Remember Y2K? When phones were dumb (and delightful) and Beyoncé was still Destiny’s Child? It was also when India was waking up to the notion of a designer fashion scene. A cohort of designers and fashion industry folk imagined a first-of-its-kind spectacle for the country—its very own fashion week. Over the course of these few days, Lakmé Fashion Week will clocking in a silver jubilee with a season of new shows culminating in a grand gala.
A great fashion showcase is a conjuring trick of several minds, with designers at the centre of action. Surrounding them is a galaxy of cutting-edge creatives who come together to create the final look: fashion stylists, hair and make-up artists, scenographers and show directors, sound and lighting experts, music producers and models. We asked some of the biggest names to have worked behind the scenes—and one catwalk icon—to share their favourite memories of fashion weeks over the years.
Ambika Pillai, hair and makeup artist
We used to do six back-to-back shows. It was absolute madness, but the energy was mind-blowing. I would be on my toes for Rajesh Pratap Singh. He liked having one distinct element that ran through for everybody—that’s how we came up with the white line running across the models’ faces for one show. For another, he sent models out wearing paper bags on their heads. Manish Arora was always over the top—the crazy child of fashion—and he pushed me. For one of his shows, we created dreadlocks that came down to the knees and ankles. Ashish N Soni once asked for his models to be bald; I put skull caps on everyone and air-brushed them. For another show, Ashish wanted his models to look like they had dipped their hair in icy mountain streams. I put a cup with dry ice at the back of their heads and swept up their hair in the front—I still don't know how I managed to make all of it stay in place against gravity.
Sumant Jayakrishnan, scenographer
The year: 2000. It was the first fashion week, and I was doing everything from exhibitions to shows to venue design. At 1 am on a Wednesday, after fashion week had started, we got into a meeting with Ravi Krishnan (former MD, IMG South Asia), Sumeet Nair (executive director of FDCI), Anil Chopra (of Lakmé), [choreographer and show director] Lubna Adam, and Raghavendra Rathore, Wendell Rodricks, and Tarun Tahiliani, who were showing at the grand finale on Saturday. I was meeting Wendell for the first time, and also Tarun, who started talking about India and the kaleidoscope of Indian textiles that must be represented. I had been working for four days and was nodding off to sleep, but I jumped up at that point and said, “Kaleidoscope! That’s what we are going to use as our set.” And sure enough, we did. Tarun and I have been the best of friends since.
It was the same with Gudda (Rohit Bal), with whom I did some extraordinary shows. For one show (the grand finale of LFW Summer/Resort 2012), we created a double-storeyed set in the gardens of the Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Gudda had just returned from a trip to Egypt and was inspired by the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, and I made it with paper.
Anu Ahuja, show director
A lot of hard work goes into shows. But when people say it’s not about the glamour and that it’s all blood, sweat, and tears, I don't see it. My work is absolutely glamorous and exciting, and I love every bit of it. What’s exciting is to be able to do shows at interesting venues. I remember doing shows at Bandra Fort, and one with Sabyasachi at Richardson & Cruddas [mill] in Mumbai—it became very popular after his show. I remember one show with Monisha Jaising (Winter/Festive 2018) that featured a performance by Cirque du Soleil—it was incredible to be in their presence. There was also the finale showcase with Bibhu Mohapatra (October 2023), which we put together in three days while simultaneously working on other shows. I was so exhausted later, I actually fainted.
Clint Fernandes, hair and makeup artist
I have been part of fashion week through the many changes over the years. One of the shows I remember was with Manish Arora, for which I had made these custom eye patches. A picture from the show made it to the cover of India Today—making the cover of a political magazine was always thrilling. And I would love working on Gen Next shows—with Rahul Mishra, Nachiket Barve—or early shows with Vaishali S and Gaurav Gupta. All of them have succeeded and done so well for themselves. Or even models—I remember joking with Anushka [Sharma] backstage at shows when she used to be a model. Look at her now! It feels like being part of a big family where everyone has grown and reached beyond.
Nayanika Chatterjee, model
The first Lakmé Fashion Week, I actually didn’t model. I was working with Fashion TV then, so I was just sort of co-ordinating things to try and get coverage from the designers. Then I had my daughter, and just a few months after, in 2003, Reena Dhaka saw me, realised I was back in shape, and said, ‘You have to do my show as well.’ I think after that it became okay to have a kid and then get back to modelling. When my daughter was two or three, she actually walked the ramp with me for Wendell Rodricks. It was so adorable. He was inspired a lot by the sea, so there were shells everywhere, and she was so enamoured by everything, especially these furry chappals he made for her to wear. When it was over, she wouldn’t leave the runway, so he just scooped her up and took her backstage, where she then posed with all the boys in the show. - Butool Jamal
