Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS): Veteran designer Anita Dongre, known for her stylish and environment-friendly ensembles, will mentor six young designers, who will debut at the upcoming season of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2014.

The fashion gala will be held here March 12-16, next year.

The six newcomers, who have been hand-picked by an 18-member advisory board, are part of the 17th edition of the Gen Next programme, which aims to nurture fresh talent in the fashion arena.

Every year, the winning designers are mentored by a seasoned designer, and with Dongre on the job this time, the new batch is expected to grow to their fullest potential while maintaining their individuality.

The designer, who has been associated with the country's fashion industry for over 20 years, is "super excited" to be counselling the Gen Next designers.

"The young designers who have been selected not only displayed their creative talent but their passion for fashion. It was heartening to see their enthusiasm, confidence and craft. I look forward to a really exciting and enriching experience for all of us," Dongre said in a statement.

The selection of the six designers was made from over 150 submissions and through a pre-selection of 30 entries.

A distinguished panel of jury members comprising eminent designers, fashion editors, prominent buyers and representatives from Lakme and IMG Reliance chose six names based on criteria like quality, innovation, marketability, and ability to legitimately take their business to the next level.