Lakme Fashion Week is the event every fashion lover must attend.
From the star-studded audience, the celebrity designers and the first glance of the latest trends in fashion will be there. This event is just as glamorous as it sounds, capturing the awe of its attendees every single year.
With the large audience that the shows have and the massive media attention it gets, I’m surprised no one thought of using this platform to send out a deeper message previously. But this year, they finally did.
In an age where beauty follows strict rules: you are told to look a certain way and only what the media portrays as “beautiful” is considered “beautiful”. One show really challenged that – challenged the very foundations of what people consider “beautiful”. Changing the way we see the world and ourselves. The ‘Doubt is Out‘ collection by Reliance Retail – celebrating their launch of AJIO.com pushed the boundaries of “beauty”.
With this, the unconventional showstoppers had not only grabbed attention but made a statement a social statement – they made us think twice about the society we live in.
Models that pushed the boundaries of age, former porn star and now a Bollywood diva, Sunny Leon showcasing people the right to choose their way of life and finally by my favourite Laxmi Narayan Tripathi showcasing how gender was no bar.
The transgender society in India isn’t spoken about much. They’re a mystery – an enigma with a part of the Indian population believing they possess special powers and are a source of good luck – they still aren’t fully accepted in the society and aren’t treated as equal. You don’t see many transgender people living the normal lives they deserve.
So imagine putting Laxmi on the main stage under the spotlight for everyone to see – draped in an elegant Saree – she showed us that gender isn’t a bar either.
This act being a loud shout for acceptance and equality in society an act for which I have a great deal of respect for.
Who would have thought one could use fashion to make such bold and powerful social statements?
I hope to spot Laxmi and many like her on the fashion scene soon. Until then, I’ll look at this picture of her, fondly proud that she’s made it and with the belief that the society is one step closer to getting better.
