At the fall edition of the Bombay Times Fashion Week over 18 designers lined up to show their collections. While fashion obviously took centre stage at the event, dance, drama and music came a close second. Designers and showrunners incorporated live singing, dancing, and even spoken word on the runway.
From actress Shriya Saran opening a show with her semi-classical dance form to singer Raghav Sachar performing live for another, various other acts also found a significant place at this year’s BTFW. Designer Neeta Lulla , who started her career as a fashion choreographer in 1985, says that integrating dance and drama into fashion shows is not a new concept. “Back in the day, there were roughly three kinds of fashion shows.
One happened in the couture houses or intimate gatherings. Then, there were the professional shows where models walked the ramp. And the third kind was a grand show which, along with the fashion show, also included dance and musical performances.
Such gimmicks added more oomph to a show and attracted more audiences. Just seeing models strut up and down on a ramp was not the kind of show that the audience enjoyed much.” This year, in Neeta’s show, singer-model Sushant Divgikar performed at the beginning and at the end of the show.
“I believe platforms that encourage and engage amalgamation of different art forms should always be welcomed. While some might not want to mix performance art forms such as dance and singing with runway shows, I think it .