Amazon India Fashion Week wrapped up with a spectacular show ‘Born in Benaras’ showcasing the exquisite works of 16 ace designers as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative
A moment of pride and joy for the spectators at AIFW grand finale was surely the gusto of the 16 Benarasi weavers involved in the elegant creations. As the models sashayed down the ramp, the cheer grew louder from the section where these master weavers were seated. For them, to see their creations on such a huge platform was a moment of pride and exhilaration.
Before we were to be awed by the grandeur of what was going to be presented, we were amazed by the conversion of the space which was reminiscent of the ghats of Benaras. The entire hall was lit up with diyas decorated with fresh fragrant genda petals. The ramp in the middle played a perfect host to the traditional classical music which made everyone rendezvous with the lost beauty of the pious ghats.
To re-create the magic of the Benaras, the stage was designed like that of aghat where steps were decorated by diyas. As the show started, Sunil Sethi, president of FDCI, thanked the designers and welcomed fashion designer Shaina NC and Diego Piacentini, senior vice-president, International Retail, Amazon, on stage. “Our talented designers have successfully reflected the old world charm of Benaras on the contemporary canvas. We look forward to having such collaborations in future and evolving the fashion dynamics of India. I can assure that this is just the beginning,” said Sethi.
Shaina, queen of drapes as Sethi called her, appreciated the efforts by the fashion industry towards the revival of the fabric. “The fashion design industry rocks because it believes that there is something called Corporate Social Responsibility. What started with six designers in Mumbai, went onto 70 designers in Benaras and today we have over hundred designers from all walks of life, big, small, established, not so established, working in Benaras, paying a tribute to the master weavers and especially the artisans,” said Shaina.
As she took a pause and started calling out names of the weavers present for the show, there came a moment of applause, pride and responsibility. The weavers had worked day and night with the designers to put the show and the vibe of the show gave one a feeling of being connected to their roots.
As the show started, what surprised us was use of Benarasi fabrics in ensembles like long gowns, short pants, off-shoulder dresses and jackets. On the other hand, some designers chose to go with the convention and preferred working with lehengas, sherwanis andsarees for the collection.
Since part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the designers used fabrics like Benarasi brocade, handcrafted weave and jewel stones on ensembles like heavy worked lehengas and sarees. The intricate, detailed crafted work added more to the design and actually gave a regal touch to the entire ensemble.
The show started with Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna’s western wear displaying black and grey ensemble moving onto more colourful designs. The last section of the collection was dedicated entirely to the Indian wear including the evergreen voluminous lehengas, elaborate use of jewel stones on sarees and sherwanis.
photos Pankaj Kumar