AIFW A/W 2017 lines up 71 designers on Day 1

The opening day of Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) Autumn-Winter (A/W) 2017 here later this month will have 71 designers showcasing their creations across six shows on the ramp. Binding them will be a common thread of Indian handloom and textiles.

The fashion extravaganza, organised by India's apex fashion body Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), will be held from March 15-18 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.

In the opening show, FDCI and The Handloom School will acknowledge the anonymous makers who create magic with thread. It will feature ensembles from 13 designers or labels like Akaaro, Antar-Agni, Eka, Good Earth, Neeru Kumar, Nicobar, Pero, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Raw Mango, Rohit Bal and Suket Dhir, read a statement from FDCI.

"Handloom weavers need and deserve a platform where their skills and rich heritage can be showcased and where weavers can learn about their markets. This show is a great opportunity for The Handloom School graduates and its future students to synergize the potential of traditional and modern textile design," said Sally Holkar, Founder of WomenWeave and The Handloom School.

"The event will also link these young artisans directly with the design world with strong support from Good Earth and The Handloom School," Holkar added.

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

Veteran designer Madhu Jain will be celebrating 30 years in the industry as a craft revivalist and textile conservationist, along with Krishna Mehta known for bringing Maheshwari fabrics to 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.

The day will also have creations of Jharkhand as it is the partner state for the fashion week.

Celebrating a decade in India, the fashion brand Vogue will showcase 55 modern day narratives of Indian traditional drapes. This will be the closing show for the day.

"The FDCI and its designers want to amplify creativity and infuse fresh energy through the medium of textiles and subtle minimalism, which have been a tour de force in the Indian design ideology. Like always, this year too, the event will be multifaceted, as we explore the nuanced processes behind the final refinement," said FDCI President Sunil Sethi.

--IANS

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