Catwalk capital

First things first Indiarsquos biggest fashion event Lakmeacute Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI LFW x FDCI is back celebrating 25 years with a runwaymeetsgala on March 30 at Mumbairsquos Jio World Convention Centre Timeless Couture the grand finale theme brings back designers who have previously helmed an LFW finale ldquoItrsquos a celebration of heritage and modern influences showcasing the evolution of Indian fashionrdquo says Sunanda Khaitan vice president of Lakmeacute IndiaFinale shows have shaped careers ldquoMany designers have scaled their brands through the visibility and consumer traction these showcases offerrdquo says Jaspreet Chandok group vice president Reliance Brands Some of LFWrsquos most talkedabout finale showsmdashoften featuring actor Kareena Kapoor Khanmdashhave influenced trends and retail impactIn October 2008 Sabyasachi Mukherjee presented Bridal Sutra at LFW finale NCPA Mumbai PicZGetty ImagesLakmeacute Fashion Week debuted in 2000 uniting FDCI Lakmeacute and IMG to create Indiarsquos first internationalstandard fashion platform British model Jodie Kidd was the showstopper for finale designers Wendell Rodricks and Tarun Tahiliani The Mumbai edition in 2001 attracted global buyers like Selfridges while Sabyasachi Mukherjee made his debut in 2002In 2006 Lakmeacute and IMG parted ways with FDCI rebranding as Lakmeacute Fashion Week and shifting exclusively to Mumbai That same year GenNext was introduced later propelling over 125 designers including Aneeth Arora Rimzim Dadu Nachiket Barve Kunal Rawal and Dhruv Kapoor In 2010 LFW aligned with Indian retail cycles moving to summerresort and winterfestive seasonsMenrsquos fashion in India has evolved over 25 years from a niche interest to a growing force with designers like Deepit Chugh Line Outline Arjun Saluja Rishta Rohitash Notani Rosani and Sushant Abrol Countrymade introducing forwardthinking ideas in menswear at LFW x FDCIIn 2021 after 15 years apart FDCI and LFW reunited for a phygital fashion week Since then theyrsquove staged two editions annuallymdashone in New Delhi and one in Mumbaimdashproving that Indian fashion thrives in unityldquoIndian fashionrsquos lsquonascentrsquo stage is overmdashwersquove arrivedrdquo says Sunil Sethi chairman FDCI ldquoSocial media global exposure and corporate investment have changed the game Designers are expanding beyond metros establishing retail presence in tier2 and tier3 citiesmdashproof that the customer is hererdquoFrom industry impact to global reach Sunanda Khaitan Jaspreet Chandok and Sunil Sethi break down what keeps LFW x FDCI ahead of the curve Edited for length and claritySunanda Khaitan Jaspreet Chandok and Sunil Sethi Where Fashion and Beauty Move as OneSunanda Khaitan ldquoFashion and beauty are fluidmdashthey exist in constant conversation shaping both how one looks and feels At LFW this synergy is foundational When the Met Galarsquos Garden of Time theme signalled a floral movement we worked with Rohit Bal on a roseinspired finale in October 2024 As sculpted silhouettes dominated Milan and Paris we collaborated with Rahul Mishra to shape its Indian beauty expression in March 2024 The goal A seamless synergy where beauty and fashion flow together creating something greater than the sum of their partsrdquo Pushing Boundaries while Powering New TalentJaspreet Chandok ldquoFashion thrives when designers do Thatrsquos why industrybuilding is keymdashwhether through GenNext for emerging talent the Circular Design Challenge which promotes ecodesign zerowaste production and carbon neutrality or Nexa Spotlight which funds a showcase for rising talent Designers like Naushad Ali and Shweta Gupta have benefited from these programmesrdquoInnovation isnrsquot just about predicting trendsmdashitrsquos about shaping them To make shows accessible we introduced virtual and 360degree experiences with Meta and an Instagramexclusive show with Masaba Gupta in 2015 During the pandemic we partnered with FDCI to create a unified fashion week ensuring no season was missed Even with zero sales we continued with digital shows quarantine bubbles and drivein formatsmdashbecause fashion doesnrsquot pauserdquo From Global Aspirations to a Homegrown IndustrySunil Sethi ldquoMy association with LFW dates back to 2000 when I took designers to Selfridges and later to Ireland Italy and Russia for India promotions As FDCI president in 2008 I led them to Tranoi a key B2B fashion trade show in Paris Back then designers focused on precirct aiming for boutiques in Paris Milan and New Yorkmdashnot just for sales but for prestige While the ambition remains the industry has expanded from precirct to diffusion and bridal couture with designers now showcasing red carpet and occasion wearMenswear has expanded and onceniche categories like streetwear and athleisure have found a dedicated audience Today designers are wellversed in supply chain logistics ethical compliance and manufacturing standards Indian fashion has gained international recognition while also expanding into tier2 and tier3 cities bridging global and local marketsrdquo Nurturing Young Talent Engaging Gen ZJaspreet Chandok ldquoWith shrinking attention spans shortform content is key We collaborate with content creators to capture the shows in ways that resonate with Gen Z driving engagement Our Instagram now has 11 million followersmdashwithout spending a rupee on promotionsDigital natives crave forwardthinking expressive fashion Thatrsquos why wersquove introduced streetwear segments with brands like Two Point Two Jaywalking Biskit Six5Six Street and All You Can Street Last year FDCI curated a denim edit featuring Ashish N Soni Countrymade Kanika Goyal 1111Eleven Eleven and Dhruv KapoorrdquoSunanda Khaitan ldquoBackstage content is another big shift Gen Z audiences want to see how models get ready how fashion and beauty come together and how designers bring their vision to life Our live streaming on YouTube and Meta reaches over 30 million Indians with content circulating for weeks keeping engagement highrdquo Why Fashion Week Still MattersJaspreet Chandok ldquoLFW x FDCI is Indiarsquos official fashion week representing the best of Indian fashion A key focus now is international expansionmdashwersquore inviting global buyers media and stakeholders from Paris Milan and London Fashion Weeks to create opportunities for Indian designers and position them on global platforms The Indian market is evolvingmdashdesigner businesses are thriving retail networks expanding and corporate investments increasing Fashion Week remains essential offering young designers a costeffective platform far more accessible than independent showcasesrdquoSunil Sethi ldquoFashion weeks are about business While some designers opt for standalone shows LFW remains a vital platform for visibility and growth Itrsquos more than an eventmdashitrsquos a thriving ecosystem shaping the future of Indian fashion At 25 LFW x FDCI isnrsquot a flybynight operation but a collaboration of Indiarsquos premier organisations committed to longterm industry growthrdquo