CLANDESTINE’S DAY OUT AT THE IPLFW – Volume 1

Follow my blog with bloglovin
Clandestine Cigarettes proudly presents….*Drum Roll* ….a detailed account of the IPLFW‼ *Applause*. We went, we saw, we came away with mixed feelings. Yes we were tres happy to have been invited by our good friends, the Mapxencars, who were showing their collection, for the first time ever, on foreign shores. Yes, we loved the fact that the Indian fashion industry seemed to be getting bigger and (wish I could say better) bolder in terms of experimenting with a foreign market and trying to make its presence felt with minimal press coverage and media buzz. We liked the fact that a prime location in the heart of the city (Holborn, Southampton Row) was chosen as the venue of the first ever season of the Indian Premier London Fashion Week (actually 3 days). And finally, it was admirable that such a new body of the fashion industry was giving young, fledgling designers the chance to expand their wings and capture an international audience even before their teething stage in India had ended. Two thumbs up for courage and a pat on the back for encouraging new talent. So here’s what we thought about the whole event (starting with, of course, the Mapxecars‼) and then the rest of the day at the Bloomsbury Ballroom, Victoria House, Southampton Row, London.

mapxecaRS by Riddhi & Siddhi

These identical twin sisters are as different as chalk and cheese when it comes to personal style and personalities (for lack of a better word). But as a team, they’re perfect together. They understand each other’s design language and give each other enough creative space so that ultimately, as a label, the mapxencaRS come up with something they believe in and love! That is the commitment that was blatantly on display at the IPLFW GenNext show.

The sisters looked to one of the world's most renowned architects - Daniel Libeskind - for inspiration. A little background on the architect for the uninitiated - some of Daniel's best work includes such symbolic structures as the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Imperial War Museum in Manchester, the Spiral extension to the V & A Museum in London and master development of WTC.

The mapxencaRS used the theory of deconstruction (or what they called “deconstructionism…WHAAT‼ C’mon sistahs! That’s not even a word) and gave it a twist in fashion language through garment construction and draping techniques. Result? A very interesting play of seams twisted and stitched down to form mindboggling structures of lines and curves (good theme interpretation, innit?) Their palette comprised black in combination with grays, electric blue and a sprinkling of a range of pinks. The metallic edge (that defines Daniel’s work) was provided by silver.

The entire collection was cohesive in terms of theme interpretation. Kudos to them for maintaining harmony in the elements of design and experimenting with various construction techniques! However, maybe there was too much of a good thing in the collection? Too many elements together crowded the tiny area in the mini dresses. Additionally, there was one panel too many in some of the ensembles. However, the simple silhouette saved the day.

I have to make a special mention of the deadly diva that Siddhi was on ramp. Totally overshadowed the models! And Riddhi’s personality shone through the tiny black dress and engulfed the ramp atmosphere. Such a pleasure to watch these girls on ramp! A breath of fresh air when compared to the jeans-sneakers clad designers taking a bow at the end of a show while furiously chewing on gum.

After the show, the mapxencaRS gave us the chance to see them in action at their stall. Interacting with buyers, networking with potential clients, discussing business matters and generally being the entrepreneurs and proud owners of an already successful label. Gave us great pleasure to see our goofy friends from college transformed into serious business partners and we couldn’t help but be happy for their success.

Keep up the good work nos amies! We’re proud of you girls!

TD*DG