Actor Aneet Padda brought glamour to the runway as she turned showstopper for designer Amit Aggarwal's AM collection at the Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI Grand Finale. The showcase, titled 'On a Day Like Today', explored the transition from office wear to evening fashion, combining everyday Indian craftsmanship with contemporary silhouettes and beauty trends.
Presented in collaboration with Lakmē 9to5, the collection centred on the idea of transforming a daytime look into an evening ensemble without an elaborate wardrobe or makeup change.
Aneet Padda, who is also a Lakmē brand ambassador, walked the runway representing the collection's central theme of versatility and individual expression.
Aneet Padda brings Lakmē's '5PM Glam Reset' to the runway
The Grand Finale introduced Lakmē 9to5's '5PM Glam Reset', a beauty concept designed around the transition from a working day to an evening out.
The showcase paired Aggarwal's designs with the new Lakmē 9to5 HYA Glam range, highlighting how makeup and clothing can complement each other across different occasions.
Speaking about her runway appearance, Hollywood Reporter quoted Aneet Padda saying, “I love the idea of a look taking you from a long day at work to an evening out. Walking for the Lakmē 9to5 X AM Grand Finale brought that to life for me. The AM collection, paired with the new Lakmē 9to5 HYA Glam range, showed how the right makeup can complement an outfit and bring a whole look together. I think it’s that versatility, where a few thoughtful choices can take a look from simple to statement, that makes getting ready so much fun.”
Amit Aggarwal's AM collection draws inspiration from everyday India
For Amit Aggarwal, the collection offered an opportunity to reinterpret familiar elements of Indian life through experimental fashion.
Drawing inspiration from traditional crafts, household objects and everyday gestures, the designer incorporated unconventional materials, textures, colours and embellishments into his creations.
Among the notable elements of the presentation were pleated hats, woven bags and even an auto rickshaw on the ramp.
The collection was structured around four personalities: The Clock-In, The Unwinder, The Escapist and The Socialiser. Each represented a different mood or moment in a person's day, illustrating how clothing can evolve from professional settings to more expressive evening occasions.
Explaining his approach, Hollywood Reporter quoted Aggarwal saying, “Our collaboration with Lakmē 9to5 felt instinctive because both fashion and beauty offer ways to transform and express different facets of oneself. With On a Day Like Today, I wanted to draw from the visual language of everyday India, reinterpreting familiar crafts, domestic objects and gestures through unexpected materials, textures and techniques. The collection moves from the structure of the working day into the freedom of after-hours expression, bringing together utility, craft, colour and ornament to reflect the spirit of Lakmē’s ‘5PM Glam Reset’. For me, it is about finding the extraordinary in the familiar and recognising that while the person remains the same, their energy and expression can evolve.”
Lakmē Fashion Week Grand Finale blends beauty and contemporary fashion
The collaboration brought together Lakmē's beauty concept and Aggarwal's approach to contemporary Indian design, presenting fashion and makeup as complementary elements of personal style.
Rather than dividing office attire and occasion wear into separate categories, 'On a Day Like Today' explored how a single look could accommodate different settings and moods.
With Aneet Padda closing the showcase as its showstopper, the Grand Finale concluded with a collection built around adaptable dressing, Indian craft references and the changing relationship between everyday fashion and occasion wear.