What: H&M launch in Calcutta
Where: Woodburn Central Mall, 5A Woodburn Road
When: September 23, 11am onwards 
This is crazy cool because: It is the first H&M in east India. The 18,000sq ft store is spread over two floors.  
You should be there before 11am on Day One because: The first three shoppers will walk away with H&M gift cards worth Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000. And the next 300 have Rs 500 gift cards in store for them. So, queue up on Puja-eve! 
What to shop for: Apparels for women, men, kids; accessories, footwear and lingerie.

H&M FACTS:

Erling Persson, a Swede, was the man behind the iconic brand that dates back to the 1940s. 
Vasteras got Hennes in 1947, which stands for the ‘H’ in H&M. ‘Stockholm-based hunting apparel and fishing equipment retailer Mauritz Widforss’ would lend the ‘M’ in 1968 when Hennes would ‘acquire’ Mauritz Widforss.
Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA shot for them in 1973. Elle Macpherson, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista have all modelled for H&M.
H&M forayed into online shopping from 1998.
The likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Alexander Wang and Stella McCartney have all collaborated with H&M. 
In India, H&M currently has 17 stores.

SOME STALL-STOPPERS FROM CALCUTTA AT LAKME FASHION WEEK WINTER/FESTIVE 2017 IN MUMBAI

ADARSH MAKHARIA OF OSAA

The thought behind the LFW line: My LFW collection — Ikebana Ki Kahani — is an ode to the Japanese floral art. It is an exploration of floral balance through space and asymmetry. Each shade in the collection is related deeply to the art. The crystal blue of water that infuses life, the lush green of leaves that evokes wilderness, the bright colours of flowers that herald spring, all are brought to life with handloom weaves, fine craftsmanship and fusion silhouettes. Intricate applique with zari and zardozi work on fluid silk, woven tissue, flat chiffon and mulberry silk make each piece a celebration of the way of flowers.

The LFW experience: At LFW I have had the opportunity to meet with some very creative people from the industry and understand the outstanding work that’s going on. I was very impressed with the work that is being done towards the sustainable fashion segment and I hope that going forward, I too can anchor my brand in that direction. 
The sales & the appreciation: It was very nice to hear words of appreciation for your work from industry stalwarts.

What worked: I was very happy with the reception the brand received. I was able to interact with not only possible clients but so many people across the industry, which was a very gratifying experience for me. 
The takeaway: My biggest learning would be the realisation of the kind of opportunities platforms like LFW give you. 
Adarsh had a special guest at his Osaa stall — television actress Dipika Kakar, who shot to limelight as Simar in Sasural Simar Ka. t2 sat her down for a quick style chat.

Your fashion funda: When you wear something you have to look at the mirror and find yourself beautiful, unless you yourself feel that you’re looking beautiful, that confidence and comfort won’t come and that will show. So that’s the key.
Your style: There has to be an Indian touch to what I wear. Even when I am going to a club in jeans and a crop top, I’ll probably add a jhumka just for the Indian touch. 

Your fave labels: I am not a label freak. He (Adarsh) is one of the few designers whose works I have seen and liked. Normally I design my own stuff… I pick up fabrics and give them to my tailor. Recently I have given a lot of one-pieces in cotton Jodhpuri prints to stitch for dailywear. Also I get a lot of jackets stitched. 

What you liked about Ikebana Ki Kahani: What I personally liked the best is the colours — they’re very rare. I haven’t seen this beautiful shade of grey in the market, and I loved the shades of wine and green. Also a lot of mix-and-match is possible and each time you wear the outfit you can give it a new look. And I am totally amazed by the weaves… how he has done geometric and florals together. 

PINKI SINHA OF VISHWA

The thought behind the LFW line: The collection strives to show the modern Indian woman — she walks, she leads yet remains rooted to her heritage and culture. The focus was on luxury handloom and reinterpreting vintage designs with indulgent colours added with a little playfulness.

The LFW experience: The five-day extravaganza was a glamorous fashion treat, meaningful B2B networking with the industry and fashion lovers in India and across the world. It elevated the entire experience which is inspiring and exhilarating.

The sales & the appreciation: It gave the label an exposure to an esteemed level and some good national as well international collaborations worked out.

What worked: The saris were much applauded as they had the inclusion of Rang-kaat and Benarasi weaves inspired by other Indian crafts like phulkari and ikat. The contemporary ensemble amused the next generation with the gorgeousness and cuts.

The takeaway: LFW is known for its glitz and glamour is one facet of it but the other feature is the tremen-dous hard work, ideas and thoughts that one has to put in to showcase at such a major platform.

SHWETA TANTIA AND PRIYANSHU MAJI OF TAHWEAVE 

The thought behind the LFW line: Going back to our roots, giving back to society, and going local was the idea behind our six-months-old sustainable everyday pret brand Tahweave. Our brand focuses on textiles and weaves of Bengal and provides people with a range of comfortable organic clothing suitable for a tropical country like India. The collection is a fusion of the disciplined Japanese culture and Indian yoga. We have tried to depict calmness, serenity of these two disciplines through our clothes.

The LFW experience: At LFW we got an amazing and positive response, clients and buyers were overwhelmed with the softness and freshness of the clothes and also the affordable price range. 

The sales & the appreciation:  With this new brand Tahweave, it was our first time at LFW and it was beyond expectations. The clothes were immediately liked by all prominent stores of India, who are now going to stock us. Along with it, it was very well appreciated by the different genres of the fashion world.

What worked: We think our colour palette worked for us and the fact that not only are they comfortable draped pieces, easy to wear, but we have tried to maintain the quality of the fabric which was noticed by all.

The takeaway: Our biggest learning from this year’s LFW was that the people of our country have started valuing our roots. They understand the value of ethical buying and that means people are wise enough to spend on good quality, which is good for their skin and durable instead of synthetic fabrics. 

Text: Smita Roy Chowdhury