"Adults are only kids grown up anyway," said Walt Disney once upon a time. It is this sentiment that designer Ashish N Soni tried to portray through his collection titled 'The Inner Child' at the Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) Spring-Summer 2016 here.
His idea was that while every person has a childlike quality about them, today's youth has forgotten to enjoy life in the rush to be ahead of everyone.
While attendees in the main show area at the NSIC Ground were treated to lollipops placed on their seat, it was refreshing to see models bringing their inner child on the runway while showcasing the designer's collection.
The show started with a group of children, including Soni's daughter, lip-syncing and enacting nursery poems like "Twinkle twinkle little star".
And what came next was a surprise for the guests.
Model Alesia Raut and two other models sashayed across the ramp on skates, instead of heels! And what a confident and graceful glide it was.
Talking about the presentation, Soni told IANS: "All of us have childlike qualities, but sometime while doing the mundane work, we lose the child within us. So through this show, I tried to celebrate those childlike qualities that we have.
"This was an attempt to make all of us realise that we have child in ourselves and let's bring that innocence out sometimes."
Even models enjoyed such a unique showcasing.
"We were asked if we can do this and I thought why not? Let's give it a try! I was keen to do it and it was half an hour of exercise. I think we pulled it off well," Raut told IANS.
There was another model Arshia Ahuja, who found it challenging to do a round of skating on the narrow ramp. While she was seen struggling on the runway with a smile on her face, she got full support from guests, who were seen clapping and egged her on by saying "Come on, you can do it".
Apart from skating, there was also one slide kept on the runway and a few models started the walk after entering the runway while sliding. Not to forget the candies that some of them were seen eating while taking the final walk.
For Soni, the models were the performers of the night, and they effortlessly flaunted his creations, which are meant for a fun, carefree and stylish woman with a bold spirit.
"Catchy, carefree and effortless; laughter, play and innocence - this is the essence that should define your summer," the designer said in his forecast for the 2016 Spring-Summer season.
"This collection brings together sophistication, tailored clothing and downtown New York references all mixed together. It is a little bit done up, a little bit undone," he added.
For the designer, the colour palette centres around the one fabric which signifies the essence of 'The Inner Child' more than any other -- denim.
"In all its hues and glory... My challenge was to take this fabric that is familiar, comforting and reinvent it in ways that retained the innocence of denim, but added the New York edginess that is the backbone of this collection," he said.
Shades of charcoal and black rounded off the collection with splashes of bubblegum pink.
From denim suits, flared trouser along with denim jacket, the peplum across blouses, dresses and jackets -- the collection had it all.
