Varun Nidhika, Itrh, Tanieya Khanuja explore femininity at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Mar 13, 2023

Varun Nidhika, Itrh, and Tanieya Khanuja each presented their own take on femininity on the runway at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with Fashion Design Council of India in Mumbai.

Varun Nidhika presented a womenswear collection titled ‘Dreamsequence’ which was colourful, full of florals, and embellished with metallic accents. By using geometric motifs on fine cutwork graded patterns, the collection was given a fresh, sleek feel. 
 
“The collection is called Dream Sequence and it essentially means inter-stitched dreams,” said design duo Varun and Nidhika in a press release. “The pieces are inter stitched in a dream sequence otherwise they are like macro pieces from micro collections. With each season the experience keeps on getting better. our choreographer was instrumental in helping us realise the mission to take it out on the ramp. The team made it exciting and very nice.”

Label Irth followed on the runway with ‘Dancing Queen’, a glam interpretation of disco culture. Swarovski and crystal elements added glitter and pastel layers added feminine charm. 
 
Showstopper Sonakshi Sinha closed the show in a shimmering, gold, long fish tail skirt, paired with a matching bralette and long shrug. Celebrities including Anaita Shroff, Adajania, Anshula Kapoor, and Antara Motiwala Marwah also walked in the show.
 
“We are the late 80s babies, so disco has been an integral part of our growing years,” said designers Mohit and Ridhi. “Our first disco collection was a tribute to the original disco king Bappi Lahiri and we had the privilege to work with him in our campaign. Dancing Queen is an extension of it. We have modernised disco for today’s generation - being extra yet chic.”
 
Finally, Tanieya Khanuja showcased ‘Queen Moves Only’ as an ode to the bold modern woman. The monochromatic line featured textiles including taffeta and organza with sequin embellishments and the collection mixed body-con occasion wear dresses with easy to wear saris, highlighting how modern women feel confident to mix cultural dressing styles in their own way. 
 
“I am so pleased to have such a powerful presentation and a lovely show at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI,” said Khanuja. “My collection says 'Queen Moves Only' so it's symbolic to powerful women and the moves they make. It's an homage to strong women everywhere. I couldn't have asked for more than a story and concept like that to be presented on a powerhouse of a platform like we did today. We had a beautiful show.”