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The show begins...
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The Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week unfolds this week
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READY TO TIP THE SCALES Fashion designer JJ Valaya with his creations at his studio PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY
After the Bollywood Fashion Week here comes the India Fashion Week! Yes, after all the stardust and dress malfunctions at Lakme Fashion Week that wowed a section of the media but embarrassed the buyers, Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week starts with an edge. Before the two Weeks got underway, things looked oddly balanced.
LFW having managed to shore up some key buyers while WLIFW boasts a long list of designers that matter. Apart from Ashish Soni and Sabyasachi Mukherjee and to an extent Narendra Kumar Ahmad, most at Mumbai frittered away the opportunity by going for flash bulbs. Going beyond the tamasha, Rathi Vinay Jha, Executive Director, Fashion Design Council of India promises "a bigger and better show with focus on making WLIFW a serious trade event." Designer Payal Jain, who is on the FDCI board shares, "We are going to have some quality international buyers like Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, Riyadh and Blooming Dales." With Walter Dammers bringing in his expertise of London Fashion Week, the newly introduced two ramps are expected to have an international look.
With 80-odd designers on show and in stalls, some theatrics is expected on the ramp. If Malini Ramani is getting ready to create a party mood for her show, Paras and Shalini of Geisha Designs are working towards a coffeehouse ambience. In a significant change this year, FDCI has not restricted the designers to any price points.
"They were not following the price point anyway. Indian designers are catering to three different markets - Indian, Diaspora and international at the same time. So it's difficult to maintain price points," reasons Jha.
Going futuristic
From the design perspective, largely the focus remains on the Edwardian era with most designers trying to blend the old and new together . Some like JJ Valaya, who would be launching his new label Valaya Quantum this year has gone futuristic with his circa 2040 interpretation of three of the greatest warrior clans of all times. Namrata Joshipura has found inspiration in a novel called "Nervous Splendour" by Frederic Norton written at the turn of the century. There are concerns like designers getting away by showing spring-summer at the Week meant to showcase fall-winter. "There are people who would end up showing resort wear," points out Raghavendra Rathore. For buyer Pradeep Hirani of Kimaya who is attending both the Weeks it doesn't matter "for fashion should cater to both the hemispheres." Thankfully, the designers are game to experiment with their image. While JJ is making an attempt to go subtle, Payal is trying to explore the mad side of the world. "My inspiration is artist Gustav Klimpt so I could not have gone subtle this year. My clients know I can deliver subtle, it's time to give them something new." That's fashion.
ANUJ KUMAR
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