A Bold New Era in Fashion: Seeya Fashion Week 2024 Showcases Emerging and Established Talents
Breaking the mold of traditional fashion events, Seeya Fashion Week 2024 introduced a transformative format, blending fresh creative voices with experienced industry professionals, all propelled by a robust three-month mentorship program.
New Delhi, October 5: Seeya Fashion Week 2024, orchestrated by The Seeya Sttory and led by its visionary founder Seema Vashishth, unfolded at Bella Monde, NH8, Gurgaon, on October 5, 2024. The event was graced by an esteemed lineup of guests of honor, including legendary ghazal singer Penaz Masani, BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi, television star Akanksha Pal, and Vijay Chaudhary, founder of the Ramrattan Group.
What truly sets Seeya Fashion Week 2024 apart is its trailblazing mentorship initiative—a three-month intensive program aimed at nurturing emerging designers from India and abroad. This pioneering approach bridges the gap between aspiring talents and seasoned professionals, ensuring a platform for learning, growth, and innovation.
The event saw the launch of 15 budding designers, each with a unique artistic vision and creative flair. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these rising stars:
1.) Smarika Sahay: Smarika Sahay, a native of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, is currently residing in Noida while pursuing her graduation in Fashion Design from AAFT University. Now in her 4th year, she has established herself as a passionate and creative designer with meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of design. Driven by her dreams, Smarika launched her brand, ‘TRINIYA.’
TRINIYA is committed to curating each piece with love and elegance, making special occasions even more memorable. The brand’s philosophy focuses on simplicity, elegance, and functionality while celebrating culture and heritage through intricate hand painting and embroidery. Each garment can be fully customized to meet the needs of the wearer, embodying TRINIYA’s vision of thoughtful, innovative design.
2.) MITRABINDA RATH- Hailing from Odisha, She has an extensive background in the fashion industry, having worked in export houses and a buying house in Delhi. Driven by a passion for her native heritage, she eventually decided to start her brand, bringing the rich cultural legacy of Odisha to the forefront.
Her brand is dedicated to eco-friendly, sustainable fabrics, using vegetable dyes on cotton and silk ikat. She showcases three outfits in Seeya Fashion Week. One standout piece is a cotton vegetable-dyed ikat skirt paired with a Mulberry silk ikat stole, styled with a knitted top and tribal brass accessories. Another notable creation is a silk tassel white saree, hand-painted with Odisha’s traditional Patachitra art. The theme illustrates Brindavan, featuring gopis, cows, and peacock feathers, blending culture and artistry seamlessly. Additionally, the collection includes a stunning double ikat dobby cotton piece, skillfully woven by an award-winning artisan from Odisha.
3.) Diksha Singh: She is a fashion designer with six years of industry experience, and specializes in children’s clothing. A 2018 graduate of Pearl Academy, she showcased her work during Amazon Fashion Week that same year. Early in her career, Diksha gained expertise in ethnic wear and client services. She spent three and a half years designing children’s apparel for Cherry Crumble and two years working on women’s cord sets for the same brand.
Currently an independent fashion consultant, Diksha has worked on diverse projects, including children’s wear, yoga and meditation clothing, and swimwear. She also developed the Quiet Book under the Seraphina brand and is now freelancing in children’s clothing for Trendgully.
4.) Clay Howard: Clay is from California and showcased his brand Slippery Dirt in Seeya Fashion Week. Slippery Dirt is the pseudonym, Clay adopted during travels in India between junior and senior years of college, becoming an artistic identity and brand. The name is inspired by the Hindi translation of clay: “Chikni” (smooth/slippery) and “Mitti” (mud/dirt). Clay’s art practice is a culmination of travels, education, and entrepreneurial ventures.
While attending college in Portland, Oregon, Clay worked in the publishing industry, gaining exposure to fine art photography and fashion advertising—two influences that shape the subject matter and composition of the artwork. The portrayal of upper-class society in The New Yorker magazine is also a significant inspiration.
Viewing clothing as an extension of drawing and painting, stitches drawings into the fabric, bringing conversations about line and composition from the canvas into physical space. This approach doesn’t merely portray contemporary fashion but aims to define it.
With Slippery Dirt apparel, the goal is to push the boundaries between canvas and clothing, treating each garment with the same consideration and artistry as a painting.
These designers, along with others, are the future of fashion, representing diverse cultures, unique perspectives, and innovative designs. Through Seeya Fashion Week, they have been empowered to take the spotlight, turning their dreams into reality.