Red Chilli Chic

Beyonce's perfume hits $3 million in sales

2010-03-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

Singer Beyonce Knowles has had a whiff of the sweet smell of success - $3 million worth of her Beyonce Heat fragrance has been sold since its launch last month.

Beyonce at her perfume launch last month

The perfume hit the US departmental store Macy's in Feburary. Contactmusic.com reports that fans clamoured to purchase the fragrance, which features "notes of red vanilla orchid, magnolia, neroli and blush peach", and it quickly became America's top-selling beauty counter product.

The fragrance's popularity continues to soar - Macy's CEO Terry Lungren has revealed sales have reached a staggering $3 million in its first few weeks of release.

"The UNOFFICIAL Collection" By Blackberrys

2010-03-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

the "Unofficial Collection" by Blackberrys

Mumbai-- Replacing the generic closeted look with a clean & confident one, the Blackberry's Spring/ Summer 2010 Collection, "The Unofficial collection" proposes a fling for the office going youth. Swayed by their cool quotient even at their workplace! The collection gives the Indian corporate youth the opportunity to come out of the lifeless formals and get into something better and smarter, enhancing their gregarious personalities.

With an interesting play of unconventional colors accentuated by acute detailing, this latest line from Blackberrys brings in a breath of fresh air into the otherwise simple stilted selection of office formals. The collection proclaims an exalted fervor with its youthful styles, exclusive designs and impeccable finish, revamping the portfolio for their loyal patrons.

Darker palettes in terms of shirts, slimmer fits and versatility in terms of style, gives the Blackberrys customers the stylishly smart outside look even inside. Subtle design and use of fresh colors fading into many hues highlighting the mid-tones of nature create an active and sprightly look with the infusion of linen in half linings and inside piping. Targeting the young and classy, The Unofficial Collection creates an active and sprightly look with the infusion of linen in half linings and inside piping.

Brand Tihar now goes into footwear

2010-03-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

After cookies and dresses, brand TJ (Tihar Jail) is all set to leave its imprint on designer footwear made from waste material.

With Tihar Jail authorities roping in a private shoe designer to impart vocational training to inmates in shoe-making, it is just a matter of time when TJ's branded footwear, priced around Rs.500-800, occupies premium space in swanky showrooms and malls.

"We hope we will be able to start a production unit here soon," said Tihar director general B K Gupta, after the launch of a fashion footwear academy on the jail premises Tuesday.

Swati Mehrotra, the force behind Swati Modo Fashion Footwear Academy, said: "Whenever we launch the products, they will be by the name - TJ's by Swati Modo."

"I plan to price them around Rs.500-800 a pair,"she added.

Hari Shyam, 22, a Tihar jail convict, is excited about the new vocation training option available to inmates. "I used to earn Rs.250 a month by repairing shoes before I came to jail. But after undergoing the new footwear designing course, I hope to earn Rs.1000 once I leave the jail."

"I used to repair shoes earlier. But after receiving training here, I am sure I will be able to earn more for myself," Shyam, who has been in the jail since Jan 12, told IANS.

Ramnath Das, who was convicted for murder 10 years ago, said his family has been into shoe-making for years. He is happy that he has got the chance to hone his skills as well share his knowledge with other prisoners.

"I have been here for the last 10 years. The world must have changed by now. I have learnt to stitch ladies' suits and lot more. Now I will make shoes and help others," said Das.

The jail inmates will be taught shoe-making by 24-year-old Mehrotra and her team of three assistants, in a room at the vocational training area at the Tihar jail. She will be training a group of 10 inmates at a time, twice a week.

The walls of the training room adorn photographs of stylish, high-end shoes - exactly like the ones Mehrotra wants her students to create after mastering the art.

"My shoe-making classes at Tihar will be divided into two levels - basic and advanced. As part of the former, the inmates will learn basic cutting and stitching and simple slippers and their designing. Those who perform well, will be shifted to the advanced level to get intensive training in shoe-making, keeping in mind the requirements of the fashion industry," Mehrotra told IANS.

