Lakme Fashion Week Day 4: Payal Singhal's Lakme Salon Showcase Was A Feast For The Eyes

Think of fashion week and rows of garments and a lineup of models instantly comes to mind. What often slips it, is beauty. Fashion and beauty are two heads of the same coin and rely on each other to exist, especially at fashion week. Payal Singhal's collection showcase on day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week 2018 made that clearer than ever. The designer brought to life the contemporary Indian bride, paired with resplendent looks by Lakme salon. We spoke to designer Payal Singhal and Heena Dalvi, National Creative Director of Lakme Salon to tell us more about the magnificent show.

Swirlster: Payal, from where did you derive inspiration for this collection?

Payal Singhal: For a very long time, I wanted to do something folksy and handmade. We looked at handmade carpets, colour palettes, motifs from all over the world. There was hand dying, hand knotting, braiding with wool which was brought into the garments.

Swirlster: Brides have come a long way to become more contemporary and modern. How did you portray that in your collection?

Payal Singhal: We've never been in the genre of creating garments for the traditional bride. I was much younger then and it was for the modern Indian girl. As we grew, it used to be a specific genre of girls and now everyone is moving towards being casual and comfortable for their wedding and when they attend weddings. We want to feel as comfortable in Indian clothing as we feel in western clothing. On silhouettes, girls want their wardrobes to work double in an Indian and western context. A lot of the pieces on the runway can be worn clubbing, to a party or dinner; not only to a wedding.

Swirlster: Heena, it was nice to a see a convergence between beauty and fashion at Payal's show. What's your take on that?

Heena Dalvi: It's never only the clothes or only the makeup. When you get your top to toe right, everything follows smoothly.

Swirlster: Do tell us more about how many of the beauty looks were taken from medieval and pre-medieval times?

Heena Dalvi: We researched the eras and found how women wore their hair. From the Gupta era to the Mughal era, caves and sculptures, we studied it in depth and then decided to modernize it and bring it to life with techniques like braiding, matting etc.

Swirlster: What beauty trends could be translated from this show to reality?

Heena Dalvi: If one wants to experiment, they can try the matting technique which was showcased along with braids. There's also the top knot that was seen which is ideal for the quintessential bride.