CCI’s Let’s Design 5 saw talent in variety from every corner of India. But after several rounds of eliminations in the reality house, Deepjyoti, Vedangi, Harjosh, Dimpali and Anu emerged as the most talented and were chosen to compete for the grand finale round.

In the grand finale task, the participants had to create two cotton ensembles, one pret-a porter and the other as couture/diffusion. The designers were given ten meters of cotton fabric in variations to create two ensembles in just two days. From crochet to jacquard to crinkled cotton, the participants were required to use all the varieties to come up with two looks that redefined cotton in the best and most unique way.

Fueled with passion, coffee and the dread of deadline, the participants came up with some very interesting designs. Textures, embellishments, modern tailoring, clean cuts, androgyny, surface developments and feminine were some of the noted themes and techniques.

Grand finale venue was filled with new talent, eminent members of fashion industry and lots of nervous yet excited faces as Let’s Design 5 celebrated these top five designers on 5th February, 2013in front of high frenzy media and non stop shutterbugs.

The designs created by the participants were judged by an experienced and able panel of judges which included Sunil Sethi (President of FDCI), designers Payal Jain, Rina Dhaka and David Abraham along with Agnieszka Fizol, program head CCI, India. The talent quotient was so high that the judges could not decide on one final name and finally chose two winners instead of just one. Harjosh and Vedangi were unanimously chosen as the joint winner of the final round who received an opportunity to showcase their designs in “high five” category of FDCI’s Wills India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 edition, cash prize of five lakh rupees each and a four page spread in Verve magazine.

Season five of Let’s Design saw history being created with a record-breaking number of entries and two winners for the grand prize and a fantastic opportunity to showcase at fashion week.

 The New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata regionals churned out the top eleven contestants from over two thousand entries submitted during Let’s Design 5. These finalists were then invited to New Delhi, where they faced multiple challenges to prove their aesthetic sense and technical skills by reinventing cotton like never seen before

 The first challenge given to the contestants was to re-invent the Little Black Dress. Ever since, Coco Chanel came up with a black cocktail dress to suit the jazziness of the 1920’s, LBD has been known as the most versatile classic of fashion industry. From Tiffany’s Audrey to Devil Wears Prada’s Hathaway, every star and in fact, every girl has sworn to the elegance of LBD. Therefore, to reinvent this classic silhouette in all time classic fabric- cotton and in their own unique aesthetic and style was indeed a real task for the designers. But they came up with some interesting ensembles, from asymmetrical hemlines to exaggerated shoulders to detailed necklines; the designers had a lot to offer. Based on this task, the jury chose the final eight contestants, who then moved to the next round.

 The second task involved designing a denim ensemble with a feminine and chic look. Most of us associate denim with comfort and toughness. The perception of denim is the perfect outdoor fabric. Denim can be rough, quirky, punk-y, but sexy and chic? Now, that’s a challenge. But again, the contestants came up with some amazing ideas. Patchwork, clinched waists, closed necks, pleated peplums, flared sleeves; the designer’s left no stone unturned and the result were outstanding. Based on this task, the jury selected the final five contestants who moved on to the grand finale round of Let’s Design 5, which was the real testing water from where only one designer would emerge as the winner of Let’s Design season 5 grabbing not just the grand prize money but a chance to showcase his/her collection at FDCI’s WIFW SS14 along with a four page spread in Verve magazine.

 

Witness the epic battle of final five designers fighting it out to be the next top designer in India on zoOm at 6pm on March 1, 2013

 

 

Deepen likes Sketching, Painting, Blogging. I also started a blog called Stylen’Sketch. His interests are travelling, music, language. He already is fluent in Spanish and French, but also wants to learn Hebrew and Italian. When it comes to design, Deepen is most inspired by music (favourite singer is Shakira) and his own curiosity and eccentricity. His favourite designer is Jean Paul Gaultier and his current muse is Karlie Kloss. He describes his design philosophy as indented and enchanted. If he wins the competition, he wants to invest his fame and money in specializing in Haute Couture.  He wants to learn the art of Haute Couture from Chambre de la sydicale dela Couture.

Pradipta loves to paint, from colours to water colours to oil painting; he has tried his hand at everything. His likes to sleep and catch up with his friends in his free time. He takes his design inspiration from nature and its balance. His favourite designer is Alexander McQueen and his muse is Lady Gaga. He wants to design clothes that are comfortable and wearable and very colourful. If he wins the competition, he wants to invest his fame and money in his own brand and learn more in the process.

Sanya likes to sketch and read. Her favourite books are Shantaram and The Outsider. She likes to cook in her free time. She takes her inspiration from repetition, asymmetry. With her designs, she tries to break rules and create something new every time. Her muse is her sister and her favourite designer is Alexander McQueen.

