AIFW A/W 2017: Indian handlooms to shine at Bauhaus inspired set up

By Kishori Sud

New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) With a full day dedicated to showcasing the works of 71 designers from various nooks and corners of India, and a host of other designers lined up to amp up the style quotient on the ramp, the Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2017 (AIFW A/W 2017) -- with a set up inspired by Germany's Bauhaus movement -- is poised to be exciting for the design community and aficionados.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here will enliven on Wednesday with the fashion gala which, for the first time, is happening for four days instead of five.

"The graphics at the venue this time are very different. The inspiration for the fashion week's venue has been taken from the graphics of the Bauhaus movement. There are elements like a half circle, a triangle... Those kind of graphics," Sunil Sethi, President of the event's organising body -- Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) -- told IANS.

Bauhaus was a German art school, operational from 1919 to 1933, that combined crafts and the fine arts. It was famous for its approach to design, what it publicised and taught.

"The venue is very minimalist and very modern," Sethi said, and added that the exhibition area where designers will have stalls has also been given a twist.

"We are trying to make the exhibition area more open so that people can see it from outside as well. We will also have a new band playing live music everyday. The idea is to have a lot of open space this time," Sethi said.

In terms of fashion, the star opener of this season will be a full day dedicated to handlooms and textiles.

Presenting their works will be students of The Handloom School, supported by designers and labels like Akaaro, Eka, Neeru Kumar, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Bal, Sanjay Garg, Suket Dhir and Eleven Eleven.

A special show dedicated to Indonesian textiles and techniques will also take place as part of FDCI's partnership with Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) to enable a cross-cultural exchange of designer talent between the two platforms.

This apart, with Jharkhand as the partner state for the fashion event, creations from there will find their way to the ramp.

"With the government of Jharkhand collaborating with FDCI, it proves the credibility of fashion. That shows how serious fashion is and we are encouraging textiles from all over the country and how Indian designers can help in making the product more contemporary," Sethi said.

This edition is also special as veteran designer Madhu Jain will be celebrating 30 years in the industry as a craft revivalist and textile conservationist, along with Krishna Mehta who is known for bringing Maheshwari fabrics into the limelight.

Designers Abraham and Thakore will highlight the irregularity of Indian textures, using pure Indian cottons that are either hand woven or hand printed.

Giving out 55 modern day narratives of Indian traditional drapes will be a show by fashion brand Vogue as part of its celebration of a decade in India.

Another unique bit will be an off-site show by designer Samant Chauhan, known for his creations in Bhagalpur silk. This time, he has dabbled with golden threads of Assam. And yet another off-site show will be by Aneeth Arora at the Crafts Museum here.

Fashion designer Namrata Joshipura will present a New York-inspired collection with actress Alia Bhatt as showstopper, and ending the fashion gala will be designers Tarun Tahiliani and Amit Aggarwal.

What about the buyers?

Sethi says at least 200 buyers -- national and international -- are expected to be present. These would include those from the Middle East, US, London, Japan and Russia.

(Kishori Sud can be contacted at kishori.s@ians.in)

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