LFW X FDCI: Shantnu & Nikhil mark 5 yrs of their pret brand, Ibrahim Ali Khan makes runway debut

Mumbai: Celebrated designer duo Shantnu & Nikhil celebrated five years of S&N, billed as India’s first prestige pret brand, at the Lakme Fashion Week X Fashion Design Council of India, with newcomer Ibrahim Ali Khan turning showstopper for them in his first outing on the ramp.

The designer brothers, whose full names are Shantnu Mehra and Nikhil Mehra, presented their latest collection under the pret label 'Piazza Nova' on Saturday night.

The clothing line was dominated by men’s wear with a sprinkling of women’s ensembles, featuring sharply cut suits, bold printed shirts, relaxed silhouettes, detailing like wide lapels, and bold embroidery on jackets.

Nikhil said their biggest learning in the last five years of launching S&N is keeping up with the changing times.

"Learnings and lessons are constant and rejuvenating and recreating is also constant, so a lot like how we are living today. We are doing diets, we are constantly learning and applying, we are also doing the same (when it comes to the brand). Five years or 50 years, it doesn't matter," he told PTI on the sidelines of the LFW X FDCI.

For Shantnu, the core idea was to bring in the entire menswear wardrobe solution to the table and move away from the "deep clutches of ceremonial wear which is what Indian couturiers are known for".

"The biggest learning in our head was from the very outset that we need to democratise and how do we do it. So the idea was to bring in a sense of minimalism that we are already known for, bringing in a sense of patriotic chic, marry it with some sharp tailoring, put in our drapes and make it accessible...

"In the last five years, we have become tighter with our design DNA and today what you saw was almost like everything that we have learnt in the last five years of us launching from our first store to the 18th store that we have just launched recently." Has India gone a step ahead in its global fashion story? We don't have to be present across the world to be global, said Nikhil.

"It's important to understand that India's GDP is growing at a phenomenal level, people are spending money, they need to be dressed (well). It is our responsibility to make sure India looks good and thereafter make crevices into the world and that should also be done with the same intent.

"Make sure you produce the right thing and it goes to the right people and that's the community you build, it could be global or national. So I think the matter is really more intent than trying to create too much value for a business." Shantnu agreed with his brother and said designers must take note of the demographics of young India.

"Whatever innovations we have done in menswear, be it drapes, bringing in androgyny, bringing in tailoring, really dabbling with ceremonial wear which was very mundane and boring, means India has accepted it and there is so much more that is there. India has the soft power of crafts, as long as we use it and we serve the purpose of Indians first, that's the global way of looking at things," he added.

The highlight of the show was the ramp debut of Ibrahim Ali Khan, who recently starred in his first film "Nadaaniyan".

Ibrahim, son of former couple and actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, looked dapper in a sand coloured bandhgala jacket, slim trousers and white shirt.

Nikhil said when they start creating their garments, they always think of the muse that makes their designs come alive.

It was also a special moment as the designers have dressed Ibrahim's father Saif multiple times for different occasions.

"It's important to understand that design and the people wearing it, is a very intimate relationship... Usually if we don't wear our clothes, we don't produce them.

"And so then we look for like-minded souls. Saif is definitely a like-minded soul, he's walked for us with the same aplomb the way Iggy (Ibrahim) did. And when we met Iggy, because I really did want to meet him first to understand who he is," he added.

Calling Ibrahim "an incredible kid", Nikhil said the world would be a better place with more effervescent, happy children like the newcomer.

"We felt he is so mature in his design acumen that it made complete sense to bring him on board." LFW X FDCI concludes on Sunday.