Ace couturier duo, Shantnu & Nikhil collaborated with the world’s fastest growing smartphone brand realme, to showcase environment friendly, innovative and sustainably driven design elements at the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week in New Delhi. The collaboration brought to the forefront a design model that balances Avant-Garde sensibility alongside maintaining the ease of functionality with the upcoming new collection- Nomad.
Whilst creating Nomad, their main goal was to create something that would pique their curiosity and make them think. This collection brought all that is happening around us through symbols, textures, shapes, and patterns, as if we were nomads travelling the world. There were sweaters in rough knits that seemed like they were made of rope-yarn, suited to a breezy beachside, while classic intarsia featuring large leopard spots were cut into voluminous jackets for the urban jungle. There was felt, used for its strength, and miles of chiffon used for its vulnerability and drape, not to mention drama.
Oversized sweatshirts featured the magnificent Kirtimukha (a mythological creature that stands guard for the Gods) found in the temples of Southern India, cocooning the body in warmth, while leather and feather embroideries led us to the enormous wealth of tribal design inspiration that the world possesses. There were huge bags and vintage fisher hats, alluding to the constant Nomad in all of us, while puffer jackets and studded harnesses coalesced comfort and couture.
Couturiers Shantnu and Nikhil say “Returning to the ramps and the hustle of backstage after two years feels surreal, especially when FDCI and Lakme Fashion Week are united to create this ground breaking synergy. When we began working on Nomad late last year, our overriding desire was to make something that would grab our own interest first, something that would shake us up a bit. After over two decades of designing haute couture, it wasn’t surprising that we were looking for a new outlet: something defiant, yet more soft and intense—a lineup that would allow us to express what’s in our minds.
Being in association with the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand, realme, has only amped up the futuristic vision we look through via our collection. realme believes that materials can break design boundaries in all directions, which truly aligns with the design sensibilities Shantnu & Nikhil, as a brand reckons with.”
The first-ever association of the world’s fastest-growing, trendsetting brand with celebrated designers Shantnu & Nikhil at the country’s most premier fashion event, underlines realme’s commitment to endorse sustainable trends in its product design and heritage. Inspired by realme GT 2 Pro’s industry-first, bio-based, polymer Paper Tech Master design, the show presented the vision of a more sustainable and hopeful future. To invoke the beauty of nature, the set design at ‘the realme show’ highlighted sustainable paper material, in a stylish nod to realme GT 2 Pro’s paper-inspired design. As an innovative smartphone brand, realme goes beyond expectations to create a future that is ‘Greater Than You See’. Shantnu & Nikhil is a label that exudes the language of structure and strength with inimitable luxury. The collaboration breaks the mold of conventional norms by foraying into new domains of naturalistic texture. realme believes that style and sustainability need not be mutually exclusive. Design can break boundaries and represent a harmony of environment and technology.
Commenting on the multi-fold initiatives, Madhav Sheth, CEO – realme India, Vice President – realme and President – realme International Business Group, said, “2022 marks a new chapter full of bold vision, fresh energy, and new commitments for realme. As a design-forward brand, realme has always upped the stake with trendsetting innovations. Our collaboration with celebrated couturiers Shantnu and Nikhil showcases the perfect and premium amalgamation of nature and technology. It draws inspiration from the sustainable design elements of the highly sophisticated realme GT 2 Pro, to be launched on April 7th. While we gear up on our ambitions to emerge as the No. 1 smartphone brand this year, sustainability is a cause that’s very close to our hearts as well. Hence, realme is working full steam ahead to reduce carbon emissions of GT series by 30% and achieve ‘Double Zero’ emissions organizationally by 2025”.
