Delhi gets a very small window of enjoyable spring weather every year. A few weeks in March when you can enjoy the green outdoors of the city without feeling too hot or needing ACs at all times. Designer Rahul Mishra, while opening the FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week 2022 on Tuesday night, made the most of this pleasant springtime in Delhi. He used the verdant lawns of the Italian embassy to showcase his collection that kicked off the Lakme Fashion Week 2022.
The Italian embassy’s lawns, dotted with trees and floral plants, served as the perfect setting for Rahul Mishra’s show. Instead of using a traditional ramp, the designer had his models walk the length of the lawn as the guests sat one one side. The collection itself was heavily inspired by nature, floral patterns and colours. The models walked to lilting music in the background, which changed mid-show to live singing of classic songs like ‘Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat’. Two big floral installations merged with the beautiful trees in the lawns, enhancing the feel of ‘The Enchanted Garden’.
The evening was also a big celebration of the cultural collaboration between India and Italy. While the Italian ambassador Vincenzo de Luca played a generous host, Rahul Mishra talked about the impact that country has had in his life. “I have studied in Italy, and wanted to recreate a little piece of Tuscany in India. When I found out that I would be showcasing at the Italian embassy’s lawns, this also became an important part of my show. Talking about the Enchanted Garden, all my memories of being in the most beautiful places in Italy – when my wife and I were studying there – have been recreated in this collection,” said Rahul.
This is the first big fashion extravaganza being held on-ground in Delhi after the pandemic, and Rahul’s show also incorporated that element. At the end of the show, the models lined up for a final photo-op and did not leave as the lights dimmed. Instead, members of the audience were encouraged to walk up to the models and take a close look at clothes.
Explaining why he ended the show unconventionally, Rahul said, “We have been seeing fashion on a small screen, and the beauty of touch and feel has been missing from our lives for the past two years. So I wanted people to be able to feel and touch the clothes, because it is going to be a big disappointment if a piece like that is passed on as a print, something which an artisan has worked on for probably 10,000 human hours.”
