Kochi: The new collection of ‘Jahnara’ by Shalini James will be sharing the ramp with prominent designers across the country at the prime fashion event Amazon India Fashion Week Spring Summer 2016 in New Delhi October 12-16. The five-day fashion event of Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), a non-profit organisation along with Amazon.in and Maybelline New York showcases India’s rich heritage portrayed by various national designers.
She was the only fashion designer chosen for the Amazon fashion week back to back for two years. Shalini introduced a new brand “Indian by Choice” last year which was widely accepted by actors like Sonam Kapoor and Isha Talwar. It has given Mantra tremendous brand exposure and business growth, she said. This year, she will showcase a character inspired from ‘Shadow Princess’ by Indu Sundaresan, a book she read two years ago.
Jahnara refers to the Mughal period in its silhouettes, motifs, colours and especially the cotton weaves of Varanasi which are in complete contrast to the natural heavy silks and brocades. It is a blend of the minimalistic expressions of the royal Mughal period along with Sufism incorporated through soft silk and satin linings, organza veils and hints of crochet trimmings, a feast of pastels. “I look forward to seeking visual identity through a minimalistic eye,” she says.
