Bollywood stars dress to impress at Lakmé Fashion Week

Ritu Kumar at LFW SR 17. Courtesy of Ritu Kumar

Models at Chaman Siju show at LFW SR 17 1. Courtesy of Chaman Siju

Left, models walk the runway for designer Chaman Siju; above, the dapper Rahul Khanna walks for Narenda Kumar; below, Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan. Courtesy Chaman Siju; Narendra Kumar; Lakmé Fashion Week

Lakme Absolute Brand Ambassador Kareena Kapoor Khan and Lakme Grand Final. Courtesy of Lakme Fashion Week, Mumbai

Karishma Tanna Opening the show for SplashSS17. Courtesy of Dubai fast fashion brand Splash

A host of Bollywood stars joined India’s top designers in Mumbai for the recently concluded Lakmé Fashion Week, one of the ­biggest events on India’s fashion ­calendar.

Tarun Tahiliani, Narendra ­Kumar, Anita Dongre, and Ritu Kumar were among the ­designers unveiling their latest creations.

There was a change of venue this year, with the show – which started on Wednesday and ran until Sunday – moving to Jio Garden in Bandra, in the north of Mumbai, an area known for its trendy restaurants and plush offices.

Here are a few of the highlights from Lakmé Fashion Week ­Summer/Resort 2017.

Bollywood showstoppers

LFW did not disappoint when it came to adding a touch of Bollywood glitz to the ramp.

Among the celebrity ­showstoppers taking to catwalk was Vaani Kapoor, star of hit movie Befikre, who walked the runway for designer Ritu Kumar in an ornate, black-zipped ­biker's jacket teamed with a printed maxi skirt and a sheer net body suit.

Rahul Khanna walked for ­Narendra Kumar in a black ­jacket embroidered with elaborate floral patterns, paired with fitted trousers.

Amyra Dastur, Karisma ­Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Bipasha Basu and Tabu were among the other Bollywood stars who strutted down the catwalk.

Making a splash

Dubai fast-fashion brand Splash showed off its latest collection on the third day of LFW.

Romanian TV presenter Iulia Vantur, who is rumoured to be dating Bollywood actor Salman Khan, was the showstopper, wearing a short, beige-and-black, ­embellished dress.

“Everyone has made this very special for me,” she said.

Karishma Tanna also walked for Splash, wearing a sequinned green-and-blue dress, while Sooraj Pancholi wore a black suit.

Raza Beig, the brand’s chief executive, said he was “very excited to showcase our collection to our Indian audience”.

A social cause

In a first for LFW, young women who had been rescued and rehabilitated from Mumbai’s red-light district, all between the ages of 18 and 22, showed off the designs of Mandeep Nagi at LFW.

“The show was really nice,” said Pinky Sheikh, 19, who took part in the event. She was trafficked into the sex industry as a child.

The women delivered a ­theatrical performance to tell their stories.

Robin Chaurasiya, who ­founded the non-governmental organisation Kranti, which has helped the young women to ­rebuild their lives and organised the show, said she was proud of them after the event.

“People have prejudices about sex workers, but we also have prejudices about the fashion industry and I think for them to be able to perform in this space and have that applause and ­appreciation really does ­wonderful things for their self-confidence,” she said.

The grand finale

Anita Dongre, the Indian ­designer often referred to as “the queen of pret”, brought her ­latest creations to the stage for the grand finale at the spectacular outdoor setting of Bandra Fort, under the moonlight and against the backdrop of the ­Arabian Sea.

The models showed off ­Dongre’s nature-inspired designs among palm trees and tropical plants, sporting woven-cotton, silk and embroidery in whites and gold.

The collection, called Alchemy, was based on the theme of “liquid gold”, reflecting Lakmé’s new Argan oil lipsticks.

“This season was extra-special for me since it was my first ­finale,” said Dongre.

Kareena Kapoor Khan, who gave birth to her first child last month, was the showstopper for Dongre.

She wore a white dress, with an elegant long jacket in a light shade of gold.

Kapoor Khan said her husband, actor and producer Saif Ali Khan, was at home looking after their son, while she was at the show.

“He’s very supportive,” she said.