For its 36th edition, INIFD presents GenNext’s three promising new designers featuring Arnav Malhotra (No Grey Area), Sonam Khetan (Sonam Khetan) and Prasoon Sharma (Triune). The winning designers will present their collection on Day 1, October 11th of Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI at 12 pm.

Ahead of the showcase, the designers shared with News18 the USP of the collections, celebrating sustainability and what it feels like to be winners of INIFD GenNext designers.

Excerpts from the interview:

SONAM KHETAN | COLLECTION: SIGHT OF SOUND

Tell us more about the collection you will be presenting for the upcoming season.

Our (my team and I) new collection is about sound, silence and vibrations. The collection talks about our relationship with the Earth and with the biosphere. When dealing with sound, we are also paying attention to silence, which is the sound of the Earth, free of the noise pollution of modern life. It is on the verge of extinction. Just like there are landscapes, the world is made up of soundscapes.

Every place on this planet has a particular sound. All the sounds in our lives form a mesh of relationships that constitute an ecology – the sound of passing breeze that indicates weather change, the first bird songs of spring, the shifting tide. All these listening experiences connect us back to the land. In this collection, I am celebrating both sound – the joyful vibration of life – and silence, which is the land speaking. Sound is what connects us all. The whole project of my brand is about connectedness – connecting with ecology, with people, and with ourselves.

How does presenting at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI as an INIFD GenNext designer make a difference to your brand?

Being selected for INIFD Presents GenNext is a quantum leap in terms of visibility for our brand. Not only through the exposure it is receiving from fashion professionals but also from a larger audience. It gives us the power to spread the message about our brand and about its values. We are also benefiting from mentoring from the program which is invaluable for a young brand. Finally, being given the opportunity to present our collection through a runway show is helping us focus even more on each garment we are designing and making.

What’s the USP of the collection?

This collection translates into one of the important intangible aspects of the world – sound and silence. This time I have collaborated with a young French artist called Yoann Ximenes, a visual artist whose poetic approach to sound is completely unique. Along with the story of the collection, our fabrics are custom-designed for us and dyed with natural dyes. This is just the tip of the iceberg; you’ll discover more stories when you see the entire collection.

As a designer, what is your stand on sustainable and ethical fashion?

Our brand’s purpose is to engage people to act by reminding them of the beauty of the planet. It is no longer possible to do anything, whether it’s fashion or anything else without being fervently engaged in the defense of the biosphere and to foster ethical values at every stage of the process. I believe that any kind of work, not just fashion, today, is irrelevant if you don’t have this in mind. We should not even be talking about it. It has to be something we do, like breathing – recycling, upcycling, and finding non-traditional sources of raw materials, it’s a prerequisite today. I would also say that making garments, or any kind of object which has longevity, which will last for decades, is even better than recycling. It doesn’t mean we’re there yet, but we’re striving for it. This is how we feel and are moving towards it.

A technique or print from your collection that’s special and close to your heart?

One of my favourites is the Japanese Tsuji shibori technique on white organza – an ethereal fabric which has a glint of transparent and opaque. It is made by an NGO in Kerala. Another very special element is that, with the help of an artist working on making sound visible, we have tracked down the sound of an extinct bird and it will appear in the collection as embroidery on our garments.

PRASOON SHARMA | TRIUNE | COLLECTION: BIVOUAC

Tell us more about the collection you will be presenting for the upcoming season.

Bivouac is the portal to nature. A natural realm which is perfect as is, without any interruption of human activity, where imperfections are transformed into artistry. It captures the essence of an untouched wilderness that resonates with beauty, purity, and an authenticity that’s often absent in our human-made environments. We have used patterns that seamlessly unite you with the natural world. It incorporates the patterns discovered in dense, verdant forests – a tapestry woven with earthy greens, natural browns, lively bursts of colour, and captivating animal motifs and prints. The collection speaks to a specific audience—those who hold a steadfast belief in their own potential. It’s curated for individuals who break free from societal norms and inhibitions. These are people who embrace their raw selves, valuing their imperfections as unique expressions of character and authenticity.

How does presenting at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI as an INIFD GenNext designer make a difference to your brand/label?

