AIFW begins with focus on Indian handloom

With an effort to stay true to the spirit of Indian culture, Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) dedicated its opening show to the celebrations of home-grown handlooms and textiles in the presence of Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani.
The masterworks created with the help of threads were at the forefront on the first day evening of the AIFW with designers like Neeru Kumar, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Bal and Suket Dhir.
Talking about the transformation in the Indian fashion industry, Irani said, "It's an exciting time for the industry because there was a time when the designers here were not sure of their legacy and tried cut copy and paste what they saw in Paris or New York Fashion Weeks.

"Suddenly for the Indian fashion industry to come its own and say that they are comfortable with the legacy and want to leverage handmade crafts of India, it's exuberating because you have affordable fashion, sustainable fashion and niche fashion."
The show was a collaboration between the FDCI and The Handloom School supported by Good Earth and highlighted insightful ensembles from seven illustrious couturiers oozed in craft.
The students of the Handloom school, who worked closely with these designers to turn up their final vision on the runway, also presented their creations at the opening show.

The models ditched their tower heels as well as make-up for the show and walked barefoot to the dance beats on the ramp camouflaged into a lawn like space with beautiful flowers.

The designers played with hues of white and grey on pants, skirts and tops and dresses featuring frill sleeves.
The collections shown by the couturiers exuded simplicity in classy and wearable colours like cream, yellow, grey, dull silver and dim grey.
One of the designers of the show said that it took them over eight months to complete the designs as it required dyeing process which was a bit difficult task for the students (Indian weavers) while preparing for the show.
The weavers only ended the 15 minute-long event by sashaying down the runway in white kurtas and blue jeans.

Almost 140 designers are presenting their cutting-edge designs through runway and exhibition at the event this year which will continue till March 18.