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Spectacle sans spark
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The recently-held Hyderabad Fashion Week was commendable because it was the first-of-its-kind. However, this style spectacle did not take off as it was supposed to, writes RADHIKA RAJAMANI.
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FUNKY LINES: Swaroopa models an Indo-western outfit.
A FASHION week is expected to be a spectacular event - full of razzle-dazzle, colour, gloss and glitter, an event, which touches the heights of creativity in the couture arena. The organisation of the Hyderabad Fashion Week (HFW) was a laudable gesture - more so for the first time in a city where the fashion scene is in its `embryonic' stage compared to the other metros. So the expectations were high - in terms of clothes, couturiers and ramp shows.
Sponsored by Coco-Cola, this Fashion Week got off after some hiccups - a postponed start on October 9. It did not start off on a noteworthy note at least on day one where everything was behind schedule (late starts are characteristic of Hyderabadi culture). But as the week progressed it seemed to gain `momentum'.
From sherwanis, ghagras, indo-westerns to creative couture, funky lines for casuals to sober tones for the formals, the HFW saw it all. The budding designers of the city like Prashant Surya, Y. Bhuvana, Wajahat Baig, Moghny Khan, Sandhya Rao, Arvind Jashava, Zubin Vakil, Leena Reddy, Preeti Sanghani and Fatima Aman showcased their creativity with local models showing off their creations with élan. One also got to see clothes of three to four designers on the ramp every day. In that sense, it was a good platform for the up-and-coming designers.
GLAD RAGS: A good platform for up-and-coming designers.
In essence, the HFW was all about apparels unlike the hot Lakme India Fashion Week (LIFW), the mother of all style spectacles, which sees everything - from garments, accessories to cosmetics.
Although a comparison with LIFW is rather unfair (as the LIFW is now an established annual event) one cannot but compare the two as the concept of HFW stemmed from it. Taking the basic idea from it, `Traditions Event Management Pvt Ltd', the event management company behind the event conceptualised this week in about 45 days time. "This was the first week of its kind organised in the twin cities within a short period in conjunction with local designers as the focus was on them," says Arun Kumar.
The LIFW, has in the last three years, become a professional event with all the big names in the fashion industry in it. Sponsored by Lakme, the LIFW has sound financial support. It has attracted even international buyers too. However, the HFW fell below expectations. There were certain loopholes in the planning and execution. The organisation lacked the professional touch. The publicity was not sufficient enough to attract crowds (at least in the first two days but it seemed to pick up later).
The LIFW has top-notch models sashaying the ramp with haute couture of India's celebrated designers. The volume of business transacted through stalls is large. In the HFW, ramp shows dominated the proceedings with mostly city models occupying centre-stage. Towards the latter part about three models from Bangalore made their entry. The absence of big names of Hyderabad like Vinita Pittie and Anand Kabra was conspicuous. "Anand Kabra agreed to showcase his clothes on the ramp and not in the stalls but later declined because his students were participating," says Arun. Big names do add weightage to such events especially in the germination stage. The idea of stalls did not take off as designer response was not enthusiastic. "Only one or two designers welcomed this proposition and I had to remove the stalls as a row of empty stalls presented a negative picture. Actually the co-operation from the designers (barring a few) was not of the required level. They did not garner enough publicity for the event as they were given the responsibility of inviting clients and people. When they did not, `Traditions' had to step in and do the needful. So we had better crowds on the last two days," laments Arun.
ETHNIC CHIC: The sherwani made its presence felt.
The upmarket boutiques (which pick up merchandise) too were not present. "I did not get the invitation," says Smitha Shroff of `Oorja' and `Elahe'. Vivek Khurana of `Origins was not around either. In such a situation, one can imagine the nature of business. The weather god too added to the woes with incessant rain especially during the evenings.
Nevertheless the intention was good and the HFW at least made a head start. It is planned as an annual event and "we want to organise it prior to Dasara just after the LIFW so as to encash on that," says Arun, who accepts the loopholes in this event. "One of the main sponsors backed out and we had to get in others. Because of financial constraints we could not get top models," he rues. He hopes to set things right next year.
As a first time event, the HFW served a purpose - of providing designers a platform to showcase their ensembles though one cannot term it as a successful event. If Hyderabad has to make a mark in the fashion circuit more such events have to be held in the near future to open the doors of contemporary fashion to men and women. A rejig is required to make HFW a veritable treat for the fashion cognoscenti. More professionalism in terms of execution and exposure is called for. The germ needs to sprout well to blossom into a plant.
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