Mumbai based NGO "Kranti" shines at Lakmé Fashion Week 2017

Mumbai- This year, Lakmé Fashion Week collaborated with Kranti – an NGO that empowers girls from Mumbai’s Red Light areas to be agents of social change (founded by Ms. Robin Chaurasiya, who has worked with US Air Force) and Mandeep Nagi of ‘Shades of India’ - one of India’s leading textiles labels and presented a unique presentation at the 6Degree Studio during Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017.
The vision of this collaboration was to have inclusivity, diversity, gender equality and handloom/textiles to come together, to create a powerful narrative. The core point of the presentation was the girls from Kranti who celebrated who they are and spoke from their heart as they shared their personal stories through an interactive performance with the audience.
They narrated their life journey in terms of 6 stations that they travelled through the course of time – Childhood, Teenage, Red Light Area, School, NGO and last but not least, Kranti. From being abused by a family member, cheated in a marriage, to being sold at a Red-Light area, to being discriminated in terms of cast, creed, colour - these girls spoke about the misery that they were put through. In spite of being daughters of sex workers or abused at a young age these women had dreams just like any other individual.
One of the key objectives was to create an empowering experience for everybody in the audience and challenge perceptions and norms/prejudices on beauty, dignity and gender that continue to plague our society, something that both Mandeep and Robin touched upon quite strongly through their individual efforts.
Mandeep showcased her Spring/Summer 2017 collection through the performance by Kranti girls conceptualised and directed by Neeraj Gaba of India’s “Next Top Model” fame. The Kranti girls told their stories while demonstrating their pride and independence in the clothes from Mandeep’s ‘The Bagh Collection’. The colours evoked the warmth of spring and of early flowers in blossom. White, orchid tint, haze, almond, rose pink, were used with soft gold and silver metallics. Silhouettes were inspired by traditional kurtas and pajamas and by re-interpreting saris with a bohemian look.