A model walks the ramp for Pia Pauro in Mumbai on Friday. — ASIAN AGE

Change has come to the Lakme Fashion Week. Friday marked day one of the fashion extravaganza’s Winter/Festive season, and despite the familiarity of the routine (shows, post-show conferences, the mandatory air kissing), there was something different.

Perhaps it was the absence of familiar faces: Popular designers like Narendra Kumar Ahmed, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Manish Malhotra — crowd pleasers from seasons past — are missing this time round. Perhaps it was the somewhat lacklustre showings that marked the early part of day one, a disappointment after the explosion of energy and creativity in the Summer/Resort season earlier this year. Maybe it had something to do with the phenomenal rise in the number of bloggers and websites covering the event. Or maybe it was that for the first time since its inception, the male attendees probably outdid the women in terms of style.
Those nuances aside, it was business as usual at the LFW. The lights dimmed first for the GenNext show, an initiative that is now celebrating seven years at LFW. GenNext shows tend to be quite experimental in nature, and this one was only slightly less so, with some promising ideas and names finding space on the ramp. From a burst of golden yellow on the ramp courtesy designers Astha and Siddharth to the more somber tones of moss grey, green and deep red put together by Mehak, Kanika and Ankit, the kitschy prints and layering of Richa Aggarwal, pop-infused city scenes on fabric by Kavita Sharma and blue and white theme of Aniket Sharma, each Gen Next designer brought a different look to the ramp. Sneha Arora managed to make a positive impact with her line of Western wear that exemplified geeky chic.
Mexico came to Mumbai with the pre-lunch show of Pia Pauro, from ponchos, shorts, skirts and dresses, everything in Pia’s line spelt Acapulco of the ’70s. Shorts, midriff baring ensembles and tube dresses were worked with embellishments like mirrors, lace, tassels and sequins, in a collection that was vibrant and glamorous, teamed with accessories like oversized, colourful totes and straw sombreros. “Mexico, with its rich heritage of textiles, has been a true inspiration for me,” said Pia. “The elements were inspired by the anci-ent ruins of the Olmecs, Maya and Aztec to the rainforests and pristine beaches of Tulum and Acapulco.”
Post-lunch, the auditorium waited expectantly for the shows of Nandita Thirani and Payal Singhal. Nandita’s collection had a smattering of Western wear (notably, a short black cocktail dress worked with deep purple insets and a flowing train) and many of the dramatic, ethnic silhouettes that she is famous for in tones of black, grey, gold and silver. On the other hand, Payal Singhal chose not to stick to completely traditional silhouettes, and had some interesting floor length dresses, all with a basic grey bodice and slim skirts in neon shades. To please her clientele, Payal also incorporated several of the shimmery saris/churidar-kurtas and lehengas she’s famous for. Sheer odhanis worn over lehengas with a metallic gold sheen formed a mainstay of the latter half of her collection. Payal said, “I was inspired by the adivasi costumes of Kutch and Orissa, and this collection, with its hues of acid neon cyan, fuchsia, lime and cobalt is my tribute to the colourful tapestry of the country.”
With the range of colours on the ramp shifting from sunshine yellow to the hues of dusk, the stage was set for the late evening shows by Ritu Beri and Pallavi Jaikishan.