NEW YORK,NY-Indian-American designers wowed the audiences at New York Fashion Week here on Feb 11 with plenty of glitz and glamor. It was a debut for designer Mac Duggal, sought after for his pageant and prom dress line, featuring gowns with bling. Indian-American designer Premal Badiani also showcased her latest collection, titled “Root Cause,” and her inspiration was to “bring awareness of the human impact on the environment.”
“The inspiration behind this collection is to bring awareness of the human impact on the environment and to promote social responsibility by adopting sustainable fashion as a lifestyle choice,” she said in a statement.
“The primary fabric used that is made from natural cellulosic fibers and produced from wood pulp, a natural renewable resource. This highlights the brand’s philosophy of environmental awareness that believes caring about the planet is not a seasonal choice but needs to be done all year round. Through this collection, the brand wants to promote sustainable fashion in the luxury market,” added Badiani. Mac Duggal who is from Chicago,came to the United States in 1983 at the age of 23.He began his road to success with his first collection, “Creative Creations,” a line of dazzling gowns blending Indian beauty and elegance with Western styling.
The Mac Duggal brand further elevated itself with the introduction of designer couture gowns and pageant wear. It was his high fashion prom dresses that put him at the forefront of the emerging designer prom dress market, and won him such awards as the 1998 Diva Fashion Award for Designer of the Year in the Prom/Pageant category.
Expanding his collection to 12 distinct social occasion lines, the Mac Duggal brand has transformed into a highly sought after label courted by A list celebrities including Shakira, Carrie Underwood, Gwenyth Paltrow, Khloe Kardashian, Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton and many more. Meanwhile, designers at this year’s Fashion Week came up with widely varying ways to comment, either overtly or not, on the nation’s political situation.Indian-American designers decided to use poetry.
As Naeem Khan’s final design made its way down the runway Feb. 14 — a grand, glistening, golden bridal gown, with a gold floral crown and a cascading veil with a black-and-gold train — the soundtrack played Maya Angelou reading her poem, “Human Family.”
“The variety of our skin tones can confuse, bemuse, delight, brown and pink and beige and purple, tan and blue and white,” the poem reads in part. It closes by saying, three times: “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
Backstage, Khan spoke about President Donald Trump’s travel ban and its potential impact on the fashion industry.
“You look at the fashion business, it drives the economy of our country,” said Khan. “It’s the third or fourth largest business in America. You cannot have a business so big and have a travel ban.”
Khan was a favorite designer of former first lady Michelle Obama, and famously designed the shimmering gown she wore to the India state dinner — her first. Khan’s collection began with somewhat more casual looks, part of an effort by Khan to expand more into daywear — animal print coats, print dresses, or a beaded jacket over drawstring pants. In an especially bright ensemble, high embroidered boots matched the embroidery on the dress, for shoulder-to-toe color. Among the guests was actress Mandy Moore, star of TV’s “This Is Us.” She opted against a dress, given the weather, and wore one of Khan’s beaded, full-length vests. (Agencies)
“The primary fabric used that is made from natural cellulosic fibers and produced from wood pulp, a natural renewable resource. This highlights the brand’s philosophy of environmental awareness that believes caring about the planet is not a seasonal choice but needs to be done all year round. Through this collection, the brand wants to promote sustainable fashion in the luxury market,” added Badiani. Mac Duggal who is from Chicago,came to the United States in 1983 at the age of 23.He began his road to success with his first collection, “Creative Creations,” a line of dazzling gowns blending Indian beauty and elegance with Western styling.
The Mac Duggal brand further elevated itself with the introduction of designer couture gowns and pageant wear. It was his high fashion prom dresses that put him at the forefront of the emerging designer prom dress market, and won him such awards as the 1998 Diva Fashion Award for Designer of the Year in the Prom/Pageant category.
Expanding his collection to 12 distinct social occasion lines, the Mac Duggal brand has transformed into a highly sought after label courted by A list celebrities including Shakira, Carrie Underwood, Gwenyth Paltrow, Khloe Kardashian, Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton and many more. Meanwhile, designers at this year’s Fashion Week came up with widely varying ways to comment, either overtly or not, on the nation’s political situation.Indian-American designers decided to use poetry.
As Naeem Khan’s final design made its way down the runway Feb. 14 — a grand, glistening, golden bridal gown, with a gold floral crown and a cascading veil with a black-and-gold train — the soundtrack played Maya Angelou reading her poem, “Human Family.”
“The variety of our skin tones can confuse, bemuse, delight, brown and pink and beige and purple, tan and blue and white,” the poem reads in part. It closes by saying, three times: “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
Backstage, Khan spoke about President Donald Trump’s travel ban and its potential impact on the fashion industry.
“You look at the fashion business, it drives the economy of our country,” said Khan. “It’s the third or fourth largest business in America. You cannot have a business so big and have a travel ban.”
Khan was a favorite designer of former first lady Michelle Obama, and famously designed the shimmering gown she wore to the India state dinner — her first. Khan’s collection began with somewhat more casual looks, part of an effort by Khan to expand more into daywear — animal print coats, print dresses, or a beaded jacket over drawstring pants. In an especially bright ensemble, high embroidered boots matched the embroidery on the dress, for shoulder-to-toe color. Among the guests was actress Mandy Moore, star of TV’s “This Is Us.” She opted against a dress, given the weather, and wore one of Khan’s beaded, full-length vests. (Agencies)