Aug 22, 2014 3 min read Articles

Inspired By Naga Warriors Shield, Naga Fashion Designer Asa Kazingmei Unveils ‘CHANGVEI’ at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014

Designer Asa Kazingmei unveils an eclectic collection themed as ‘CHANGVEI’ at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter Festive 2014.

The theme of this collection is derived from old Naga word which means a Defender or Protector. CHANGVEI is a shield which Naga warriors used during wars. Made of very thick hide, it is strong enough to withhold attack of any kind of sharp weapons.

Unrest, Strife, discrimination, no respect for human value, has brought this world to a precipice of collapse, man fighting for survival in this savage world without hope.

CHANGVEI inspired Asa to give this wounded man something which would invoke a fighting spirit would give a hope.

Inspired by Versatility of Changvei along with its immense toughness, substrates used are Thick denim, Leathers and Rivets. Black is used heavily in this creation which represents my angst against this chaos and my desire to fight back.

In Silhouettes, upper are more structured and body hugging for both men and women, with detailing of Pleats, Rivets and Piping accentuated with Metallic chains, Studs, Rivets and Zippers. Bottoms for women are flowy and transparent with details of riveting, leather piping and appliqué.

Men’s bottom has drop crotch with detailing of layering, tucks, studs and riveting. All men’s trousers are ultra-low waist. All creations are styled using leather gloves, boots and harnesses designed by me to complete the look. Hair accessory includes carved wooden hair pins, and dream catcher.

Asa Kazingmei– Known for his raw and edgy take on fashion, Asa revealed a new collection inspired by the shield used by Naga warriors when at war.

The silhouettes were almost armour-like, form fitting at the top so as to ‘protect’ one’s body. Exaggerated necklines and shoulders structured to mirror ‘self-expression through restriction’, was a concept derived from the boundaries and strife witnessed by the Naga warriors.

To balance out the range, feminine, free-flowing skirts, corsets and gowns, reflected the beauty and elegance even in tragedy while the outfits tailored for men included jackets, pants and shirts with controlled forms.

The designer used embellishments and layers along with pleats, metallic studs, chains, rivets, leather piping and zippers to further strengthen the outfits for an ‘appliqués for weapons’ train of thought.