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Not Paris, Not LA. Not London. India is clearly becoming the new adda of edgy fashion!
Young, fiesty and experimental desis are going the extra mile to advertise their love for haute couture beyond popular labels and brand names.
You'd be surprised to find out how far they'd travel and how much they are willing to dish out in order to look chic.
Rediff.com's Mayur Sanap chatted with some of the movers and shakers at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week X FDCI in Mumbai.
"Everyone is trying to look like Kylie Jenner!" quibbles content creator Nilu Thapa while discussing the fashion trends she abhors.
"When you open social media, you see lots of Kylies and Kardashians. Fashion should be an expression of individuality and not trying to look like someone else on social media," says the engineering graduate, who quit her job a few years ago to become a full-time content creator.
Although Thapa has frequented Paris Fashion Week many times, this was her first outing at FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai.
The 35 year old believes that fashion is a means to communicate who you are. Her mantra is to wear clothes that resonate with her personality, rather than blindly following what's in.
She prefers comfort over style and doesn't mind spending extra if she likes something in particular.
'I am a sneakerhead. I love a lot of prints and colours. And I love wearing sunglasses," she says, while describing her look for the event.
Guess how much Thapa spent on her look?
Sunglasses: Rs 12,000
Bag: Approximately Rs 1,80,000
Dress: Rs 20,000
Sneakers: Approximately Rs 18,000
Another young fashionista who caught our eye was Ruopfuzhano Whiso.
The content creator hails from Nagaland and was turned out in this beautiful ensemble inspired by a local tribe, the Angamis, from her home state.
"For me, tradition really means to create and add modern elements to make it more street style and more wearable.
"I have donned a green jacket because it is the color of the season. Some cute earrings to go along with it. These earrings are beautifully made by women's artisanal group called Runway Nagaland. It is more of a modern twist on how traditional jewellery is used in Nagaland," says the 23 year old. Doesn't she look spiffy?
Her fashion formula is "Go big, go bright and stun everyone in the room you walk into."
Thanks to some smart jugaad, Whiso was able to put together her look without spending a bomb!
Jacket: Gift from her sister, costs approx Rs 5,000
Boots: Rs 3,000
Bag: Sponsored by Runway Nagaland
Earrings: Rs 300
Whiso's style tip: Always think about the bottom. If the bottom is too flowy, make the top tight. Or maybe add some structure to your look, so that it is more palatable to the eyes.
"People always spot me because of my tattoos," says Akriti Viras, the flamboyant 23 year old who has over 100,000 followers on Instagram.
Viras loves buzzy colours and styles herself to get out of her comfort zone and she's achieved a look worthy of a showstopper.
"My body tattoos complement the loud aesthetic I am going for," she adds, while showing off the three funky blue rings she designed herself.
This is her second visit to LFW, and Akriti chose an ensemble from the brand Doh Tak Keh and paired it with sunglasses that were lying in her drawer for a month.
"The moment I saw the outfit, I was sold," beams Akriti, who considers the Italian American model Julia Fox her ultimate fashion icon.
Her sunglasses were picked up randomly from a street shop in Mumbai and the pretty necklace was bought in Thailand.
It's a dress. It's a tunic. Or is it an ermm...
Among the ocean of fashionably-arrayed women, Shantanu Dope's androgynous avatar got everyone talking.
Dope said he picked this getup for its vibrant colours. He even tweaked his makeup to incoporate the colours of the outfit.
To add a campy twist, he stuck ribbons below his eyes and accentuated the entire deal with a bright eye liner.
"It is a gender-fluid outfit, which is something I identify myself as," says Dope finally explaining how the look is inspired by Harry Styles' fashion.
The ensemble is from 2.0, shoes from ASOS, bag courtesy Diesel and H&M rings.
Shantanu, whose style icon is American drag queen Violet Chachki, adores stuff that fits the figure. He hates Crocs!
We say you look dope, Mr Dope. More power to you.