Vimal is believes in versatility. He is a sketch artist, painter, mimicry artist, actor and a stand-up comedian. New concepts inspire him and he believes in using his resources in the best possible way to create a garment. His favourite designer is Hussein Chalayan and Sonam Kapoor is his muse. If he wins the competition, he wants to invest his fame and money in his art.

Gurmaan Singh Chawla likes photography, gaming and driving. Music and cars interest him. He takes his inspiration from futurism, European art & architecture. His favourite designer is John Galliano and he likes to create garments that are detailed, structured and textured. He is in the competition only for recognition and money would just be one of the perks for him.

Vedangi likes designing, basketball and movies. She is a self confessed movie freak, her latest favourite is Life of Pi and her all-time favourite movie is The Devil Wears Prada. She lists draping as her major interest and takes inspiration from the designs of McQueen and Manish Malhotra. Her favourite designer is Coco Chanel and her muse is Madonna. Her design philosophy is to create clothes that are chic, elegant and lady-like.

Dimpali likes swimming, rifle shooting and cycling. In her free time, she likes to surf the internet and look at various photo blogs and fashion blogs: She is a poet too. People and different characters inspire her and she wants to create clothes that are wearable and buyable. Her favourite designers are Haider Ackerman and Alexander McQueen.

Padma Raj Keshri lists research, fabric modeling and forecast as his hobbies. Travelling and collecting stamps also interest him. He gets inspired from colours a sound and his favourite designer is John Galliano. His muse is Lady Gaga and he likes to make clothes that are bulgy, voluminous and extravagant. If he wins, he wants to use the money and appreciation for his masters.

Anu likes to read and her favourite book is Alistair Maclein. History of art interests her and Bauhaus is her favourite art movement. Her favourite designer is Stella McCartney and her muse id Sandra Bullock. Her design philosophy is practicality and utility. She wants to make clothes that are wearable. Her dream job is to become a fashion curator and to work in fashion museums.

Josh is passionate about riding vintage motorbikes. He owns a 72 Royal Enfield and in his free time, he likes to go on road trips to Himalayas. He is also interested in music production and loves techno music.  The contradiction between the sartorial conservatism and radical minds inspire him and when he designs clothes, he wants to achieve restraint elegance and the right mixture between the discreet and the approachable. His favourite designers are Kris Van Assche and Neil Barrett. He likes Freida Pinto and Sonia Gandhi fir their phenomenal style and their eye for details. If he wins the competition, he would put everything in his label.

Deepjyoti likes photography and travelling. He is a self confessed foodie and Indian is his favourite cuisine. New concepts and stories inspire him and his favourite designer is Hussein Chalayan. Brad Pitt is his muse and he wants to create garments that are both, beautiful and functional. If he wins the competition, he would use the money and fame in strengthening his brand.

After selecting the best designers from the West, South and North, Let’s Design reached Delhi to choose its final contestants. Taj Vivanta, Delhi was packed with talent, colours and excitement on 28th January, 2013; as the young designers showcased their concepts and designs to renowned designers Samant Chauhan and Nitin Bal Chauhan. The judges were pleasantly surprised by the innovative and diverse use of cotton. 

“Cotton is more relevant now than ever. I firmly believe that in the age of synthetic fabrics and finishes innovation in cotton should be a priority. Kudos to Cotton Council International and Fashion Design Council of India for promoting this cause among the youth of this cotton country,” said Nitin Bal Chauhan

“I prefer working with natural fibers. I love the possibilities that cotton offers, and the creativity shown today has been a real eye opener for me. With so many variations of cotton, I strongly feel that there is tremendous scope in this fabric. It is not only comfortable to wear but can also become inviting via innovation,” added Samant Chauhan.

The talent quotient was so high that the jury picked up two additional contestants for the final round. “The extremely high caliber of entries resulted in our decision to create an additional two spots in the reality house”, said Ms. Agnieszka Fijol, CCI’s program head of India.

The five finalists from Delhi are Vimal Abinash, Sanya Mukesh Jain, Gurman Singh Chawla, Padmaraj Keshri and Harjosh Singh Gioraya. 

The final twelve candidates chosen from around India will be invited to Delhi, where they will face a series of design challenges that test their creative and technical skills. A panel of fashion industry experts will judge each challenge, with one or more designers eliminated in each round. The winner will receive 1 million rupees and the chance to present at Spring/Summer 14 Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week.

Stay tuned to know more about this fashion battle and its consequences or log onto www.allaboutcotton.com/letsdesign5 for regular updates and join thousands of fellow cotton lovers on www.facebook.com/allaboutcotton


After selecting the crème de la crème of talent from South and East India, Let’s Design reached Mumbai to scout out the best of West India.  Contestants from all over West India reached Holiday Inn, Mumbai on 23rd January, 2013 with hopes to impress the judges with their creativity. 

