Lakme Vit C Skincare presents Pankaj & Nidhi was zingy, youthful and vibrant, packing in options for you to work, chill and travel in. The set was bathed in a warm orange glow and the models walked out in all orange, top to toe. The collection showcased dresses, power suits, cropped trousers, skirts and lots of separates and structure. There were also lilacs, magentas, pinks and greens. The evening dresses looked luxe and rich. We spotted a bit of athleisure and sheer too.
Ananya Panday walked in a “sunrise orange” jacket dress. “What Ananya is wearing is a pleasant shade. Colour always makes everybody look really good, whether it’s a pink or a plum,” said Nidhi.
Pankaj added that “India is a land of colours” and they “wanted to celebrate that inherently”. “The little black dress needs to be replaced with India’s version of colour. We wanted to do a lot of colour again. We did our appliques again, but we did them with a dose of colour,” he told The Telegraph post-show and picked the jacket as the ‘it’ item of the season. “A jacket turning into a dress, like what Ananya is wearing, is an interesting statement... an embellished version of it makes it more special,” he said. Nidhi added they had experimented with blazer dresses for the first time.
Their tips to do colour? “Wear the same shade top to bottom. Keep the hair and make-up clean, dewy,” said Pankaj.
Ananya Panday took a few questions from The Telegraph.
How do you take care of your skin?
I drink a lot of water. If you see my water bottle, it’s like half my body size! I make sure I take my make-up off every night. I put a lot of sunblock on and I try to keep it limited. I try to give my skin a break from everything.
The little black dress needs to be replaced with India’s version of colour. We wanted to do a lot of colour again — Pankaj
Where do you see yourself wearing this outfit?
I would wear this to a birthday dinner, party, maybe the top half for a business meeting. It is so comfortable.
Who is the one person in your life who defines ‘orange’?
My father (Chunky Panday). Orange is the colour to describe him.
You have a sunshine personality, much like the colour you wore. Where do you derive positivity from?
From the people around me! Nothing makes me happier or rejuvenates me more than spending time with my family and friends.
If you had to pick one person who’s had the happiest influence on your life, who would it be?
My parents (Bhavana Pandey and Chunky Panday). I am who I am because of them. They’re my biggest cheerleaders and my harshest critics as well and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What does the word ‘orange’ bring to mind…
Orange candy (laughs)! After school every Friday running after class to the canteen before the ice cream runs out!
The collection showcased a whole gamut… work, party, play, travel… what’s on your mind when we say these words….
How life should be! You have to enjoy every moment and make the most of it, because as they say, YOLO (laughs).
Who is the brightest star on the entertainment horizon for you?
There’s so much talent around... I’m inspired by someone new and some work of art every single day, it’s hard to pick just one! Someone close to my age who I really admire though is Zendaya — she makes some brave choices and she’s so effortless.
Pictures: Sandip Das