Girls rehabilitated from Mumbai’s red light areas will take to the runway at the forthcoming Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017.
They will showcase a summer range by Mandeep Nagi, the design director of the brand Shades of India.
The collection will be modelled by girls from Mumbai-based NGO Kranti, on day two of the gala which begins on February 1.
NGO Kranti has won international recognition for rehabilitating girls from red light areas. The girls will also tell their stories while demonstrating their pride and independence in the exquisite clothes from the designer’s Bagh collection, read a statement issued by LFW organisers.
The idea for the event came from Gautam Vazirani, Fashion Curator with IMG Reliance for Lakme Fashion. He wanted Lakme to include an event this year that linked social responsibility with fashion.
He turned to TV personality Neeraj Gaba, also known as “Mr. Gaba” of the show “India’s Next Top Model”, to script and direct the show.
Nagi, for her Cinnamon collection, chose a house-help named Kamla as one of her models. She wanted to demonstrate that even girls from the most modest backgrounds can prove their independence and hold their heads high.
She followed the same path with her recent Nazraana collection where the clothes — inspired by the courtly life of old Lucknow — are again modelled by a girl from an underprivileged background.
The Bagh spring and summer collection draws on similar themes that inspired Awadh and Nazraana, with echoes of courtly life combined with a stylish bohemianism. Fabrics are fine hand woven cottons, silks and precious metallic weaves.
A major feature in the line is the revival of vintage lace, reflecting the western influence on dress in old-time Lucknow.
Colours evoke the warmth of spring, of early flowers in blossom. White, orchid tint, haze, almond, rose pink, are used with soft gold and silver metallic.
Silhouettes are inspired by traditional kurtas and pyjamas and by re-interpreting saris with a bohemian look.