While the basic course will last 12 weeks, an additional eight weeks of training would help the inmates complete the advance level.

Gupta hoped the new vocational training course would add to the options available to inmates. "We try and give vocational training to our inmates so that once they leave the jail after completion of their term, their re-integration with society becomes easier."

"We have been training them in many vocations and as many as 60 NGOs have come forward to help us," said Gupta.

"The selection of prisoners shall be done very carefully. We shall pick those prisoners who may have some idea of the vocation. Even if the batch is small, we want our prisoners to develop their skills and do well in future," said Gupta.

Mehrotra was motivated to facilitate this project by hair stylist Amjad Habib, who has been conducting hair dressing and beautician course at the jail for the last three years.

She has her own fashion label "Swati Modo" and says a marketing plan for the shoes manufactured at Tihar, will soon be put into place.

"They will be making my designs with waste materials provided by Tihar jail management, who have been very helpful and supportive," she said.

Apart from the new course, inmates at Tihar are already learning how to stitch shirts, trousers, kurtas, baking cakes, cookies, biscuits, breads, weaving rugs and making paper bags among many other things to be able to earn a living once they leave the jail.

Madonna designs D&G sunglasses

2010-03-16T03:39:00.000-07:00

Madonna to design for D&G

Popstar Madonna is teaming up with Italian designers Dolce and Gabbana to design her own range of sunglasses, all of which will bear the letter 'M' on the arm.

"We're so excited. This further strengthens our relationship with Madonna and it was a very constructive experience for us. She is a professional who seeks perfection in everything she does, and this was no exception," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Gabbana as saying.

Madonna, who fronts this season's Dolce and Gabbana campaign, stars in the advertising images for the sunglasses line. The images taken by Steven Klein will be released in May.

Painted auto-rickshaws to be auctioned at Fashion Week

2010-03-15T02:47:00.000-07:00

Auto-rickshaws painted by well-known artists will be auctioned at the upcoming Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) with the proceeds going to NGO Khushii that works for the upliftment of the poor and destitute in rural and urban areas.

The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) that organises WIFW has joined hands with Khushii - Kinship for humanitarian, social and holistic intervention in India - to raise funds for its global development initiative, the World Action Forum.

FDCI pesident Sunil Sethi said: "As a non-profit organization, we at FDCI always felt it's our mandate to work towards the upliftment of the communities we reside in and help the underprivileged realize their dreams. We see the same commitment in Khushii's World Action Forum Initiative (WAF) to empower and develop sustainable livelihoods."

"The 15th edition Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week will be an ideal platform to introduce this initiative to create awareness within the fashion fraternity," he added.

"Our partnership with FDCI is a major step for cohesive working towards India Development under the aegis of World Action Forum," Khushii general secretary Harveen Kapoor said.

Designer Leena Singh said: "Being a board member of FDCI for many years and now being on the board of Khushii, there cannot be a happier and more proud moment for me when, with the support of Mr. Sunil Sethi, President, FDCI, I have been successful in putting both the bodies together for the betterment & upliftment of the other India."

The limited edition auto-rickshaws will be formally unveiled on the opening day of WIFW March 24. The auction will take place the same evening.

The artists participating in the initiative are Dilip Sharma, Farhad Hussain, George Martin, Hindol Brahmbhatt, Jaishree Burman, Jagannath Panda, Paresh Maity, Sanjay Bhattacharya, Satish Gupta, Sudhanshu Sutar, Yusuf Arakkal and Nitin Bal Chauhan.

Farah Khan Ali is fashion week's 'Wills Twitter Face'

2010-03-15T02:37:00.000-07:00

Jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali's addiction to micro-blogging site Twitter has paid off. She has been named the 'Wills Twitter Face' for the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) later this month to give live updates on the event.

Ali will be present at the venue on all five days - starting March 24 - to review the shows and tweet on the daily dose of fashion week news. And the designer is excited about the new tie-up.

"I am excited to be associated with Wills Lifestyle in this unique way. I promise to bring to my followers regular updates from the venue and to give them a glimpse of fashion's grandest celebration," Ali said in a statement.

