Eighty-three designers will present their collection at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/ Resort 2012, ranging from the well-established Anita Dongre and Sabyasachi Mukherjee to the debutantes Megha Garg and Archana Rao.
But what will the people at fashion week really talk about? Some predictions as I peek into the fashion week crystal ball:
Bibhu Mohapatra’s show: This will be the New York-based designer’s first fashion week showing in India, and with his international fan following, I predict a packed house for his show on Saturday evening and plenty of fawning after that. But will Bibhu buzz be louder than (Rohit) Bal buzz? Can’t say!
Indian textiles: This season the third day of LFW S/R 2012 is dedicated to Indian textiles, with designers showcasing Indian weaves and fabrics. There will also be workshops on the resurgence and importance of Indian weaves and crafts, in which designers like Krishna Mehta, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Bibhu Mohapatra will participate.
Nina Manuel: Nina Manuel is back in India and has landed the LFW TV gig. The leggy super model will bring a regular dose of behind-the-scenes fashion, interviews and more on LFWTV.in.
Non-designers-turned-designers: From hair stylist Sapna Bhavnani to artist Payal Khandwala, fashion “outsiders” are taking a bold step into the fashion world at LFW S/R 2012. I’m really intrigued to know how their varied experiences translate into fashion. Good luck to them!
Mumbai’s missing: Word on the street is that Manish Malhotra has pulled out from LFW S/R 2012 because he didn’t have time from his Bollywood schedule to put together a collection. But the Mumbai designer I’ll miss most is Nachiket Barve (I always love his clothes!).
Below: Rohit Bal, Narendra Kumar, Swapnil Shinde
“Haven’t I seen that somewhere?”: Every fashion week as new collections roll out on the ramp, there’s a sense of déjà vu. Designers repeat themselves, get inspired by movies, actors, and, of course, Rajasthan. Let’s get over that already. I want to see original fashion, please!
Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2012 runs from March 2 to 6, 2012 in Mumbai.