To be a part of Lakmé Fashion Week was a childhood dream, it is a benchmark for any designer. The kind of exposure, training, and finesse they provide is incomparable. LFW X FDCI is a brand which gives you a one-of-a-kind experience, so to be part of it is pretty amazing. It gives an edge to the brand and opens a whole new world for the label. It nurtures the designer and brand with industry experience and knowledge, providing you with the right direction and guidance from the industry leaders.

What’s the USP of the collection?

The USP is the theme and design, the collection speaks for itself. “Bivouac” is a conduit for wearers to immerse themselves in a world that transcends the mundane. Each piece becomes a metaphorical portal, inviting the wearer to step into a space of unrestrained imagination, where the intricate dance of nature’s elements takes centre stage. The designs are not just garments; they are catalysts for a connection with the unspoiled beauty of the world.

As a designer, what is your stand on sustainable and ethical fashion?

I completely support and believe in sustainable and ethical fashion, not just as a designer but as a person too. As a designer, I try really hard to reduce wastage in any and every form possible. For this collection, we have opted for handloom fabric denims which are water-efficient as compared to machine-made denims. We also focused on being human capital developed – all our art and craft are exclusively produced in-house using innovative techniques that we discovered and developed with our dedicated team, rather than relying on external outsourcing. We take pride in utilising several surface techniques that have been invented and refined in-house by our skilled team, instead of resorting to crafts and techniques available outside.

A technique or print from your collection that’s special and close to your heart?

All the techniques that we have used are very close to my heart because everything was developed in-house. However, if we have to talk about one then there is one where we have used a very special and innovative technique for our denims which is unique to our collection, and I don’t think it’s been used in India ever before. We draped cotton dories around the denim, hand dyed them and got them stonewashed to give a raw & natural look it required, this was inspired by the prop roots of Banyan tree.

ARNAV MALHOTRA | NO GREY AREA | COLLECTION: INCONVENIENCE TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

Tell us more about the collection you would be presenting for the upcoming season.

“Inconvenience today for a better tomorrow” is a phrase used across construction sites of the Chennai Metro. The philosophy of inconvenience, of solving fabric waste issues at the design stage, influenced our SS/24 design process with a particular focus on zero-waste pattern making. The collection features silhouettes and fabrics inspired by the saree, an ancient garment once worn by all genders. The spring-summer season of the year 2024 is about reflection and reminiscence.

How does presenting at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI as an INIFD GenNext designer make a difference to your brand/label?

The brands that have come through Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI as part of the INIFD Presents GenNext program have gone on to become some of the biggest and best brands in India and internationally. The platform offers designers a great opportunity and access to work with and consult some of the best names in the industry. It gives the brand an amazing platform to showcase the clothes and vision during fashion week and beyond.

What’s the USP of the collection?

From archaeological depictions of the Nauvari saree, the forefront of the inspiration for No Grey Area’s (NGA) new womenswear category, to the funky-coloured homes of old Madras that make up this season’s colours; NGA presents SS/24. The Kolam, which can be seen across the garments of this season as block prints, embroideries, and jacquards, is an art form that decorates the entrances of homes in India to balance energy. The colours of the collection are inspired by the bright colours of an old Madras home, which influenced Memphis architecture. Oversized shisha mirror embroidery, carved woodblock printing, an oversized Madras check, and three-colour ombres enrich a gender-inclusive range that blends Indian tradition with contemporary luxury. An amalgamation of the old and the new, east and west meeting in the middle, and a relieving of bygone memories.

As a designer, what is your stand on sustainable and ethical fashion?

Sustainability in fashion is very important and something that is very important to the brand. The majority of the silhouettes that make up the collection are based on zero-waste ancient Indian silhouettes like the Kalidas Kurta, Lungi and Nauvari Saree. Zero-waste patterns are created by using the entire width of the fabric without cutting any parts of the fabric while developing the pattern, solving fabric wastage issues at the design stage.

A technique or print from your collection that’s special and close to your heart?

We reimagined a traditional Kolam print usually seen outside homes in Chennai, using a very contemporary art style with clean bold lines while retaining its traditional shape and characteristics. It’s become a brand monogram that we have used across our collection in traditional and contemporary techniques, but the block-printed application of this print is very special.