IKFW sets the tone for kids’ fashion in India

The second edition of India Kids Fashion Week (IKFW) held on January 18 and 19, in Mumbai ended on promising note. Organised by Events Capital and Craftworld Entertainment the two-day extravaganza saw children walk the ramp with celebs in tow. After an exciting first day,

the second day was much more happening. Along with top designers showcasing their kids' creations, many brands displayed their line of apparels, shoes, toys, accessories and more.

Kids,

designers rock Day 1

Day one saw creations by NGO Khushi, Maxx, Libero, Pooja Jhunjhunwala, Sho Sho Bella, Sheena Creations and Kirti Rathore for F Atalia. It kick-started by supporting the cause of empowering children with learning disabilities, cerebral palsy and autism through a fashion show organized by NGO Khushi. The first show had creations by renowned kids wear brand Maxx. The collection included lightweight fabrics in a mixed colour palette ranging from monochrome to bubble gum pinks, ochre and blue, spearmint and vermillion while ‘Double denims’ was the theme for little boys’ collection.

Libero’s show caught maximum attention, as [u1] for the first time ever, toddlers between the age of 1.5 to 2.5 years strutted on the ramp showcasing diapers by the brand. Designer Pooja Jhunjhunwala showcased her mythology-inspired collection for children. She was accompanied by the biggest superstar in children’s world, Chota Bheem. Named after her daughter, Dubai-based designer Sarah showcased her collection ‘ShoSho Bella[u2]’. ShoSho Bella was accompanied by cartoon character Krissh from Cartoon Network. The show by Sheena Creations created a mood to party and unwind through their collection showcasing party wear for little boys and girls. Kirti Rathore was the finale designer for the day. She showcased her collection dedicated to cancer patients aged between 4-14 years. These little children walked the ramp for her show along with celebs Kushal Tandon, Nandish Sandhu, Angad Hasija and Viveek Oberoi.

Day two, blooms with little ones

The day commenced with celebrity stylist and designer Manasi Kapadia along with brand Sheetal showcasing ensembles for kids. Promising to create a style statement amongst kids, ‘Daughter's Dream World’ by Kanchan Bawa showcased a blend of Indian, western and Indo-western party wear range for little princesses. Chutki, from Pogo’s famous cartoon series Chota Bheem walked the ramp with little girls. Television actress Shraddha Arya and actor Nandish Sandhu accompanied Kanchan Bawa’s showstopper-daughter Lavanya on the runway. Talking about the inspiration behind her designs and about the kids’ fashion industry in India today, Bawa said, “I think every little girl has a dream world of her own and wants to dress up like Cinderella or Snow White. My dream was to bring their fairy tale dream alive. I have been into this industry for the last four years and surprised to see how much people are ready to spend on dressing up there kids. The western market is not as big as the Indian market today.”

There were eye-catching designs in a plethora of colors, with lovely prints and amazing kid’s accessories by ‘Beebay’, whose collection was supported by young and talented actor Darsheel Safari. Sumit Dasgupta, the talented designer showcased a collection inspired by Maa Durga. Television stars Karan Tacker, Krystle Dsouza and Sangeeta Ghosh walked the ramp for him. OKS Boys attracted positive attention through eclectic beach-wear and casualwear. The highlight was the presence of favorite cartoon character Ben10 who walked with renowned singer Armaan Malik. Commenting on the show, Amit Bhayani, Director, OKS Boys said, “We had a wonderful experience with IKFW. As a brand we symbolize a totally international look and feel. We only take international kids models for our brand, but we were surprised the kind of representation which was showcased on the ramp by the Indian kids.”

But the star attraction of IKFW was its Grand Finale designer Nishka Lulla. Using innovative led depiction of world’s fashion capital, Paris Lulla showcased a travel collection for children. A blend of comfort and chic, the little ladies looked like Parisian fashionistas strutting across the ramp. Lulla associated with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India to promote its humane education program- ‘Compassionate Citizen’. Her collection was opened by model and actress Sarah Jane Dias and closed by Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh.

Elaborating on the need to have a platform for kids’ fashion, Pankaj Khanna, Sr VP-Sales, Event Capital, said, “There are lot of brands you can recall when you talk about men’s wear or women’s wear. But in kid’s wear there are hardly a few names you could think of. On the other side, international brands are entering India, you have Armani Junior, Zara, Fendi and Burberry. There must be a reason why they are entering the country with their kids collection in India. There is a huge potential in the Indian market for kids wear. We want to create a platform to address this industry. We are proud to say that we are one of the monopolistic platforms created for kids fashion in the whole of Asia.”

Moving ahead, the company wants the format to grow and it is planning to go to two metros. “We might plan another show during the Autumn/Winter in Delhi somewhere in September 2014. North is a huge market, not only from the business perspective but also from the fashion perspective too,” he added.