SUSHANT ABROL OF COUNTRYMADE MADE IT TO THE WINNER PODIUM
The sixth edition of the “NEXA presents The Spotlight” award went to Sushant Abrol’s ‘Countrymade’ label at Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI. NEXA’s philosophy “Create. Inspire” has brought forth many of the talented and brightest minds in the fashion industry across the many designers it has supported over the past few seasons.
‘Countrymade’ was selected from five shortlisted designers by an expert jury comprising Shashank Srivastava – Senior Executive Director, Marketing and Sales at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Ram Suresh Akella – Executive Director, Marketing at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Sunil Sethi – Chairman of FDCI; Jaspreet Chandok – Group Vice President, Reliance Brands; Ashish Soni, Fashion Designer; Dhruv Kapoor, Fashion Designer; Sanjana Batra, Senior Fashion Stylist.
Commenting on the initiative Shashank Srivastava – Senior Executive Director, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “NEXA presents The Spotlight’ is a true reflection of the partnership and commitment that NEXA and Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI have towards nurturing upcoming talent and inspiring a new league of designers. The design presentation and show concept of Sushant Abrol for Countrymade was exceptional in terms of thought process, creation, and execution and he has rightfully emerged as the winning designer for the 6th edition of ‘NEXA presents The Spotlight’.
Sunil Sethi, Chairman, FDCI said, “Lakmé, FDCI and RISE Worldwide have always been committed to nurturing emerging talent within the fashion realm. In its sixth season now, the ongoing initiative of ‘NEXA Presents the Spotlight’ reaffirms this commitment. Sushant’s runway presentation left the audience enthralled, and we remain enthusiastic about our role in inspiring the upcoming designers in the industry.”
Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands said, “It is a pleasure collaborating with NEXA to introduce another edition of ‘NEXA presents The Spotlight’ at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI. Our initial intent, six seasons ago, was to provide emerging talent in the industry with a stage to exhibit their design sensibilities to a wide-reaching global audience. With each passing season, we make strides toward realizing this goal. Sushant Abrol of ‘Countrymade’ has captivated us with his creativity and we were delighted to witness the showcase of his presentation on this season’s runway.”
Sushant Abrol said, “Winning ‘NEXA presents The Spotlight’ has been an exciting journey. I would like to thank NEXA, Rise Worldwide, and Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI for giving me such an amazing opportunity. The “No Man’s Land” collection is a powerful and introspective journey through a soldier’s odyssey as he reflects on his experiences and writes a poignant letter to his younger self. In essence, it is not just a collection of garments and accessories; it’s a powerful conversation about the complexities of war, personal transformation, and the enduring hope for peace.”
NO MAN’S LAND BY COUNTRYMADE
Making asemic writing the core of his collection, for the ‘Countrymade’ label, designer Sushant Abrol unveiled his “No Man’s Land” line with exquisite embroidery. Inspired by a soldier’s odyssey and thoughts post a war, the collection “No Man’s Land” sent an emotional, clarion call for peace. The great blend of earthy tones and fabrics told a tranquil tale of hope that blended seamlessly with NEXA’s theme of Veracity.
The men’s wear look came alive in a diverse range of textiles, which were carefully chosen to reflect a soldier’s journey that was the powerful theme of the collection. To create looks that were reminiscent of a warzone wear and tear era, there was rugged weathered waxed canvas, which was merged with soft blends of linen, cotton, silk, and denim. Innovative surface techniques like waterless laser printing were perfectly balanced with traditional crafts to present an amalgamation of texturing.
The classic 2-button peaked, lapel and black jacket with intricate, minute embellishments was a standout combo in the show, while the cobweb-inspired, embroidered, black jacket with white surface ornamentation made a striking entry.
Completing the look was the perfect addition of the leather cross body bags, totes, man bags and wine bottle cases, which also reflected the distinct military touches of the theme.
The ‘Countrymade’ brand’s “No Man’s Land” collection by Sushant Abrol not only unveiled a powerful message on the futility of war but offered classic men’s and women’s wear with unconventional timeless detailing.
