India Couture Week 2023: What you need to know
After the conclusion of Paris Fashion Week, India is now ready to dazzle the fashion world with its 16th edition of Couture Week, which commenced on July 25.
Hosted predominantly at the prestigious Taj Palace Hotel, this event features prominent Indian designers showcasing their stunning collections.
Here's a quick guide:
Organisers
The fashion gala is jointly organised by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Hyundai Motor India and is scheduled to run until August 2.
Schedule
Since its opening on July 25, the event has already seen three designers showcase their collections over the past two days. Falguni Shane Peacock kicked off the show on July 25, followed by Ritu Kumar on July 26, both of whom created quite a buzz.
Take a look at the rest of the schedule:
July 27 (Thursday)
- Varun Bahl | 8:00 pm (Durbar Hall, Taj Palace)
- Gaurav Gupta Couture | 9:30 p.m (offsite)
July 28 (Friday)
- Kunal Rawal | 8:00 pm (Shah Jehan Hall, Taj Palace)
- JJ Valaya | 9:30 pm (Offsite)
July 29 (Saturday)
- Rohit Gandhi+Rohit Khanna | 8:00 pm (Shah Jehan Hall, Taj Palace)
- Tarun Tahiliani | 9:30 pm (Durbar Hall, Taj Palace)
July 30 (Sunday)
- Rimzim Dadu | 2:00 pm (Offsite)
- Anamika Khanna | 8:00 pm (Durbar Hall, Taj Palace)
July 31 (Monday)
- Dolly J | 8:00 pm (Shah Jehan Hall, Taj Palace)
- Shantanu & Nikhil | 9:30 pm (Durbar Hall, Taj Palace)
August 1 (Tuesday)
- RoseRoom By Isha J | 8:00 pm (Shah Jehan Hall, Taj Palace)
- Pratap | 9:30 pm (Durbar Hall, Taj Palace)
August 2 (Wednesday)
- Rahul Mishra | 8:00 pm (Offsite)
The event started off with Falguni Shane Peacock, featuring her collection (we will get to that in a bit) and the event will be closed by Rahul Mishra, who recently showcased his collection (called We the People) at the Paris Fashion Week.
The first-ever Indian Couture Fashion Week, also known as the India Couture Week (ICW), took place in the year 2008 under the chairmanship of Sunil Sheti (not the actor, but a businessman). It was organized by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and has since become an annual event showcasing the finest couture collections by Indian designers
What we have seen so far?
Falguni Shane's collection: Barbiecore trend, Kiara Advani and a guy in lehenga
The event opened with Falguni Shane Peacock's collection, aptly named 'Renaissance Reverie,' paying homage to the artistry of colors and offering a captivating glimpse into the Renaissance era through a vibrant array of hues.
The show featured Kiara Advani as the showstopper, donning a pink blouse and lehenga, creating a "barbie-core" moment. Models elegantly showcased intricately crafted lehengas and sherwanis, accompanied by exquisite jewelry from Renu Oberoi Luxury Jewellery.
Apart from Kiara as the show's stopper, another model that caught everyone's attention was a guy model who took the ramp wearing a lehenga. Rabanne Jamsandekar Victor, the model, who has been openly gay, has experience of working with prestigious fashion brands like Sabyasachi, adorned with a majestic golden lehenga for Peacock's ramp.
The dazzling outfit he confidently wore showcased gender-neutral fashion, consisting of a blouse, fish-cut lehenga (giving mermaid core vibes), and a sheer veil with a long train.
[READ MORE: How to get Mermaidcore right, the trend ruling Instagram and TikTok with 14 billion views]
Ritu Kumar's show: Aditi Rao Hydari, regal x chic collection
Ritu Kumar, with over 50 years in the business, presented her collection on day 2 of the fashion show. The collection brilliantly fused traditional ethnic designs with the designer's renowned hand-embroidery craftsmanship, alongside modern elements like embroidered bodysuits paired with capes, elegant fluid dresses, and stylish strapless blouses.
The showstopper for Ritu Kumar's display was the graceful Aditi Rao Hydari, radiating charm in an ivory lehenga (complete with pockets) and a Gazal jacket adorned with Kashmiri embroidery.
Today, designers Varun Bhal and Gaurav Gupta (who also recently made a debut for PFW) are set to take the show forward on Day 3 of the show.