Diana Penty closes the show for Verandah
Mumbai, 21 March 2026: With a legacy spanning over four decades, Lakmē Salon has remained at the
forefront of India’s beauty industry, shaping trends through innovation and a deep understanding of
diverse hair textures and skin tones. In a striking coming together of fashion and beauty, Lakmē Salon
partnered with Verandah by Anjali Patel Mehta to present Indigene at Lakmē Fashion Week, where its Cut
& Colour Collection 2026 was showcased alongside Verandah’s Summer 2026 collections, Bejewelled
and Ammama, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai—bringing together contemporary hair
artistry and artisanal, memory-driven silhouettes in a seamless runway that celebrated modern Indian
beauty as rooted, radiant and effortlessly global.
For Summer 2026, Verandah- India’s first Butterfly mark certified global conscious luxury brand
showcased Ammama and Bejewelled, continuing its narrative-led approach inspired by Anjali’s
childhood memories of her south Indian grandmother, Susheela Iengar- the woman who shaped her idea
of beauty, all things nature and heritage brought to life through nostalgia, and heirloom elegance.
Lakmē Salon’s Indigene is a modern ode to Indian beauty — sun-warmed, textured and quietly luminous.
Inspired by the innate depth of Indian hair and the natural glow of Indian skin, the Cut & Colour
Collection explores warm, dimensional colour paired with fluid, contemporary cuts designed to enhance
natural movement. The palette focuses on luminous, wearable shades tailored to diverse Indian skin tones, while drawing from global trends in colour and styling.
Actor Diana Penty, who embodies the values of the brand and has been close to the brand journey, closed the showcase as the showstopper for Lakme Salon X Verandah dressed in a fluid, hand-beaded kaftan crafted in sustainable Ecovero, featuring delicate sequin work and a signature magnolia print from the Ammama collection, an ode to designer Anjali Patel Mehta’s grandmother, inspired by the cherished tree at her Bangalore home. Rendered in rich midnight blue to evoke the tree’s beauty under the night sky, the look balanced sentiment with laid-back glamour, effortlessly elegant and elevated statement summer dressing for Goa to St Tropez, St Barths to Bora Bora.
The Spring Summer 2026 collection by Verandah, Ammama, unfolded as a tender tribute to Anjali’s
maternal grandmother, Susheela Iengar, whose gardens and travels formed the designer’s earliest world of wonder. Models walked in flowing silhouettes and breezy separates featuring botanical motifs inspired by magnolia blossoms, Nilgiri flora and traditional rangoli patterns, crafted in soft linens, silk-cottons and
airy fabrics. Hand-illustrated prints in leaf greens, aqua blues, sunlit pastels and delicate florals brought
alive the ease of tropical summers, capturing the romance of gardens, travel and slow living as the looks
moved effortlessly down the runway.
Adding a rich cultural dimension to the showcase was a live musical and dance performance in
collaboration with the LEAP Foundation, a Chennai-based non-profit, that Verandah is supporting through this showcase in commitment to their conscious luxury approach to design and storytelling.
Founded in 2016 by Professor Srinivas Krishnan and mentored by A. R. Rahman, Leap Foundation
focuses on “Leadership Engagement through Artistic Performances,” LEAP uses music and movement as
tools for personal transformation, fostering creativity, confidence and cultural awareness among children
through immersive arts education.
The performance featured globally acclaimed percussionist B. Shree Sundarkumar, widely known as
KanjiraMan, alongside esteemed artists including Srinivas Krishnan and Embar S. Kannan, bringing
together a powerful confluence of rhythm, tradition and contemporary expression. Their evocative
presentation, complemented by dancers from Rudraksha from Odisha, created a deeply immersive
moment on the runway—celebrating the intersection of music, dance, heritage and history that inspired
the collection.
On the runway, the Indigene collection showcased a series of distinctive looks, each defined by a unique
colour story, styling technique and complementary makeup. Chai Bronde, a warm beige-gold tone
inspired by Indian chai, was styled in voluminous, bouncy curls with a lifted half-up shape, paired with
luminous skin and champagne-gold eyes for a soft-glam finish. Cinnamon Brown, enriched with subtle
red undertones, was worn with intricate braided detailing flowing into long textured lengths,
complemented by glowing skin, diffused smokey eyes and natural nude lips. Hibiscus Blush, a rich
chocolate-cherry hue, was styled with fluid movement and matched with bronzed shimmer eyes and
radiant, fresh skin. Kappi Latte, a creamy coffee-toned shade bridging blonde and brunette, was presented with soft, modern layers and sun-kissed makeup that enhanced the warmth of the look.
