotel furnishing which was combined with boning hardware patchwork and experimental drapingThe silhouettes were a creative merger of geometric forms that mirrored the puppet string concept while the feminine silhouettes were layered with grainy textures for added emphasis The ldquoCutPutlyrdquo collection by Anam Husain was a truly fashion forward offering that will appeal to buyers who favour innovative new wave fashionldquoThe Kathpuli dolls of Rajasthan have always fascinated me and I have used their inspiration in a contemporary form for my creationsrdquo explained Anam HusainPranita Choudhury RecallingPranita Choudhuryrsquos Gaach brand was an inspired journey of nostalgia from the poetic version of Rabindranath Tagorersquos poem The collection called ldquoRecallingrdquo was a fashionable medley to Tagorersquos ldquoPurono Sei Diner Kothardquo which translates to lsquoMemories of the Old Daysrsquo The story of the days gone by celebrated the bitter sweet past memories with the block prints of Gaach in Bengali script as well as Kantha stitch and crewel embroideryThe natural fabrics like Eri Silk Chanderi Pashmina silk Linen silk and corduroy formed the base of the ensembles Flowing long skirts basic shirts and comfy gilets were printed in vibrant hues The relaxed easy silhouettes brought a cool feminine offering for the coming seasonldquoMy brand has always been true to the culture of Bengal which I have interpreted in my collection for the GenNext showrdquo revealed Pranita ChoudhuryCommenting on the fresh wave of talent through the NIF Global Presents GenNext program Sunanda Khaitan Vice President at Lakm shared ldquoThe NIF Global Presents GenNext initiative remains a cornerstone of the Lakm Fashion Week X FDCI journey Each season we are excited to witness a new cohort of dynamic young designers bringing their vision to the runway The program continues to play a transformative role offering Indiarsquos emerging fashion talent a powerful launchpad nurturing innovation and fostering creativity across the country At Lakm we remain deeply committed to championing fresh perspectives and shaping a diverse futureready fashion landscape both nationally and globallyrdquoShaunik Khosla business head NIF Global added ldquoAt NIF Global we have always been committed to nurturing young talent and our collaboration with Lakm Fashion Week X FDCI through the GenNext platform allows us to do just that Season after season we take pride in providing aspiring designers with the opportunity to showcase their creativity on this prestigious stage empowering them to debut and make their mark in the fashion industry lsquoNIF Global presents GenNextrsquo is known for featuring a fresh wave of creativity in Indian fashion and presenting a display of innovation and artistry NIF Global continues to support the emerging talent of designers providing a platform for their expressionrdquoSpeaking on the programme Jaspreet Chandok Group Vice President Reliance Brands said ldquoThe NIF Global presents GenNext program has long been central to the platforms commitment to championing emerging talent and the premier designer discovery program in India This yearrsquos winners bring bold perspectives and a distinct design languagemdashfurther reinforcing our belief in the power of nurturing young voices to push boundaries and reimagine whatrsquos nextrdquo