New Delhi, Apr 29: Even as the fashion industry is busy trying to shape India's fashion statement, there is a little whisper of protest that goes beyond clothes. Amid the glamour and glitter at the ongoing Lakme India Fashion Week show in New Delhi, there is a little bit of black and charcoal as some are taking the opportunity to present a message as well. Working on a strong theme, designer Puja Nayyar's message for the audience during her show as part of the fashion week on Wednesday was clear: "We don't like to go for war.'' Using asymmetrical cuts, graffiti, grease and a variety of accessories, Puja's pure white collection was inspired by events in Iraq and Afghanistan and aimed at making more than just a fashion statement. "This is more than just clothes. I am trying to put across a message that says don't go for war. This is not a fun collection, a very serious theme with very serious clothes,'' says Puja who used swollen toes, bandages, helmets and heavy strappings on the garments to create the war scene. In the background, the music blared, "German radio has just announced that Hitler is dead... .''

But this does not mean that Puja is not looking at the market. "I was trying to put a message across but my clothes are very serious. They are about the textures, the construction and the cutting. It is time that we looked beyond embroidery, especially for the prêt segment. I would have to tone down this collection for the market but the look would not be very different,'' says Puja.
Another designer, Nandita Basu -- who presented her collection on Tuesday -- also touched on the issue of the Gujarat riots. While Nandita did not try to sermonise in her collection, the clothes carried a clear message: "Clothes For The Thinking Woman.'' Printed on her T-shirts are caricatures of Narendra Modi dressed like Hitler, of policemen and atrocities they commit on the common man, and the story of a Gujarat riot victim. Another T-shirt speaks about the Jessica Lal Murder case. However, the message through her entire collection is subtle. "I am not trying to tell anyone what is good or bad. It is for them to decide. I have chosen T-shirts mainly because it is the youth mainly that go for T-shirts with printed messages. I want to get my message across to them. This is a combination of fashion and issues that people should take up. They are very close to my heart and I think that people need to discuss and raise such issues,'' says Nandita.