Riding high on the achievements of the previous season, the Advisory Board members of Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW), India’s premiere fashion and trade event, met yesterday to select the Gen Next and Emerging Designers for the upcoming LFW Winter / Festive 2010. This year marks another milestone for LFW as the Gen Next platform completes 5 years of successful contribution to the Business of Fashion. Building on its consistent season over season growth in applications, LFW shows remarkable growth in the number of Gen Next & Emerging designer applications this season.
Anamika Khanna file shot from LFW 2009 by Raj Suri ©
This season received 172 Gen Next applications marking a growth of 81 percent; 92 Emerging designer applications recording a hike of 44 percent as compared to last season
An increase in applications from outside Mumbai, across India, of 64 percent compared to the previous season
Submissions came from 34 cities across the country and also from London, Dubai, Dhaka and Kowloon
The eminent panel of LFW Advisory Board including Dr. Alka Nishar - Aza, Gaurav Mahajan - Westside, Narendra Kumar - Designer, Pradeep Hirani - Kimaya, Priya Tanna - Vogue, Sathya Saran - DNA Me, Sangita Kathiwada - Melange, Sujata Assomull - Harper’s Bazar, Anil Chopra - Advisor, Lakmé, Ravi Krishnan - Managing Director IMG India, N. Rajaram - Vice President, Lakmé and Sujal Shah - Vice President & Head of Fashion, IMG, welcomed renowned designers Anamika Khanna and Manish Malhotra as they join the LFW Advisory board to select the future faces of fashion.
Eminent designer Wendell Rodricks returns to mentor the Gen Next designers this season.
Anil Chopra, Advisor, Lakme said, “India has a huge market for festive apparel as festivals form an integral part of our culture. Keeping in mind the potential of the market and addressing the need for the season, Lakmé Fashion Week focuses on Winter/Festive for the coming season.
Sujal Shah, Vice President and Head of Fashion, IMG-India said, “Pioneered by Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) in 2006, both Gen Next and Emerging platforms are aimed at discovering and nurturing fashion design talent in India. This year we have received a phenomenal increase in the Gen Next and Emerging categories, the overall 66 percent increase clearly demarcates the significance and reach of the platform. It was a challenging task to shortlist the best talent as the entries were distinct and competitive. Celebrating its 5th year as a platform conceived by LFW, Gen Next has become the most coveted developmental program of new talent and is proud to have produced some of the most acclaimed designers in the country.”
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