As part of the tie-up, she will share her views on the ramp shows, upload pictures of the event and respond to tweets too.

Her name recently featured in the Top 10 Twitterers of India as compiled by india.twirus.com.

For the last season of WIFW, former Miss India Gul Panag had created quite a buzz as the Twitter face.

Australia's Sexpo looks at stockmarket listing

2010-03-03T03:10:00.005-08:00

Sexpo, an adult lifestyle exhibition, may be listed on the Australian stock market. The organisers are keen to fund an overseas expansion, an official said.

Sexpo general manager Rob Godwin said: "It has become somewhat of a rite of passage for newly turned 18 year olds but also for couples."

"But why we are doing this potential float is the potential for Sexpo being an Australian brand around the world.

"I do want that to be, for Sexpo to be the biggest entertainment export we have, because people have sex and the world needs Sexpo," Australian news agency AAP quoted him as saying.

Sexpo was visited by over 250,000 people at its exhibitions across Australia and in South Africa in 2009.

"We are getting a lot of demand from specific countries like New Zealand, UK and US to bring our show to them but we need a capital injection to be able to realise the potential of the show," Godwin said.

Talking about the plans, Godwin said: "We are aiming to do a prospectus and float by the end of this year."

Seasonal shift, focus on e-commerce at Lakme Fashion Week

2010-03-03T02:41:00.000-08:00

Standing a trusted business model on its head, the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) beginning here Friday has been turned into a seasonal event with the focus on e-commerce in a bid to improve the business prospects of designers.

"With this shift, the buyers will not have to wait for six months to get the collection in their stores. Our season driven approach will help designers to fetch good business and consumers to get new trends," Sujal Shah, head of Fashion IMG, told IANS.

LFW, jointly organised by Fashion IMG and cosmetics brand Lakme, is scheduled from March 5-9.

According to Shah, it was important to focus on the domestic market and hence a collective decision was taken to present a spring-resort collection instead of an autumn-winter one.

At fashion shows the world over, and also at the premier Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, an autumn-winter collection is presented early in the year and a spring-summer edition in the later part.

"This seasonal move will definitely fetch good business for our designers and we have already seen a 30 percent rise in the buyers who will be participating in the event. Overall, we are expecting around 40 percent increase in the business," he added, while declining to give figures.

Shah also revealed that this time, there will also be focus on the e-commerce business at the LFW, being held at the Grant Hyatt.

"E-commerce is in a very nascent stage in India, but this is the future of business. Though online shopping in the West is much more mature, we want Indian designers to get a hang of how this business works," Shah explained.

Gurgaon-based online fashion portal fashionandyou.com that sells products from international brands like Hugo Boss, Dunhill, Moschino and DKNY, believes that there is ample space for designer clothes in the online market.

"We have had quite a few queries from Indian designers on using our platform to reach out to a discerning community of people who buy luxury goods. We are looking at opportunities to work with great Indian designers," said Narvekar, director (Brand Sourcing) of fashionandyou.com, which will be participating in the LFW as a buyer.

London-based fashion designer Christopher Kane will also be attending the event. Shah feels that the presence of people like him will give Indian designers increased international exposure and provide them new business perspectives as well.

As fashion weeks and Bollywood go hand-in-hand, Shah didn't rule out the presence of tinsel town celebrities at LFW.

"There is a link between Bollywood and the fashion designers because a lot of Bollywood celebrities are their clients. We can't deny the fact that many Indian designers derive business from the industry; hence it is very logical for the stars to be present there (LFW)," Shah explained.

As many as 61 designers, some established and some new, will display their creativity over the five action-and- glamour-packed days of the LFW.

Among the designers participating are Manish Malhotra, Narendra Kumar, Malini Ramani, Rocky Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Satya Paul, Shantanu and Nikhil, Suneet Varma and Vikram Phadnis.

Anand Bhushan, Anand Kabra, Digvijay Singh, Lecoanet Hemant, Nachiket Barve, Payal Singhal, Pooja Kapoor, Vipin Batra will also feature at LFW.

