#Updated: It's a wrap! All the unmissable FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week moments

After two virtual shows, Lakmé Fashion Week (aka our country's five-day fashion extravaganza) is back on-ground and we are five days in. Day one saw some exciting emerging talent like Aseem Kapoor and Countrymade (to name a few) as well as some industry veterans who blew us away with their timeless designs and opulence. Cue: Shahab Durazi and Shantanu & Nikhil.

However, if day one was about embellishments, day two saw sustainability taking center stage. From Eka's easy-breezy outfits with handwoven Indian textiles to Anju Modi's ethereal drapes made from natural fibres,  LFW's day two was eco-friendliness at its very best.

Day three saw redefined resort wear from Guapa, Bloni's deconstructed silhouettes, Amit Agarwal's metallic collection, Limerick's playful prints, and Gauri & Nainika's collection made entirely from biodegradable fabric and so much more. Whereas, day four of LFW saw Gaurang's traditional yet minimalistic saris, Payal Singhal's take on fusion festive dressing in pastel colours, Pankaj and Nidhi's classic silhouettes in vibrant colours, closing with Gaurav Gupta's post-apocalyptic celestial presentation. 

The last day of Lakmé Fashion Week ended on a high note with Shyamal and Bhumika's festive floral wear and Rajesh Pratap Singh's monochromatic yet edgy outfits. 

Scroll down to see the best moments from LFW so far.  

Day 1

Shantnu and Nikhil bring back the veil 

Shantnu and Nikhil's collection, Capella, drew inspiration from the opulence that was served by the Baroque Era. They revisit elements like the veil to accentuate the sensuousness and beauty of movement. 

Shahab Durazi returns to the runway after 12 years with a ‘retrospective’ collection 

After a long 12-year hiatus from the runway, Shahab Durazi made a comeback that deserves a spot on the fashion wall of fame. His collection, A Retrospective, transcended seasons, gender norms, and fashion genres, and stood out through its use of monochrome colours and classic silhouettes. 

'Not So Serious' By Pallavi Mohan has a feathery moment 

Not So Serious By Pallavi Mohan played with fun feathery silhouettes, glittering moments, and vibrant colours. 

The men’s edit embraces grunge and sets war-like themes 

The FDCI Emerging Talent (Men's Edit) presented labels like Countrymade, Son of a Noble SNOB, and Khanijo. Their collections shared an overarching theme of grunge and combat silhouettes that translated into striking outfits with a mix of textures and prints. 

Day 2

Anju Modi's moment with androgynous fashion 

Anju Modi showed us how to style gender-fluid festive wear, and on day 1one, Stoique Studio presented business-casual androgyny. 
 

Eka’s whimsical fairytale skit 

Eka’s show on day two (aka the LFW’s sustainable fashion day) reminded us of a whimsical tea party set in a parallel universe. The Lived In collection reflected Rina Singh’s vision of wearable sustainable fashion. 

Colour blocking and theatrical prints had a moment at the Abraham & Thakore show 

Interspersing timeless silhouettes with neon green and bold prints, Abraham & Thakore’s collection was all things vibrant and energetic. 

Satya Paul creates a fantastical universe 

Think models on bicycles and skateboards (and on hand-drawn carts), and clothes with intergalactic prints, Satya Paul closed day two of LFW with a big bang. 

Day 3

Guapa’s collection will make you wish it was summer 

Guapa’s collection can be considered to be the designer's love letter to Pondicherry. It featured beachwear with a slight upgrade. Think ruffles, vibrant colours and bold prints. These are the outfits that were missing from your summer escapades. 

Kalki turns showstopper for Abhishek Sharma 

Abhishek Sharma’s collection ‘Dusk’ is inspired by the filigree technique of making jewellery. It uses colours that are muted by hand-embroidered fine gold threads giving each outfit a regal feel. 

Gauri & Nainika's collection is made entirely from biodegradable material 

Gauri and Nainika's collection featured dresses with bold floral motifs, ruffles and romantic silhouettes. All the outfits were made from sustainable, eco-friendly fabrics. PET bottles, for instance, are manufactured into wearable material instead of winding up in the ocean. They're propelling the green movement in fashion. 

Trapeze artists and futuristic silhouettes, Bloni was quite the show 

Hot on the heels of its Paris Fashion Week debut, Akshat Bansal (creative director of Bloni) presented his new collection that attempted at bending the rules of fashion. These outfits were a cocktail of futuristic designs and technology. From square-shouldered tops and leather-bondage detailed dresses to body suits with cutouts, this collection deserves all the hype surrounding it. Of course, the trapeze artists and the aerial dancers helped its cause. 

Amit Agarwal closes day three of LFW with metallic  

With an aim to celebrate black, white and all the million shades of grey that fall within this spectrum, Amit Agarwal’s collection was inspired by speed and movement. 

Day 4 

Tara Sutaria’s opulent showstopper outfit 

Tara Sutaria closed the show for Aisha Rao on day four of Lakmé Fashion Week. She sashayed down the runway in an embellished lehenga choli. Bridal inspiration delievered. 

Gaurang’s all-red collection 

Gaurang brilliantly blended indigenous textiles and weaves with a plethora of textures and added splashes of every scarlet hue he could find. The end result was this beautiful red-hot collection of saris for the traditional yet minimalistic bride. 
 

Payal Singhal plays around with feminine yet edgy prints

Payal Singhal presented a collection of deconstructed (some fusion) Indian wear. We’re talking pants with tie-up half lehengas, ruffled blouses, hip cut-outs and festive pantsuits. The embroideries and prints mimic brush strokes with a palette that uses largely pastels with a few pops of colour. 
 

Pankaj & Nidhi's cheerful collection  

With Ananya Panday as their showstopper, Pankaj and Niddhi’s collection ‘Solaris’ had enough vibrant colours to brighten up your day. The palette ranged from shades of sunshine orange and yellow, to shades of horizon pink and purple, to dusky teal and green. 
 

Gaurav Gupta’s post-apocalyptic collection 

With an aim to transport audiences, Gaurav Gupta closed LFW’s day four with a fantastical collection of cosmic silhouettes and a celestial colour palette. 

Day 5 

Yami Gautam showstopper cream lehenga with floral motifs

Yami Gautam walked the ramp for designers Shyamal and Bhumika in a cream hued lehenga choli with floral motifs and a cape-styled dupatta. Their entire collection featured hand-embroidered statement-making outfits using age-old craft techniques. 

Rajesh Pratap Singh’s monochromatic grand finale 

Rajesh Pratap Singh closed Lakmé Fashion Week with a grand presentation of monochromatic outfits set against live opera singers. Think shimmery flowy silhouettes with chunky shoes (and ghungroos), androgynous outfits and of course, Mrunal Thakur’s concept drape-style sari. It was a ‘fitting’ end to the week!