Fresh perspectives took centrestage when GenNext showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week.
Emerging designers Abhishek Shinde, Yash Patil and Saumya Locha captivated fashion watchers with their distinctive creative voices.
All three attempted to balance tradition with innovation even as they kept their creations sustainable.
Yash Patil's That Antique Piece cleverly reimagined the Rana royal heritage for contemporary wardrobes.
Drawing inspiration 'from archival photographs of the Rana queens of Nepal from the 1870s to the 1950s, the collection explores the braids, jewels and textiles' of that period.
Abhishek Shinde's Ciao offered a refined take on menswear inspired by 'Sicily’s radiant sun, rustic charm and Mediterranean allure.
'The collection features handwoven textiles, hand-block printed and hand-embroidered fruit and floral compositions, bold carnival stripes and retro tailoring infused with playful details to curate a summer wardrobe with a touch of adventure,' says the designer.
Saumya Locha's emotionally intelligent designs -- titled Dichotomy Of Loss -- showed how a designer's personal narrative can transform fashion.
'To bring this concept to life,' says the designer in her concept note, 'an experiment was conducted with five individuals, each invited to share their unique perspectives on grief.
'They were then given a shirt, a pair of pants, and a pair of scissors, with complete freedom to cut the garments as they processed their emotions.
'The resulting collection draws from both the physical transformations of the garments and the psychological insights revealed through this exercise.'