Day One ended with a bang as couturier JJ Valaya launched his bridge-to-luxury label JJV with his “season’s inspiration” — the Ottoman Empire. “I think I am going to surprise myself as well because people are used to seeing heavy bridal clothes from me and this one is going to be a departure. It’s just a new energy and I have thoroughly enjoyed working on it. It’s still occasionwear because I still like to be part of people’s celebrations, but it’s not something you have to wear to a wedding. You can wear it to dinner or a nice concert. It’s got the DNA of our brand, but it’s more accessible, simpler and cleaner. There is a lot of focus on print, very little embroidery. No weight,” Valaya told us pre-show.

And, what a gorgeous show it was! Stunning styling by his daughter Hoorvi adding tons of sexy to the looks. The show began with a breezy slit dress and moved into saris and lehngas, all replete with the JJ charm. Belts were used generously as were glasses. So cool! Chunky jewellery added a gypsy vibe. A beautiful line of black-and-white and a range of gold saris took our breath away.

The JJV man wore simple and smart clothes and sported turbans in the Valaya signature print. “My tribute to Punjab, Kapurthala specifically. This comes straight from the soul and was something that was long overdue. I have to do something to reach a larger audience. I only get brides and grooms. They love the ethos of the brand but they want something lighter and wearable. Minimal embroidery but still looking dressy,” Valaya told us post-show.

Mrunal Thakur walked in JJV. Wasn’t this her princess moment? “ I think yes, bohemian princess and this lovely jewellery and I am really fond of oxidised vintage silver jewellery… this is a deadly combination! I can go dance in this… it is so comfy,” she told The Telegraph.

Shantanu & Nikhil showed a statement collection called Nomad comprising layers. Lots of it. Blacks dominated the looks. Fringes, animal prints, embroidery, studs, sweaters in rough knits, oversized sweatshirts, puffer jackets, giant bags and fisher hats… the edgy collection had it all. “We wanted to represent our emotional self. How do we see ourselves when we get out of home now… functionality has become an important aspect of our lives but at the same time, how does it behave in different weather. We have seen seasons pass by sitting at home. The fringes and the overlayering, it’s all coming from nature. It’s our representation of how we see nature taking care of us. That’s why Nomad because nature is nomadic,” said Nikhil at the post-show press conference.

Shantanu said they just wanted to have fun. “If you dig deep into some of the archives of how Shantanu-Nikhil were born, we have done many an edgy collection. How can we marry some of the values we stand as a brand for and blend it with what is relevant today. Post-Covid, one thing is for sure, innovation and uniqueness and still staying relevant is the need of the hour. We just tried to marry street with our philosophy of couture. For us, this was street couture,” he told The Telegraph.

Did their brush with carpet designing influence these designs? “Creation is about surfaces. We just felt that nature’s whiplash comes in fabrics like these. Everything is protective. That was the mood,” Nikhil told us.

Lines merged with the brothers putting their men in skirts and dresses. “Over the last five-six years, the brand has taken a purposeful journey towards gender fluidity and inclusivity and this collection was pretty much a testimony to that. Some of the castings… they were effeminate in their persona and out-of-the-box kind of casting. The idea was to look at today’s millennials and Gen Z. What are they thinking and how they like to express themselves,” said Shantanu.

Manoj Bajpayee in Samant Chauhan

Manoj Bajpayee walked for Samant Chauhan’s Winter Rain that celebrated the party staple black. A play of embroidery and drapes, Samant showed a lot of metallics too with a mention of grey and off-white.

“This is the idea of the show… I have seen in Paris that people celebrate winter too. Black is also the colour of happiness because everyone dresses in black in Paris. I have seen black as a fashion student, but have never seen people enjoying black. In India, we see black as the colour of sadness. I love black,” Samant told TheTelegraph.

For Manoj Bajpayee, “Black is the safest”. “For all the night occasions, black complements so well. All of us who are brown, this colour really complements our complexion,” he told t2. Does he take notice of what he wears? “I like to wear casual and comfortable clothes most of the time. I like to dress for the occasions,” he said. What are we most likely to find in his wardrobe? “My wife (actress Neha) is complaining about the white shirts and denims. And the check shirts and tees! She does (choose what he wears) at times and has a great sense of style,” he shared. Their 11-year-old daughter is big on fashion, too. “She doesn’t wear anything that her mother or I choose!” he said. The Family Man actor signed off with a message for Calcutta, “Aami tomake bhalobashi”.

We love you too, Manoj!

Varun Bahl showed one helluva happy collection, high on energy, the models walking to thumping music. Easy breezy with feathers and ruffles. Jazzy and cool with metallics married to denims.

Varun splashed it with colours, as if to break away from the gloomy monotony of the pandemic. His brides were sexy, with the tiny veils oozing glamour. The peach sari look was old-world yet exuded a modern romance. A line of capes teamed with pants could take you from work to party. Pearls and pretty hair added to the feminine quotient.

Lakshmi Rana cut a stunning picture in red towards the end of the show.

Varun said the younger generation was his inspiration. “I wanted to make it for the younger girls. They only wear clothes like these. After two years, all we needed is so much happiness. It’s by observing the Gen Zs and the millennials… how they team things up is interesting,” he told The Telegraph.

Pictures: Sandip Das and FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week