As is the case every year, the Handlooms and Textiles Day at Lakme Fashion Week, in conjunction with the Indian handlooms industry, sees some of the best designers in the country come out to play with their silks, cottons, tie and dye, bandhini, zari, gota and every other traditional Indian technique in tow. This year, especially, with LFW paying homage to the Indian artisan who works tirelessly behind the scenes, the show was much more of a cracker than before. Here is our list of designers whose shows we absolutely loved…

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Gaurang Shah

No one puts up a full-fledged fashion extravaganza like Gaurang. The last time around, our man got Kirron Kher to dance for him and this time it was two Kathak dancers who moved across the ramp to set the tone for his fierce ‘Samyuka’ collection. In a startling contrast to the pristine outfits of the Kathak dancers was Gaurang’s collection—a burst of every colour, fabric and embroidery style in the big book of Indian handlooms! Gaurang played with an explosive colour palette—continual displays of vibrant reds, oranges, yellows and maroons contrasted beautifully with purples, greens and blues in a collection that certainly wasn’t for the demure bride. An abundance of silk and raw silk—the richness of the fabric was of course unquestionable.

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Divya Sheth

Based on the famous Rajasthani art form of Kalamkari, Divya Sheth’s ‘Kalam Putli’ collection was a showcase of drop-waist maxi dresses, crop tops on a black, muted pink and blue colour palette. Laced with real silver gota and dabka embroidery that added the finishing touches to her garments, this was her ode to the tradition and culture of Rajasthan.

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Ka Sha

Inspired by the peasants of India, designer Karishma Shahani Khan’s fusion collection saw soft jackets, dresses, kedia tops and midi apron dresses all layered one on top of another and sealed with soft scarves. This time around the designer broke away from her regular norm and used 2D and 3D floral motifs to add a contemporary touch to her garments.

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Swati Vijaivargie

Drawing inspiration from the weavers of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, Swati Vijaivargie’s ‘Mauj’ collection included a host of wearable garments such as long kurta jackets and draped skirts; all made from fabrics like pure hand-woven silk, organza, chanderi, khadi and kota doriya. The highlight? Minimal embroidery and dhoti turbans as a homage to the clothing of traditional craftsmen.

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Rahul & Shikha

The designer duo presented their collection ‘A-Jharat,’ a reflection of Arab culture in a variety of knife pleated and flouncy anaraklis and kurtas. Their collection was eco-friendly and used only natural form dyes extracted from plants, flowers and fruits. The arthy colour palette dotted with brightly coloured embroidery made it one of the most practical and wearable collections we’ve seen so far this season.