Anita Dongre and Dia Mirza with the craftswomen of Gujarat at Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2015
Anita Dongre and Dia Mirza with the craftswomen of Gujarat at Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2015

She’s a powerhouse of a brand and a visionary entrepreneur. Closing day 2 at Lakme Fashion Week, Anita Dongre debuted her Grassroot line bridging the lost path between culture and modernism. The show presented garments rooted by the diverse crafts from parts of India such as Ahir embroidery from Gujarat, Ikat from Karnataka and Hyderabad, Gotta Patti from Rajasthan, weaves of Banaras, intricate Warli and hand block prints.

The show started with actress Dia Mirza setting the mood with her introduction to the collection and the first set of looks seemed in sync with what the ‘it’ girls of fashion hold dear: Anti-fit, asymmetrical silhouettes in monochromatic classic hues worn with platform footwear. As the build up continued, Anita showed her range as a designer who understands what the modern Indian woman wants to make her feel fabulous and yet rooted to her cultural heritage. Here are our favorite looks from the show:

Dia Mirza for Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

Anita Dongre at LFW W/F 2015

What brought the audience to stand up and applaud, was the moment when 26 master craftswomen from Gujarat took over the runway with the models standing in the background. I’ve always loved Anita Dongre for the fact that she knows her audience. She loves her work and the marriage between the two is always a pleasure to experience.

Stay tuned for our coverage of Lakme Fashion Week winter/festive 2015, as Team MissMalini has all the juice on the hottest trends and the freshest of fads!