Australian creativity and style will take centre stage at the Lotus Make-Up India Fashion Week in association with NEXA Spring Summer’19 this October as part of Australia Fest. The dazzling design showcase will be presented in collaboration with Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, and is an outcome of the MoU between the two countries that was signed at ‘Textiles India 2017’ in Gandhinagar.

The show will feature the collections of five Australian designers - Romance was Born, We are Kindred, Brother’s Earth, Cassandra Harper and Roopa – created using Indian handloom textiles.

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Her Excellency MsHarinderSidhu, said fashion has a strong potential in the expanding trade and investment relationship between our two countries.

“We are proud to present this project as an outcome of Australia’s MoU with India on cooperation in the textiles, clothing and fashion sectors. It is an exciting project that promotes collaboration and exchange between Australian designers and Indian artisans.”

“I am looking forward to viewing the collection, which demonstrates the richness and versatility of Indian textiles interpreted in a contemporary Australian design context,” she said.

“We are pleased to showcase Indian handlooms with design interpretations from five Australian designers. This collaboration will highlight the versatility of the Indian textiles, opening gates to the foreign intervention,”said Mr. Sanjay Rastogi, DC (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles.

As part of this project, developed in partnership with Australian social enterprise Artisans of Fashion (AOF), Australian designers worked closely with Indian artisans to develop their collections.

The show comprises collections developed by Romance Was Born and We are Kindred with brocades from Uttar Pradesh, Brother’s Earth in collaboration with Indian designer Naushad Ali with natural Indigo dyed handloom textiles from Tamil Nadu, Cassandra Harper with Ikats from Telangana and Roopa with silks from West Bengal. 

Australia first partnered with FDCI and AOF in 2013 with a showcase at India Fashion Week Spring Summer 2013. This new project, which has been supported by the Ministry of Textiles through the Handloom Export Promotion Council, takes the collaboration between Australia and India to another level. 

“I would like to thank the FDCI and its President Sunil Sethi for unstinting efforts in support of deeper India-Australia fashion links,”Ms Sidhu said.

"We are delighted that we have this partnership with Australia again this year, and like last time I hope it will bring forth engaging ideas. It will be interesting to see how these designers give us a new algorithm of style using Indian handlooms and use their innate prowess to display a fresh outlook. Crafts have always been a focal point for us and the Ministry of Textiles has embarked on bringing to life the strength of four clusters – Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal, with designers engineering these handlooms into their collections to tell a story,” said FDCI President Sunil Sethi. 

“It is an honour and a pleasure to have worked with the Australian High Commission and the Ministry of textiles on this important collaboration between Australian designers and India’s textile artisans. This to me is one of the most exciting opportunities to promote the traditional crafts and demonstrate the magic that happens when designers and artisans work together in a truly collaborative way.  It is our hope that we will see more designers seeking the beautiful work of India’s crafts people and help to keep these skills alive.”- Caroline Poiner Founder Artisans of Fashion.

"Handwoven textiles bring a unique character to life the garment. We are living in an exciting time in Fashion where the story behind the garment is more important than ever. This intersection of story and the richness of handloom has inspired Brothers Earth and Naushad Ali to collaborate on this men’s capsule. We are so excited to be part of the Australian Fest.” – Brothers Earth

“Roopa SS19 Collection pays homage to the ancient network of trade routes that once connected the East and West. We are so proud to be presenting at Amazon Fashion Week as part of the Australia Fest celebrations and showcasing the incredible weaves that behold ancient stories told through print and textiles.” - RoopaPemmaraju

“Creating a collection with the beautiful ikat weaves of Telangana just deepens my love and respect for the incredibly talented artisans of India. It is an honor to be presenting my Resort Collection as part of the Australia Fest. Celebrations.” - Cassandra Harper.

The Australia-India Fashion Showcase will be presented at the Lotus Make-Up India Fashion Week at 7:30 pm on 10 October 2018.