Completing the showcase was Terra Dust, a deep burnt-copper tone styled to highlight natural texture, paired with warm, luminous makeup featuring bronzed eyes, subtle freckles and softly defined lips. Together, the looks combined contemporary colour, expressive cuts and glowing, skin-focused makeup, creating a runway showcase that felt warm, modern and effortlessly in tune with the season.
Continuing the narrative, Bejewelled for High Summer 2026 brought a sense of heirloom elegance and
timeless femininity to the showcase, inspired by the distinctive personal style of the designer’s
grandmother — vintage South Indian jewellery, kanjeevaram silks and an effortless blend of tradition and
individuality. Intricate prints reinterpreting antique jewellery motifs shimmered under the runway lights,
while embroidery and handcrafted detailing added richness and ornamentation to fluid resort silhouettes, statement capes and versatile summer layers that balanced glamour with ease as the models glided across the runway.
Across both collections, Verandah presented a versatile, day-to-night summer wardrobe that moved
seamlessly from beach to bar and city to vacation. Fluid, easy silhouettes including draped gowns, mini
dresses and relaxed daywear were crafted in sustainable fabrications, alongside consciously developed
swimwear handcrafted in Italy and designed in India. Signature hand-beading, artisanal detailing and a
standout macramé piece added texture and depth, while recurring jewellery-inspired and floral motifs
carried memories of the designer’s grandmother through each look. Designed for versatility and ease
across body types, the collection reflects Verandah’s signature approach to conscious luxury—effortless,
elevated and rooted in storytelling.
Mr. Vipul Chaturvedi, CEO – Lakmē Salon said, “Indigene is our ode to modern Indian beauty,
created with a deep understanding of Indian hair, skin tones and lifestyle, while interpreting global trends
in colour and cut through an Indian sensibility. With over four decades of expertise, Lakmē Salon has
consistently focused on translating runway trends into looks that feel relevant and wearable for the Indian
consumer, and this collection reflects that philosophy. Indigene has been thoughtfully crafted for Indian
textures and tones while staying aligned with international techniques and fashion influences. Presenting
the collection at Lakmē Fashion Week with Verandah allowed us to bring our signature runway excellence
to life, where contemporary fashion and hair artistry came together seamlessly to create a showcase that
felt rooted in India yet global in its appeal. Our constant endeavour is to take inspiration from the runway
and make it accessible to our customers through personalised colour, modern cuts and techniques suited to Indian hair.”
Anjali Patel Mehta, Founder & Designer – Verandah, said, “I’m deeply touched to see so many people
who are close to me, the brand, and its philosophy come together for this show—it truly feels like a
full-circle moment. This collection is rooted in nostalgia, inspired by my grandmother and the home she
created, where music brought every morning to life, florals filled everyday spaces—even kitchen
vessels—and a deep sense of warmth and belonging shaped everything around her. With Diana Penty as
our showstopper—someone I’ve long admired for her elegance and her innate sense of conscious
luxury—we found a beautiful embodiment of these values. Bringing together music, dance, and
artisanship through our collaboration with the Leap Foundation and these incredible performers was our
way of honoring that world and its cultural richness. I’m grateful to Lakmé Fashion Week and Lakmé
Salon for partnering with us, and to everyone who joined us to celebrate.”
Audrey D’Souza, National Creative Director-Hair, Lakmē Salon said, “For this showcase, the looks
were designed especially for the runway, with a strong focus on fashion-forward styling and hair artistry
that stands out on stage. We worked with warm, dimensional shades like Chai Bronde, Cinnamon Brown,
Hibiscus Blush, Kappi Latte and Terra Dust, pairing them with statement hairstyles including voluminous
curls, braided details, soft layers and natural textured movement to bring each look alive under the
runway lights. Each look was designed to feel radiant, wearable and in harmony with Indian skin tones,
while using global colour techniques to add versatility, shine and natural movement on the runway.”
Together, Lakmē Salon and Verandah created a runway that felt warm, expressive and deeply personal —
a celebration of contemporary Indian beauty where fashion, hair, music and movement came together in
harmony, reflecting individuality, memory and modern style.
