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Stamp of creativity
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The inception of `India Fashion Week' is a step towards a more organised industry where the opportunities for trade and development will be immense in the years to come, says UPASANA ASRANI.
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A J.J Vallaya outfit
AS the lights fade and the curtains come down, it's the end of another hectic, hyped and glamorous fashion week. A melting pot of the entire fashion industry, "India Fashion Week" is where most of the action has been this season. With 53 designers showcasing their collections, only a few could come under the limelight. The sheer experience of being a participant in the country's hottest event, in whatever insignificant way, is a heady feeling. Rocky S, Rohit Bal, J.J Vallaya, Suneet Verma and Rajesh Pratap were unanimously voted as the gods of Indian fashion, more for their branding than the collections itself, although some of them did reveal an unmistakable stamp of talent.
Rocky S, the label that was part of the "23 days of Bollywood" at Selfridges in London, is creating headlines not only in the international arena but is also the hot favourite amongst the entire film industry. His collection for fashion week was a celebration of denim, a fabric that has made its mark in more ways than one.
Frayed, dyed, embellished, and worked upon in every conceivable way, the ensembles came alive in colours such as blues, slate, and clay. "I chose denim as the story because it's never been done as a specialised line in India before, while all the big designers abroad have a signature denim line, right from Versace to Ralph Lauren. Besides it's a bit unconventional in India for a designer to present an all denim line." With only one store in Mumbai, it's a wonder how Rocky reaches out to the fan following in metros like Delhi. Quick to clear my doubt he adds, "We are slated to open 10 stores nationally and internationally, and that for me is the ultimate test. It's the only way I can reach out to a larger market." Rocky S claims to have a lot of his fundas right. With a clientele that boasts of Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and the sensational Bipasha Basu, there's not much that can actually go wrong. Exceptionally down to earth, the designer says, "it took me a year to work on my collections for Selfridges and the opportunities have been immense. With the kind of branding and positioning that a company like Selfridges has, it is a dream come true for any Indian designer."
Balance was the theme of India's hot favourite, Rohit Bal, a men's line in faux leather replete with you name it — rivets, prints, wild embellishments and silver accessories adorned on the foreheads of most of the male models. Even more than the collections, it was the hype of the label that created a frenzy amongst the crowd. Except the daring or those craving attention, no one else would probably sport some of the feminine floral prints and the pink jackets that were showcased at L.I.F.W.. Profiled as "India's Master of fabric and fantasy" by Time magazine, he has earned the reputation of being the undisputed god of the fashion industry. His collections are endorsed by the country's top elite and retail at Rs. 25,000 upwards, completely out of reach. "Almost 80 per cent of my collections were sold at Selfridges."
Rohit Bal is a known label not only with the Indian community abroad but also with a large foreign circuit as well". After having reached the highest echelons anything that this maestro dishes out is considered a masterpiece, a classic case of Indian hype.
A Rohit Bal creation...
J.J. Vallaya's bridal collection stood out from the entire line that he presented at the show — intricate embroideries in pastel hues, with zardozi borders and heavily embellished ghagras made up the trousseau collection. The silhouettes were exceptionally feminine with the gheraas slightly tapered for a slimmer, and leaner, look. The line, a showstopper by any standard, was reinforced with impeccable finish and an eye for detail. The icing on the cake at the J.J. Vallaya show was the presence of the fashion queen Maureen Wadia and Ramona Narang, who claim to endorse many an ensemble of the "turbaned prince". Unlike his reputation for being "untouchably at the top", Vallaya says that his prêt line is very affordable and starts at Rs.1,000. Aimed at an upward middle market or anyone salaried at the corporate level, his line is considered a steal by many who would die for a top label in their wardrobe. The men's line presented at the L.I.F.W was a bit passé, although J.J. being who he is, commands the respect of most aficionados in the industry.
Niki Mahajan is another designer to truly watch out for, her collections for fashion week were something to die for. Bright colours, bold prints and a mélange of exquisite embroideries make her collections wearable and extremely chic. Flaming pinks, burning oranges, deep turquoise and wild reds were fused together to present a collection of Indo-westerns in fluid, flowing fabrics like georgettes, chiffons and crepes. Trousers teamed with kurta tops and scarves made every enviable aunty want to possess one of her creations. Denim made its appearance in her collections alongwith shorts, jackets and jeans teamed with embroidered tubes and bustiers.
Her sensational saris, in a variety of colours, and embellished blouses usually attract the bridal and trousseau clientele of whom she has a never-ending list. A recipient of the Ministry of Textiles' Yuv Ratan award for excellence in promoting the production of unique fabrics, she has worked with leading artisans from remote villages of India and continues to be very passionate about tapping such talent. She retails from "Oorja" in Hyderabad, "Kali" in Kolkata and several other leading stores.
Some of the not-so top-10 designers also deserve mention. "Geisha designs", a label that will be making headlines in the not so distant future, presented a unique collection of hand-embroidered ensembles both in Western and Indo-western silhouettes. It was in colour palettes ranging from whites, to blacks and vivid reds. The ensembles spoke volumes for the seamless finish, intricate embroidery and impeccable style. The designers from Kolkata stood out for their intense, intricate and exceptionally exquisite embroidery. Kiran Uttam Ghose, Anamika Khanna, Sabyasachi Mukherji (who most fashionistas claim will be the next czar of fashion), Mona Pali, Swapan and Seema, who form the designer fraternity, did ensure Kolkata's position as the mecca for budget bridal trousseaus.
Sashaying down in an outfit from the "Just Urban" collection
The peasant top and look was a recurring theme throughout the week, with almost every other designer experimenting with it. Smock, lace and fringe were some of the details used in abundance. Last were the belts in every conceivable size and colour, and used without exaggeration by almost all the designers.
The Lakme India Fashion Week attracted a range of buyers — merchandisers from Selfridges, "Accents" from Dubai and retailers from all over India. The Fashion Design Council of India played a pivotal role in enhancing business opportunities for both designer and retailer. "The concept is successful because it benefits everyone involved: designers are provided with a single platform to unveil their upcoming collections to potential customers; trade buyers attend a single event to preview, plan and order their lines for the next season. The event is also a platform for the media, which acts as the main channel through which the latest trends, designs and colour coordinates are communicated to a wider target audience".
Although conceptually superb, India has had only three fashion weeks and faces teething problems. It has a very small retail network that caters to designer wear, with only a handful of fashion stores retailing these designers. On an average, each city has about one or two stores stocking the cream de la cream — "Ogaan", "Ensemble", "Melange", "Ffolio" "Oorja", "Be" and "Studio Saks".
In all, the more than 53 designers and approximately 12 stores is a sad ratio as many of the stores that stock the top 10 labels don't have a very wide reach, catering to a minority elite. It is with the masses where the money truly is.
The inception of "India Fashion Week" is a step towards a more organised fashion industry where the opportunities for trade and development will be immense in the years to come. India has, and will, further establish itself as one of the leading destinations for high quality fashion goods and products. It's definitely not without reason that the focus of almost the entire fashion world is on this glorious nation, noted not only for its rich heritage but also for its large untapped potential. The seven days and nights in Delhi were a memorable experience; an exotic journey.
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