India's got talent

Some of India's most promising names in fashion took their first public bow at Lakme Fashion Week's Gen Next show. On a landmark 20th anniversary, they returned to the same platform to discuss what life has taught them since

As Rahul Mishra took a post-show bow at the prestigious Paris Haute Couture Week on January 23, becoming the first Indian designer to be welcomed as guest member on the Haute Couture calendar, he felt first-timer nerves that he had once experienced in 2006. He was 23 when he put up his first show as part of the Gen Next category at Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW). "I remember feeling identical emotions when I had made my debut. It was a feeling of, 'is this good enough?'" he says.

Life came a full circle for Mishra when he was invited to be part of the retrospective show on February 11 to raise a toast to LFW as it celebrated 20 years. Each of the featured 30 designers, including Aneeth Arora, Masaba Gupta, Rimzim Dadu, Ujjawal Dubey, Anand Bhushan, Kunal Rawal, Nachiket Barve, Sohaya Misra, and International Woolmark Prize winners Mishra and Ruchika Sachdeva of Bodice, was asked to recreate one look from their debut collection, albeit updated uniquely.

Mishra's first collection was a seven-piece capsule range called A Ray of Light, imagined entirely out of Kerala handloom fabrics, and rooted firmly in the sustainable values of reversible clothing. It's the collection that positioned Mishra as a star craftsman. "The room full of editors, celebrities, buyers and designers like Wendell Rodricks and Sabyasachi Mukherjee on the front row, had given a standing ovation," Mishra remembers.

Jaspreet Chandok, VP and head of fashion at IMG Reliance, co-organiser of LFW, believes that discovering new talent has been their biggest contribution to the Indian fashion industry. "The Gen Next programme is something we take pride in and consider our greatest achievement," he says.

It has been four years since fashion consultant Sabina Chopra took charge of this mentorship programme, and continues to share a strong relationship with designers long after their first curtain call. "The Gen Next show introduces the industry to new creative energy, and it's always exciting to see what they [designers] do next. None of us want to know what the 'veterans' are doing," she says matter-of-factly.

An intensive selection process begins three months prior, starting with sifting through 500-odd applications posted from across the country. It is not just about talent, Chopra stresses, but finding designers with a certain business maturity. "Creativity comes first, followed by work experience. And then we hold one-on-one interviews."

While the profile-raising publicity received from showcasing at a platform like LFW is a boost for young designers, those helming it are now focused on helping new labels understand the business aspects better. As part of a larger outreach programme, Gen Next participants are taken on a road show titled, On The Road. "It's less to do with sales and more about providing an interface with leading retailers. We also conduct a masterclass where designers get a chance to interact with public relations professionals, social media influencers, buyers and stylists who advice them on how to take the business forward," Chandok explains.

Masaba Gupta, debutant from the 2010 Gen Next batch, believes the programme helped her in the early stages of her career. "Wendell Rodricks was my show mentor. I was a very nervous 19-year-old, and clearly remember looking at Sabyasachi [Mukherjee] who was in the front row. It was my first bow on the ramp, and in that moment, I knew I wanted to design clothes for the rest of my life."

The Now-Famous Old Guard Guides The New

Masaba Gupta
Gen Next debut: 2010

Then and now
My aim was to create a truly nostalgic piece [for this time's LFW] but with the technical and commercial knowledge that I now have. It took just 10 minutes to put the outfit together. I've updated the palm and cow print. I found a leftover old pocket patch with Kutchi work from my debut show, and used it in the new saree. Nobody had thought of integrating a pocket in a saree before that.

Overcoming defeatist moments
I experienced many confusing moments when I was designing sell-out collections, but didn't know how to turn it into a moneymaking business. I also struggled with managing a team. But things changed after I joined Satya Paul in 2012; it was a huge learning experience.

Advice for the upcoming lot
Be original, and have a plan in place. Choose a life around the brand that you want to build.

Anand Bhushan
Gen Next debut: 2009

Then and now
The woman in my first collection was very pretty. She is still pretty but she has a kind of edginess, morbidity to her. I have replaced pretty embroidery with textures, primarily leather, mesh and neoprene. I still have the footwear we used for my first show. We amped it up to use this time.

Wish they had told me...
That it's important to structure my business. I've spent a considerable amount of time on the job trying to understand the business of fashion. But then again, because I wasn't focusing on the business aspects, I was able to have fun and experiment with pure fashion in my early years.

Overcoming defeatist moments
With each season, I question where I will go from here. How do I keep my clients interested in my clothes? That's when I remind myself why I started designing in the first place.

Advice for the upcoming lot
Go for it. Fashion can be a brutal industry so don't look at others to receive appreciation and validation for your work.

Rimzim Dadu
Gen Next debut: 2007

Then and now
The design essence [of my label] has always been surface textures, but back then, my clothes were more street, easy daywear. Now, I make refined, sculpted, glamorous eveningwear.

Overcoming the defeatist moments
Once a year, I feel like I am done with clothes and want to explore other aspects of design. But an automatic switch kicks in when the seasonal fashion cycle turns, and I snap back to designing mode.

Advice for the upcoming lot
Be patient. You can't please the editors, stylists and buyers with one show. It has taken me a decade to discover my own voice.

Sohaya Misra
Gen Next debut: 2016

Then and now
I turned a dhoti-skirt from my first collection into a saree-skirt worn with a hoodie. We also reintroduced ikat from my debut show.

Best advice I received
My mentor, Sabina Chopra, had said, 'don't take fashion too seriously. Know that you've done your best and never second-guess'.

Overcoming defeatist moments
[They come every day]. I don't have formal training in fashion. I had this romantic idea about making beautiful clothes, but the fashion business is a deep, dark hole. I ask myself, will I be able to sustain myself while being true to my clothes. I guess the only way to get an answer is to be true to your brand philosophy.

Advice for the upcoming lot
Have confidence and hold your ground. Do what you love, and you'll find like-minded people who appreciate your work.

Rahul Mishra
Gen Next debut: 2006

Advice for the upcoming lot
Go slow, and don't be hung up on becoming a big designer; it's [the tag] subjective anyway. It's not a bad idea to be a team person and work for a designer, understand the business from the inside [before you go solo]. Partying and networking with cool people does not help build a brand. Whether it's India or Paris, I go to bed at 10.30 pm. Prioritise your life and work; only a healthy designer can design healthy clothes.

Ujjawal Dubey
Gen Next debut: 2014

Then and now
The first piece I ever made called Zufar (Afghani for courage) comprised a three-layer set of dhoti pants, kurta and summer jacket. I did not want to update the piece for this show. It's evergreen and we still get orders for it.

Overcoming defeatist moments
It's momentary. The calm high of creating clothes overtakes everything else.

Advice for the upcoming lot
I am trained in textiles, not fashion; I can't really cut and sew, for instance. It's not necessary to have those specific skills. All you need is a high level of conviction.

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