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Shahin Mannan’s I AM Is a Denim-Soaked Declaration of Selfhood at Lakmē Fashion Week
Some collections want to dazzle you. Shahin Mannan’s I AM wants to ask you a question: how much of who you are is actually yours?
The designer brought the collection to Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), and it landed as equal parts fashion show and personal manifesto. Think sharp silhouettes crashing into slouchy proportions, denim doing things denim doesn’t usually do, and embroidered moths fluttering across familiar clothes.
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The Big Idea: Inherited vs. Chosen
I AM digs into the tug-of-war between what we inherit and what we choose. The expectations we grow up with, the rules we learn to follow, and that moment when instinct says, “Wait, why?” Mannan turned that tension into clothes that champion self-expression without a rulebook.
Structure Meets Ease
The runway played with contrasts all night. Precision stood next to nonchalance. Familiar everyday shapes were thrown off balance by unexpected proportions. The fabric mix did plenty of the talking too:
- Jersey and suede
- Denim and Swiss poplin
- Cotton silks
Different weights, textures and movement, all in one wardrobe, which is exactly how people actually dress.
Denim Takes the Lead
Denim was the star of I AM. It gave the collection a recognisable foundation, then Mannan pushed it somewhere far more individual through bold proportions and unusual material pairings. It’s the everyday staple, remixed into something with attitude.
Moths, Insects and Graphic Text
The collection’s most striking visual layer came from embroidery. Moths, insects, abstract forms and graphic text appeared as detailed, almost illustrative artworks stitched onto otherwise familiar garments. These weren’t just decoration. The embroidery carried the story, embracing imperfection as something to express rather than fix. Plain pieces suddenly felt personal, instinctive and a little unpredictable.
In the Designer’s Words
Mannan said I AM began with a simple thought: how much of who we are is truly ours, and how much comes from what we’re told we should be? He wanted the collection to question those ideas and build the confidence to define yourself on your own terms. For him, it’s ultimately about the freedom to be instinctive, imperfect and entirely yourself, with no need to explain or apologise.
The Takeaway
I AM resists easy labels, and that’s the point. It treats clothing as a space where personality gets to run the show, and it closes on three lines that work as a mic drop:
Without permission. Without explanation. Without apology.
