Manish Malhotra, a favourite designer among Bollywood stars and international names including Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss, last night wowed the audience with The Blue Runway fashion show.
The event was held in collaboration with a global campaign against gender violence at Lakmé Fashion Week summer/resort 2015 in Mumbai.
A host of Bollywood celebrities turned up to see Malhotra’s latest collection including Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez, Huma Qureshi, and Kajol.
The Indian designer used his collection for the launch of WEvolve, an international campaign with the World Bank as a partner, aimed at encouraging young men and women to challenge norms that lead to gender-based violence, a topical and important issue in India.
The Hollywood actress Rosario Dawson, who starred in Sin City, flew into India for the show to help launch the campaign.
“I think when we’re celebrating Indian fashion and we take a few moments to address a world gender problem it gives integrity to what all of us do,” Malhotra said. “Fashion week has a lot of young eyeballs and a platform like this, if we can say something it makes it all so much more valuable. So it’s a show which is different even for me.”
The female models took to the ramp wearing summery evening wear, including flowing gowns, jacket-saris, and sweeping long skirts, with beautifully intricate embroidery of flowers incorporated into many of the designs. Blue, of course, was the dominant colour. Jewellery was kept to a minimum. In the men’s collection, the men wore bandhgala jackets, which were also embroidered with floral designs, and long shirts.
The show was held outdoors under the stars in the leafy courtyards of the Great Eastern Home, an upmarket furniture store, which is housed in a former textile mill in south Mumbai.
To close the event the models returned to the catwalk holding signs displaying words such as “gender” and “equality” to highlight the campaign. It ended with a shower of rose petals coming down over the ramp.
Dawson said she “was really moved” and “floored” by the show and its message.
“I really hope this is a call to arms for a lot of other designers,” the actress said.
The crowd was impressed by Malhotra’s work, with other designers turning up to see his collection for inspiration.
“It was a beautiful show and the cause is very good,” said Shruti Sancheti, a designer who has a show at Lakmé Fashion Week today, featuring traditional Indian weaving techniques and textiles. “I think he outdid himself. He’s already an excellent designer. Although I have a show coming up, I’m here to see what heights one can achieve.”
artslife@thenational.ae
