Fashion Forward

Fashion Forward Punjab gets its first fashion week and Mahie Gill is its brand ambassador

With fashion weeks being organised in Chennai and Jaipur, it is now time for Punjab to join the league. Storm Fashion Company is now all set to roll out Blender's Pride Punjab International Fashion Week in Ludhiana from November 10 to 14. The decision to not have Chandigarh as the venue was deliberate. "The idea is to take fashion weeks beyond the metros," says Gaurav Sharma, CEO, Storm Fashion Company. He adds, "We intend to take the Punjab Fashion Week to Canada and the US. That is the reason why we are calling it an international week."

With Chandigarh-bred actor Mahie Gill as its brand ambassador, the fashion week will showcase the work of 30 designers, including Archana Kocchar, Monapali, Meera and Muzaffar Ali, Charu Parashar, Gunjan and Rahul and Riyaz Ganji. This fashion week would also dedicate an entire day to the menswear collection and bring in leading designers from the region as well. "This is the first time that I would be showcasing in Punjab and I am working on a grand collection. Titled Gulaal, Gehna and Gainda, it would be an ode to the Punjabi spirit and will include lehengas, sarees and Anarkali suits," says Mumbai-based designer Archana Kochhar, who is the grand finale designer. "My showstopper would be a celebrity Punjabi, who everyone loves. The name is under wraps at the moment," she adds.

Charu Parashar, who will open the show on Day One, is equally elated about being a part of the Punjab International Fashion Week. "I have been retailing out of Samsaara in Chandigarh for a while now. The response I have got here has encouraged me to explore the Punjab market further," said Parashar. While she is gearing up for the upcoming Wills India Fashion Week in Delhi, Parashar is also hard at work designing a special collection for Punjab. "The theme is Maharani of Patiala. For the first time I am pairing Phulkari with Swarovski. It won't be a traditional collection, but my interpretation of contemporary Punjabi fashion," says Parashar, who will incorporate Patiala and Pakistani salwars in her work. "I want to highlight the two Punjabi festivals of Baisakhi and Lohri, so my colour palette would be equally vibrant," adds Parashar.

To add to the Week's regional flavour, the organisers spent a day scouting for models and held auditions in Chandigarh. "We are looking at choosing a dozen local models," adds Sharma.
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