- Avarna Jain,
Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media
Til by Ankur Verma Wins The 8th Edition Of NEXA Presents The Spotlight
We love to see young, promising Indian designers being brought to the forefront, and this edition of The Spotlight did just that and more!
NEXA presents ‘The Spotlight’ just held its 8th edition this season, with a bunch of really cool designers participating this time. The platform is known for showcasing the crème de la crème of emerging design talent of India, and this time was no different. This time around, TIL by Ankur Verma was announced as the winner. He will be showcasing at the upcoming Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI. Apart from TIL by Ankur Verma, this edition had an impressive lineup of designers including Kaleekal by Alan Alexander Kaleekal, Khanijo by Gaurav Khanijo, Line Outline by Deepit Chugh, Pieux by Pratyush Kumar, and Poochki by Ishanee Mukherjee.
L-R: Pratyush Kumar, Deepit Chugh, Ankur Verma, Ishanee Mukherjee, Alan Alexander Kaleekal and Gaurav Khanijo
NEXA’s theme for this edition, ‘Rhapsody’, focuses on enthusiasm and ecstatic feeling, wherein all the designers had to use their collections as a medium to portray the emotion, and the collections were required to weave a narrative that fits the theme. The presentations depicted energy, vibrancy, and lots of colours.
The jury panel included Mr. Partho Banerjee(Senior Executive Officer Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited), Mr. Bhuvan Dheer (Executive Officer, Marketing, Maruti Suzuki India Limited), Mr. Sunil Sethi(Chairman, FDCI),Ms. Ruchika Sachdeva, (Designer, Bodice), Ms. Chaiti Narula, (Editor, Manifest), Mr. Ashish Soni (Designer) and Mr. Jaspreet Chandok (Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Ltd.)
With his winning collection ‘Mirage’, designer Ankur Verma merged Rhapsody with the concept of Mirage. The collection explores the duality between reality and perception and draws inspiration from human textures – freckles, moles, and wrinkles. He also incorporated sustainability into the collection by using upcycled materials and techniques like katran weaving.
With reference to his upcoming showcase at the upcoming Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, Ankur Verma told us, “I’m really excited to put up a great show, I’m going to do something crazy experimental, and a mix of great layers and colours. I’m super excited to have people come and see my vision”
L-R: Ankur Verma, Chaiti Narula, Jaspreet Chandok, Bhuvan Dheer and Sunil Sethi
While Til by Ankur Verma took the cake, we also loved the quirky embroidered motifs fused with sharp silhouettes from Khanijo’s collection “Silken Rhapsody: Future Echoes”. Additionally, we really liked the vibrant colours and relaxed silhouettes of the collection ‘Metrochrome’ by Kaleekal. Taking inspiration from childhood, Poochki’s collection 'Look Ma, No Hands' also transported us to the good old days with a kaleidoscope of colours and clothes that celebrate joy.
A look from Poochki's collection 'Look Ma, No Hands'
FDCI chairman Mr. Sunil Sethi takes us through the three key factors he feels are imperative for a good ‘NEXA Presents The Spotlight’ collection to have. “The three essential factors are: creativity, adherence to NEXA's philosophy and theme, and a clear understanding of how the set and presentation will translate on the ramp. These three factors make for an excellent ‘NEXA Presents The Spotlight’ Designer”
When asked about her parameters for gauging the designers, Bodice designer Ruchika Sachdeva tells us, “One of the major parameters is wearability. I have always believed that when creating something, it's essential to consider that someone will wear it. For me, a key motivation behind my work is that my clothes empower real people. Secondly, while wearability is crucial, it should also be balanced with innovation. The design should also be inspiring and should make one dream. Balancing these two factors is not often easy”
For Manifest editor Chaiti Narula, the key factors for judging the collections were innovation, use of materials and storytelling. “Wearability is another factor that I will consider, because sometimes beautiful works of art are created in the name of couture or fashion, but ultimately, wearability is what matters the most.”
We don't know about you, but this edition of NEXA presents The Spotlight left us feeling incredibly inspired!
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