The prestigious talent discovery program- INIFD presents GenNext has announced two winners who will be showcasing their collections at the upcoming FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week scheduled from 23-27 March in New Delhi.
GenNext is one of the most popular and credible platforms for upcoming designers and so far, have established more than 200 plus designers. For its 33rd batch, the two winning designers- 36 year old Soham Acharya (Alpona Designs) from New Delhi and 28-year-old Shriya Khanna from Coimbatore/New Delhi were chosen through a virtual jury selection process.
The applicants were required to submit a video montage of their ensembles to complement their presentation. The shortlisted applicants presented their collections digitally to an expert jury comprising Designer Rahul Mishra, Editor- Cosmopolitan and Digital Editor – Harper’s Bazaar India & Brides Today Nandini Bhalla, Elahe owner Smita Shroff, Head of Innovations, Lakmé Sumati Mattu, GenNext Mentor Sabina Chopra and Head of RISE Fashion & Lifestyle – Jaspreet Chandok.
The INIFD presents GenNext program has been recognized for identifying and providing young and talented designers an opportunity to enhance their skills and take centre stage in the fashion industry. This season the GenNext show will be back to a physical one as the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week moves to an on ground format.
Announcing the latest batch of GenNext designers, Sumati Mattu, Head of Innovations, Lakmé said, “Ever since the inception of the GenNext program in 2006, we have always been committed to providing new talent an opportunity to be mentored by our Experts and a platform to showcase their work as well as interact with different stakeholders within the industry. This season, we are thrilled to announce the 33rd batch of GenNext designers, as the platform returns to a physical showcase, after two years. We look forward to seeing the winners picked by the Jury showcase their collections at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week, create some signature, new beauty looks with Lakmé’s trend-setting products in synchronicity with their collection themes”
Talking about the GenNext programme Jaspreet Chandok, Head – RISE Fashion and Lifestyle said,“The GenNext program is one of the highly coveted platforms in the industry that not only identifies and nurtures new designers but also provides them the opportunity to showcase their collections on a global platform. Over more than a decade, the program has been responsible for introducing 200 + designers, several of whom have gone on to make a mark in the Indian and global fashion industry. We look forward to these two winners kicking off their fashion journey as their collections debut at the upcoming, on-ground edition of FDCI x LakméFashion Week.”
