Sophie Choudry's Dua Lipa moment on the ramp

Last week saw Mumbai's anticipated fashion event of year with some of the biggest names in Bollywood walking at the Lakme Fashion Week that concluded last evening with Kareena Kapoor Khan as the showstopper.

The 5 day spread fashion soiree had quite a few highs with one of the highlight being VJ, actress & singer Sophie who's earlier graced the fashion week as a showstopper albeit this time with a legit live performance as she sang two of the greatest hits by Dua Lipa.

Originally British, Sophie Choudry moved to Mumbai to pursue her dreams & in no time rose to being called the original pop diva with her songs like 'Ek Pardesi & Mera Babhu Chail Chabeela' & now belongs to the creme de la creme crowd of the Bolly town. Sophie travels across the globe for her live gigs & this year made a debut at the Lakme fashion week as she performed live on stage.

Sophie took to her social media to share videos of her performance & in no time was flooded with messages being compared to the icon Dua Lipa herself. Her close friend Varun Dhawan was all praises for Sophie. Sophie shares her excitement, 'When designers ask you to be their showstopper, it's like being their muse & it's always special. In my case it was the designer's first show so hopefully it will always be memorable for him. What was even more special for me though was that I got to sing for SVA couture. Of course I do a lot of wedding & corporate performances but the fashion world doesn't get to see me sing live very often & I got to perform 2 of my favorite songs 'One Kiss' bu Dua Lipa & 'Ain't nobody' so it felt great since the response was so incredible.'

Huma Qureshi & Saqib Saleem walk the ramp together for the first time

The stunning Huma Qureshi has been a fashion showstopper on several occasions , however, her show for designer Anvita Sharma, at the Lakme Fashion Week, promises to be extra special.

Huma will be walking the ramp with her brother , actor Saqib Saleem, for Anvita's brand Two Point Two, a collection that showcases her designs for both men and women.

This will also be the first time Huma & Saqib will be walking together for a fashion show. The two turn showstoppers on the 24th August for

Two Point Two, that classifies as an ‘agender’ brand, which simply means that their designs are for everyone.

Adds Saqib, " I've known Anvita for 10-11 years now since college and infact she is a close friend. Huma and I are really excited to walk for Two Point Two as the brand is all about individuality.The collection this year is really interesting."

Huma said  , " I love Anvita's work . She is truly a unique voice emerging in fashion . I am really looking forward to the show as the brand's silhouettes Colors and details apply to both genders.

Kranti and Mandeep Nagi at Lakme Fashion Week

The second day of Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017 was dedicated to conversations and experiences around sustainable fashion in India.Among these was a show that had sustainable fashion and inclusivity crafted in the story and which had a strong and powerful message. Lakmé Fashion Week collaborated with Kranti – an NGO that empowers girls from Mumbai’s red light areas to be agents of social change (founded by Ms. Robin Chaurasiya, who has worked with US Air Force) and Mandeep Nagi of Shades of India - one of India’s leading textile labels who presented a unique presentation on 2nd February 2017 at LFW.

The vision behind this collaboration was to have inclusivity, diversity, gender equality and our handloom/textiles coming together, to create a powerful narrative.The presentation was at the 6Degrees Studio - a space/hall dedicated to conceptual fashion narratives at LFW. The evening was graced by veteran actor, Shabana Azmi and Ashwini Bhave.The core point of the presentation had the girls from Kranti celebrate who they are, speak from their heart and share their personal stories through an interactive performance with the audience.

One of the key objectives was to create an empowering experience for everybody in the room and challenge perceptions and norms/prejudices on beauty, dignity and gender that continue to plague our society, something that both Mandeep and Robin touch upon quite strongly through their individual efforts.

·         Mandeep Nagi showcased Spring/Summer 2017 collection through the performance by Kranti girls. They told their stories while demonstrating their pride and independence in the clothes from Mandeep’s ‘Bagh Collection’. The colours evoke the warmth of spring, of early flowers in blossom. White, orchid tint, haze, almond, rose pink, are used with soft gold and silver metallic. Silhouettes are inspired by traditional kurtas and pajamas and by re-interpreting saris with a bohemian look.

·         Mandeep Nagi, Design Director of Shades of India commented, "I won't call myself a fashion designer, my passion for textiles brings forth the style and confidence I wish to share and see in every woman. Therefore have always photographed them on women who may seem ordinary but are absolutely not. Association with Kranti at the most prestigious Lakme Fashion week has been the most enriching experience. I feel honoured to be a part of this. The joy and energy of these girls is infectious."

·         Jaspreet Chandok, Head of Fashion, IMG Reliance commented, “The Lakme Fashion Week has really become a forum for having conversations beyond just fashion and we are happy to provide this platform to these brave and courageous women to tell their stories."