Brands
India’s fashion powerhouses celebrate 25 years of Lakme Fashion Week
MUMBAI: India’s fashion world threw a dazzling bash as Lakme Fashion Week marked its 25th anniversary with a glittering gala that brought together the country’s design royalty. The spectacular event, hosted by Lakme, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Reliance Brands on 30 March, was a runway romp through a quarter-century of catwalk history.
Hollywood actor and former White House staffer Kal Penn played master of ceremonies, bringing his trademark wit to proceedings as Hindi cinema heavyweight Kareena Kapoor Khan made a triumphant return to the ramp. Draped in white, the superstar—who has twice been the face of Lakme—delivered a nostalgic speech that had fashion-watchers swooning.
The silver jubilee extravaganza featured a who’s who of Indian fashion, with 30 celebrated designers including Rajesh Pratap, JJ Valaya, Namrata Joshipura, Varun Bahl, Manish Malhotra, Ashish Soni and Tarun Tahiliani strutting their sartorial stuff. Former Lakme models including Lisa Ray, Lisa Haydon, Indrani Dasgupta, Sarah Jane Dias, Shimona Nath and Archana Akil returned to strut down memory lane, reviving the magic of past finales.
FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi raised a toast to the “design-soaked journey. This year the celebrations were robust, reflecting on how we shaped design and its sinuous curves through crafts and heritage. Let’s raise a toast to the future, forward with insightful and innovative ideas that will change our relationship with style. “
Lakme India vice president Sunanda Khaitan highlighted the brand’s “unprecedented” commitment to democratising fashion. She added: “Lakmes longstanding and consistent commitment to furthering fashion in India is unprecedented. It has given fashion designers, makeup artists, and models a world-class platform to showcase their creativity. While fashion may sometimes feel like it’s only accessible to a select few, Lakme’s contribution to LFW has made it a cultural phenomenon, merging fashion and beauty. For the past 25 years, Lakme, through innovations debuted each season, has led the charge on beauty, bringing beauty trends to India. We have collaborated closely with the best fashion talent in the country to curate their collections, complementing the beauty trends for the season.”
Said Reliance Brands group vice-president Jaspreet Chandok: “The platform’s 25th anniversary was not just a celebration, it was a powerful reflection of how far Indian fashion had come and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead. This Gala brought together pioneers and pathbreakers of the industry in an unprecedented showcase of design excellence. From iconic designers to global talent like Kal Penn joining us as host, the evening was a historic tribute to creativity, culture, and collaboration.”
With supermodel Ujjwala Raut hosting the red carpet alongside fashion pundit Jessel Tank, the evening was a feast of fabrics and famous faces—proving that after 25 years, India’s premier fashion showcase remains as catwalk-crazy as ever.
Brands
Ather Energy doubles service network to 500 centres nationwide
EV maker scales support alongside growth to keep riders on the road
MUMBAI: Ather Energy is quietly building more than just scooters. It is building the backbone to keep them running.
The electric two-wheeler maker has expanded its service network to 500 authorised centres across India, nearly doubling its footprint in a year from 277. The move mirrors its growing retail presence and signals a clear focus on one often overlooked part of EV ownership, what happens after the purchase.
From the outset, Ather has prioritised service support in every city it enters, aiming to make ownership as smooth as the ride itself. Its Gold Service Centres bring in upgraded customer lounges, modern equipment and processes designed to make servicing more transparent and reliable.
Speed, too, is part of the pitch. Through its ExpressCare initiative, riders can get periodic maintenance done in about an hour, now available across 82 centres, turning what used to be a chore into a quick pit stop.
Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela said, “Crossing 500 service centres is an important milestone as we scale across the country. Reliable after-sales support is central to the ownership experience, and our focus remains on consistent service quality and accessibility.”
The expansion comes as demand grows for models like the Ather 450 and the Rizta, which have helped the company reach a broader set of riders across metros and emerging cities alike.
Alongside servicing, Ather continues to power up infrastructure through the Ather Grid, now one of the largest fast-charging networks for two-wheelers, with over 4,300 charging points.
With plans to scale further and deepen its presence, Ather’s approach is clear. Selling the scooter may start the journey, but keeping it running smoothly is what sustains it.
