Full Moon Party: Dance Under the Light You Carry
Mahek Shaikh - B.Sc. in Fashion and Apparel Design 2022
Mahek Shaikh’s collection – Full Moon Party, the winner of The Unconventional Avant-Garde Award, is a luminous tribute to moon power, transiting the enigma and transiting power of the full moon to stunning Fall/Winter evening wear for women. It’s an astrological party woven with symbolism, gentleness, and power.
Inspired by nighttime skies and moon tides of contemplation, the line combines Paris silk, Latchka, net, and lace in silhouettes that slide with an unearthly sensuality. Fabrics produce texture and depth, beading and embroidery glint like stardust—unobtrusive and shining, just like the moon.
The color palette of navy blue, black, gray, and white is reminiscent of the phase of the moon and the spectrum of emotions it evokes. Each outfit depicts a step along the path of individual development and inner strength. Celestial prints like constellations, moons, and craters on the moon are handled with sensitivity, meaning individuality and the too-often overlooked inner light that shines brightest in isolation.
To echo the JDDA theme of “Pause,” Full Moon Party encourages wearers to pause and reconnect with who they are. Just as the moon magnifies the reflection of sunlight in the dark, this line encourages women to amplify their inner light even when life gets darkest.
Design for night-outs and parties during the moon, this line is less about utility—it’s more about expression—is about being noticed, otherworldly, and whole under your own light.
Lanchana Nanda pulled off a sneaky genius: she made the old-school Malnad comfort totally blend with current-day design smarts. Nothing clashes. Nothing feels forced. You get this spot that makes you think “hmm, am I in a boutique retreat or someone’s ancestral home?”