Glamorous fashion show ft. Aditi Rao Hydari, a stunning collection by designer Varun Bahl, high-on-style experiences from buzzing lifestyle brands, thumping music by Ritviz and Kayan – here’s what unfolded at India’s first fashion festival in Pune
March, 2024: After creating a buzz in Bhubaneswar last weekend, Blenders Pride Fashion NXT Festival took India’s first fashion festival experience to Pune on the 9th of March. It brought together a host of stellar high-on-style experiences across luxury fashion, immersive pop-ups curated by some of India’s coolest lifestyle brands and upbeat music performances popular artists.
Festival goers were in for a magnetic new experience that was steeped in fashion and style. The evening hosted a stunning fashion show curated by maestro designer Varun Bahl and an innovative showcase called Fashion NXT Spotlight curated by Fashion Design Council of India with 9 leading Indian designers – Alpana Neeraj, Bloni, Antar Agni, Mandira Wirk, Geisha Designs, Verandah, Shweta Kapoor, Tanieya Khanuja and Nitin Bal Chauhan. While Varun Bahl along with the graceful actor Aditi Rao Hydari showcased a collection that represents a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, combining time-honoured techniques with a modern twist on design, the Fashion NXT Spotlight presented emerging fashion trends across 3 unique themes that are at the apex of evolving fashion: WANDERLUXE, representing influence of luxury in holiday wear; GLOSS & GLAM, representing modern glamour in high fashion; and INTERGLAMATIC, representing fashion inspired by futurism.
The festival also featured a lineup of stellar collaborations with sought-after lifestyle brands like Nasher Miles, The Styling Room by Anisha Gandhi, John Jacobs, All You Can Street, Doodle Mapuls, MyGlamm and Audi Pune. These brands hosted a series of pop-ups with innovative DIY experiences, live art of merch, styling stations and much more, keeping festival goers engaged and entertained throughout the evening.
The energy peaked with electrifying music performances featuring an opening act by DJ Kayan and a rocking segment by none other than Ritviz, making festival goers groove through the evening. The evening was hosted by VJ and actor Anusha Dandekar, who only added to the festival’s style quotient.
Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India said, “As we continue to transform the fashion landscape in India, Blenders Pride Fashion NXT Festivals bring an impressive new format that sets an example into newer towns. We’re excited to collaborate with some of India’s best fashion designers, celebrities and lifestyle brands, that share our vision in becoming an immersive gateway into the world of style and glamour.”
Talking about the Fashion NXT Festival, Couturier Varun Bahl said “Blenders Pride Fashion NXT Festival has created an immersive, first-of-its-kind fashion festival experience in Pune. With Aditi Rao Hydari as my muse, it is a proud moment to be here and witness the new face of fashion experiences come to life.”
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari said, “Blenders Pride Fashion NXT Festival in Pune redefined the future of style and glamour by introducing India’s first-ever fashion festival. Varun’s collection is a celebration of his signature style and his glamourous interpretation of the next in red carpet fashion. It felt incredible to walk the ramp in his unique creation.”
Ashish Soni, Curator-in-Chief, Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion NXT, said, “Blenders Pride Fashion NXT Festival presents an exciting evolution of fashion experiences in India. It’s not just a showcase of future trends, but a platform that brings a world of high fashion, glamourous style & an exciting festival experience to newer audiences, like it has never been done before.”
Commenting on their long-standing association with the brand, Sunil Sethi, Chairman, FDCI said, “Fashion Design Council of India is proud to be a part of Blenders Pride Fashion NXT Festival. We’re excited to curate FASHION NXT SPOTLIGHT, a powerful showcase of emerging style trends by some of most forward-thinking designers in India.”
