Indian fashion designers face eco-chic dilemma - BBC News

Luxury designers in India are experimenting with the idea of sustainability - but how successful are they?

16 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Lakme Fashion WeekImage caption, Fashion designers are trying to make their work more mindfulBy Zoya MateenBBC News, DelhiAt last month's Lakmé Fashion Week in India, conversations about making fashion more sustainable took centre-stage. But are the country's designers ready for this?

The four-day event - organised jointly by beauty company Lakmé, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Brands and the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) - is one of Indian fashion's biggest highlights.

While it had all the essential ingredients - glittering catwalks, clinking wine glasses and fashionistas in the front row - what grabbed eyeballs was a competition encouraging young designers to use eco-friendly materials to create outfits.

The event is part of a wider ambition among Indian designers aiming to make sustainability the driving factor of their businesses.

Many say they are trying to shrink their brands' environmental footprint - some are completely shifting to reusable materials, experimenting with fabrics made from used carpet or agricultural waste and eco-prints of plants and flowers. But experts say a lot more needs to be done, given the magnitude of the challenge.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-67142530?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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