BY DEVIKA C.MEHTA
CERRITOS, CA - Indian glitz, glamour and fashion took hold of Angelenos at the Los Angeles India Fashion Week at the Sheraton Hotel here on October 8. Host and organizer for the event Smita Vasant of Saffron Spot said, “LA’s premier fashion event - the first of its kind- is all about Indian clothing, textiles and accessories.”
CERRITOS, CA - Indian glitz, glamour and fashion took hold of Angelenos at the Los Angeles India Fashion Week at the Sheraton Hotel here on October 8. Host and organizer for the event Smita Vasant of Saffron Spot said, “LA’s premier fashion event - the first of its kind- is all about Indian clothing, textiles and accessories.”
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The event from October 5-8 gathered much attention with many fashion stores premiering Indian designs with the primary goal of promoting ‘desi’ trends among the community. The event also featured designers and fashion vendors from India and the US, who with their selective designs and embellished fabrics won the hearts of the visitors. On Oct 8, the grand finale, doors opened around noon. The first stop at the entry was for a local artist Prerana Kulkarni, who featured her art exhibit showcasing natural designs and flowery patterns.
Once inside, attendees got an opportunity to network with out of town and local designers and vendors. They also got an opportunity to interact with Ziba Beauty vendors, a pioneer in brow and body-art industry in the Los Angeles area, who were offering free gifts to all. Notably, they were also the official make-up partner for the entire event. Nearly 300 plus attendees also got a chance to take a first look at the new jewelry brand Neo Moissanite – the perfect contemporary solution for a modern woman’s style. ESDIAC Global - phone and text app for international calling, also interacted with those interested and installed the app for them.
The main program commenced with Vasant, Artesia Mayor Ali Sajjad Taj, and city’s Chamber of Commerce vice-President Shaila Patankar kicking off the show. Both Taj and Patankar welcomed the premier designers, branded stores and jewelry owners to their city and thanked Vasant for her efforts.
Upcoming singer from LA, Sanjana Deshmukh performed ‘Jiya Re’ from the movie ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan,’ followed by models walking the ramp showcasing Lucknow designer label ‘Voila by Roma Bhalla’. Her designs were colorful, intricate and specially made for the upcoming wedding season. Talking to IJ, she mentioned, “My designs are mostly hand embroidered traditional chikankari. It is amazing to present my designs for LA, the crowd here is simply amazing.”
The next segment illustrated prominent Indian and New York Fashion Week designer Vaishali S. who introducing Indian hand woven fabrics with contemporary styling, launched her bridal line – ‘handloom bride’. She said, “I select my own threads, colors and love to experiment a lot.” Her designs were mostly appreciated by those who believe in the fusion concept.
Another famous designer present at the event was Ramuli, who brought the handcrafted designs from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, and mentioned, “My creations are simple, yet elegant and involve the unique style of developing the old ancient tradition of Indian craftsmanship in a contemporary vocabulary.”
Other significant designers like Namaslay, Sarika Anil Jolly, Meeta and Malvika also featured their elegant wear. The event also exhibited fashion shows by local stores – Frontier Heritage, Sari Palace and Aanchal Designer Showcase. Local clothing designers such as Blue Lotus Couture, Fashion by Rohini, Naiya Indian Fashion and jewelry designers Alka Vora Jewelry, Karmik Fashions, Clumas too displayed their latest collections at the main hall.
Upon conclusion, Vasant, who was herself dressed by different designers during the whole show, told IJ, “This is the most efficient, informative and entertaining show for viewing the complete collections of upcoming seasons from major fashion designers and national brands. I am happy that the show was a huge hit with the audience especially with the new faces of fashion and ideas that promote local Indian clothing, accessory boutiques and stores.”
The program ended with Vasant thanking sponsors, participants, modeling coach Javier Ortega, makeup artist Oscar Naranjo, Ziba’s Sumita Batra and food stall ‘Pastries N Chaat’ that served delicious fruit cakes and ‘chatpata chat’ to all.
Once inside, attendees got an opportunity to network with out of town and local designers and vendors. They also got an opportunity to interact with Ziba Beauty vendors, a pioneer in brow and body-art industry in the Los Angeles area, who were offering free gifts to all. Notably, they were also the official make-up partner for the entire event. Nearly 300 plus attendees also got a chance to take a first look at the new jewelry brand Neo Moissanite – the perfect contemporary solution for a modern woman’s style. ESDIAC Global - phone and text app for international calling, also interacted with those interested and installed the app for them.
The main program commenced with Vasant, Artesia Mayor Ali Sajjad Taj, and city’s Chamber of Commerce vice-President Shaila Patankar kicking off the show. Both Taj and Patankar welcomed the premier designers, branded stores and jewelry owners to their city and thanked Vasant for her efforts.
Upcoming singer from LA, Sanjana Deshmukh performed ‘Jiya Re’ from the movie ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan,’ followed by models walking the ramp showcasing Lucknow designer label ‘Voila by Roma Bhalla’. Her designs were colorful, intricate and specially made for the upcoming wedding season. Talking to IJ, she mentioned, “My designs are mostly hand embroidered traditional chikankari. It is amazing to present my designs for LA, the crowd here is simply amazing.”
The next segment illustrated prominent Indian and New York Fashion Week designer Vaishali S. who introducing Indian hand woven fabrics with contemporary styling, launched her bridal line – ‘handloom bride’. She said, “I select my own threads, colors and love to experiment a lot.” Her designs were mostly appreciated by those who believe in the fusion concept.
Another famous designer present at the event was Ramuli, who brought the handcrafted designs from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, and mentioned, “My creations are simple, yet elegant and involve the unique style of developing the old ancient tradition of Indian craftsmanship in a contemporary vocabulary.”
Other significant designers like Namaslay, Sarika Anil Jolly, Meeta and Malvika also featured their elegant wear. The event also exhibited fashion shows by local stores – Frontier Heritage, Sari Palace and Aanchal Designer Showcase. Local clothing designers such as Blue Lotus Couture, Fashion by Rohini, Naiya Indian Fashion and jewelry designers Alka Vora Jewelry, Karmik Fashions, Clumas too displayed their latest collections at the main hall.
Upon conclusion, Vasant, who was herself dressed by different designers during the whole show, told IJ, “This is the most efficient, informative and entertaining show for viewing the complete collections of upcoming seasons from major fashion designers and national brands. I am happy that the show was a huge hit with the audience especially with the new faces of fashion and ideas that promote local Indian clothing, accessory boutiques and stores.”
The program ended with Vasant thanking sponsors, participants, modeling coach Javier Ortega, makeup artist Oscar Naranjo, Ziba’s Sumita Batra and food stall ‘Pastries N Chaat’ that served delicious fruit cakes and ‘chatpata chat’ to all.
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