Hasta La Ideas

For the past 10 years, Lakme Fashion Week has been India’s premier fashion and trade event. The show, held twice yearly, showcases the country’s vast, unique talent in an extravaganza bursting with color and tradition. This past month’s showcase, however, featured one of the most significant events in India’s fashion repertoire. Mai Mumbai (“I am Mumbai”), a “Fashion For Relief” benefit was held as a tribute to victims of the Mumbai terror attacks last November. Supermodel Naomi Campbell created “Fashion For Relief” (the first show was at New York Fashion Week to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina) and organized the Lakme show as well. India’s most recognized models, athletes, Bollywood stars, and business leaders proudly took the runway in creations by both Indian and international designers as a way of showing worldwide support and gratitude. With overwhelming participation from Indian designers like Rohit Bal, Ritu Kumar, and Sabyasachi Mukherjee (who you may remember from NYFW Spring ’09) and looks from the likes of Diane von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, YSL, and Carolina Herrera, the show brought sparkle and spotlight to a country and a cause, making the event one that will never be forgotten. Looks from the runway are available for purchase on eBay with all proceeds going to families of the 11/26 attacks. The event took place at Vikram Chatwal’s Dream Hotel in Cochin, India. Click the slideshow to see looks from the runway!