New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) His expertise lies in bridging the gap between textile and fashion and this is what debutant Sanjay Garg of the Raw Mango brand promises to showcase when he will open the spring -summer edition of Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) 2016, starting October 7.

The five-day fashion even will take place at the NSIC Grounds, Okhla and Garg is excited about showcasing his skills.

“The garments in this collection aim to bridge the gap between textile and fashion, and at the same time, blur the categories of traditional and modern, old and new, past and present. The garments present technical advancements in Mashru that make the ‘old’ textile contemporary, while retaining the luxuriousness that has always been an important part of it,” he said in a statement,

Mubarikpur-born Garg, enrolled to study at the IICD (Indian Institute of Crafts and Design), Jaipur then went on to hone his skills at NIFT (Delhi), only to launch his label, which retailed saris, stoles and fabrics hoping to offer pure handlooms.

The designer with a penchant for humble motifs is known for his loom-stage innovations on fabrics, mostly Chanderi.

“It’s a matter of great honour to open the Amazon India Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2016. This opportunity is a testament of FDCI’s effort to bring Indian textile at the forefront of the fashion industry and truly celebrates the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” he said.

Even Sunil Sethi, president of the organising body Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), is pleased to have a craft lover open the fashion gala.

“We are excited to have Sanjay Garg open the AIFW SS16, as he is a craft-lover. He has worked as a purist, never deviating from the ‘I love India’ theme. He will set the right tone for the fashion week, which celebrates the myriad crafts of the country,” he said.