Renowned designers Troy Costa and Priyadarshini Rao judged the entries and were thoroughly astounded by the high caliber of the young designers. “Cotton is India’s heritage, and there has never been a fabric better suited to our lifestyles or mindsets,” exclaimed Priyadarshini Rao. “Creating awareness of this rich resource is a great way to take it forward for the generations to come. I am excited to see how innovatively the designers have handled cotton and have given it a new lease of life.” 

“Cotton mirrors people’s lives,” added Troy Costa. “It adapts to meet their needs, reflecting their strength and energy without losing their sensuality and individuality. Extravagance and comfort become one when creative tailoring meets cotton’s renowned qualities of breathability, strength and versatility.”

Cotton Council International, the mastermind of Let’s Design was also proud and happy with the turnout. “The caliber of entries this year is extremely high with some great non-traditional applications of cotton,” expressed Ms. Agnieszka Fijol, CCI’s program head of India. “Their designs show the true versatility of cotton fabric.” 

Vedangi Agarwal, Dimpali Khattar, Deepen Mohan Sharma and Ruchi Ramachandran were selected for the final round Let’s Design 5 and will join three young hopefuls selected in Kolkata earlier this week. These young aspiring designers will now head to Delhi, where they will face a series of design challenges that tests their creative and technical skills. Stay tuned to know more about this fashion battle and its consequences or log onto www.allaboutcotton.com/letsdesign5 for regular updates and join thousands of fellow cotton lovers on www.facebook.com/allaboutcotton
As promised, we are back with more updates on CCI’s Let’s Design 5. 21’st January, 2013 saw talent in abundance when our candidates from East and South India gathered at the Park Hotel, Kolkata to prove their mettle to the experienced jury of Let’s Design 5 Kolkata Regionals. The jury panel consisted of the renowned designers Kallol Datta, Mona Lamba & Pali Sachdev of Monapali. The talent quotient was very high and the judges were thoroughly impressed by the innovative use of cotton by the young designers. “We were really impressed with the creative use of cotton,” noted designer duo Mona and Pali. “It’s easy to rely on tried-and-true basics with a comfort fabric like cotton, so it’s great to see innovation being brought back into this very versatile fabric.” 

“Cotton in all its magnificent glory was seen as expressed by the young contestants through their designs here in Kolkata.  I was impressed to see the freshness, the innovation and the quality of work displayed by them today,” added designer Kallol Datta.

Selected from over 2,000 entries, these aspiring designers mesmerized the judges with their versatile and non-traditional applications of cotton.

Pradipta Das, Deepjyoti Baishya and Anu Parthasarathy emerged as the regional winners and will now progress to final round of Let’s Design 5 where they will be join seven more young hopefuls yet to be selected in the Mumbai and Delhi regionals.  

The top ten candidates from around India will then be invited to Delhi, where they will face a series of design challenges that tests their creative and technical skills. So far Let’s Design 5 journey has been eventful and colorful but the best is yet to come. Stay tuned to know more about this fashion battle and its consequences or log onto www.allaboutcotton.com/letsdesign5 for regular updates and join thousands of fellow cotton lovers on www.facebook.com/allaboutcotton 
Cotton Council International presents Let’s Design season 5, India’s biggest fashion based reality series returns with bigger wings of fame and fashion! This year it has become bigger and better, with one million rupees to be won. Design aspirants across India have flooded the competition with their entries. Season five offered the five fashion capitals as inspiration for the theme this year. London, Paris, New York, Milan and Tokyo enticed the participants from their food, fashion, street and so on…
What makes this the biggest design competition is the best of names in fashion have come on board to support the designers who aim to become the next revolutionary designers in India. The official magazine partner – VERVE will feature the winner and his/her winning designs in a four-page feature spread. The fashion editorial believes in supporting the young talent and aims to give maximum exposure to the one who deserves it all.

What makes this competition different is the textile industry participation where Mills will be associating as official fabric partners, providing fabrics for tasks and eliminations, showcasing the versatility of the humble fabric- cotton.

Let’s Design in the past has been instrumental in establishing young talents in the fashion Industry, the very fact that not just winners but previous participants are running their own design labels successfully shows the impact of this competition on young creative minds. Designer Shivan Bhatiya of label SHIVAN & NARRESH and the winner of Let’s Design season one quotes-
“One of the key learning experience which I inculcated from Let’s Design was finishing your tasks on time because no matter who you are, fashion industry is only a matter of a season and a season lasts only six months”. Let’s Design season two produced one of the most up coming names to look out for in the fashion industry, currently taking the season by storm with his PACMAN collection, Yogesh Chaudhary quotes-“Staying true to your aesthetics and working hard are the only two key factors to take you where you dream to be”

Let’s Design season five regional finalist names will be shortly announced. Watch out this space for more or log onto www.allaboutcotton.com/letsdesign5  you can also join thousands of  cotton lovers at www.facebook.com/allaboutcotton.
The revolution in fashion here!