The brands associated with the LFW include Gitanjali, Samira Habitats, SkodaAuto, Philips, DHL, iNIFD, Grey Goose and Kingfisher.

Pamela's gold-n-milk commercial banned in Australia

2010-03-03T02:28:00.000-08:00

A raunchy commercial featuring Pamela Anderson has been banned from television in Australia.

Contactmusic.com reports that the "Baywatch" star appears in a promo for internet company Crazy Domains that shows her as a smart businesswoman who strips off to reveal a gold bikini and has milk poured over her by male colleagues.

The commercial has been banned by Australia's Advertising Standards Bureau after it sparked hundreds of complaints.

"It's meant to be a cheeky, over-the-top depiction, but in the bureau's view it did cross the line," said Fiona Jolly, bureau's president.

Avril Lavigne's new designs inspired by 'Alice in Wonderland'

2010-03-03T02:22:00.000-08:00

Avril Lavigne's Alice in Wonderland Clothing line

Singer Avril Lavigne has created a special line of designs to coincide with the release of "Alice in Wonderland", which stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.

"I went through binders of images from the film to get inspiration for the clothing. We ended up using a lot of the floral prints, which were the flowers with the faces, and the verbiage like 'Shrink me'. It was kind of like anything and everything," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Avril as saying.

"My favourite is the white T-shirt with the rabbit stopwatch on it because it's the iconic stopwatch."

The items include T-shirts, hoodies and shorts and are all under 50 dollar.

Lavigne launched her clothing range Abbey Dawn in September last year.

Hilton's beer ad sparks outrage in Brazil

2010-03-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

An advertisement featuring socialite Paris Hilton has sparked controversy in Brazil and a government official for women's affairs has called for removing the commercial due to its sexist undertones.

In the advertisement, Hilton is seen sexually rubbing a can of beer on herself in an office building as passers-by stare at her antics, reports dailystar.co.uk.

Despite being fully clothed throughout the ad, officials at Brazil's Women's Secretariat revealed that the authorities have received several complaints about the "sensual nature" of the campaign.

"It's an ad that devalues women - in particular, blonde women," said a representative.

"The problem with the ad isn't lack of clothing, but its sensual nature. A woman in a bikini on a beach isn't necessarily sensual, it depends on the context," he added.

Rihanna asks fans to name fragrance

2010-03-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

American singer Rihanna is calling on her fans to help choose a name for her new perfume.

The "Umbrella" hitmaker is set to follow in the footsteps of other celebrity perfumers including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez by launching her first fragrance later this year, reports dailystar.co.uk.

After initially naming the scent "Route 22", the singer has decided to reconsider the title.

Rihanna has now asked her loyal followers to contribute their suggestions via rihhanadaily.com to help find a suitable name for the new fragrance.

Select few have been associated with Lux: Katrina

2010-03-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Bollywood actresses Katrina Kaif has joined hands with celebrities Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra as the new brand ambassador for Lux and she thinks it is only a selected lot to have had the "honour".

Katrina has been roped in as the face of the Lux Purple Lotus & Cream, a soap infused with anti-ageing properties.

"I don't think every actress in Bollywood has been associated with Lux. A select few actresses, who they felt suited the brand right (have been associated with it) and they all have been actresses of great stature with wonderful careers and some wonderful work," Katrina told IANS over phone from Dubai Sunday evening.

"I am very honoured to join the group of people who have been with Lux over the years," she added.

The new commercial has been shot in Bangkok and directed by Marco. While Katrina has been styled by fashion designer Rocky S for the ad, the music has been composed by trio Shankar Ehsaan Loy.

Actor Abhishek Bachchan also endorses Lux with wife Aishwarya.

Careful, the cosmetics at your home could be too old

2010-02-25T07:06:00.002-08:00

Cosmetics owned by many women in Britain could be up to four years out of date, a research revealed and it warned that "reluctance to throw away old products" was risky.

Research showed that eye shadow, blusher, lipstick, lip gloss, eyebrow pencils and perfume were often well past their use-by date, putting women's health at risk, Daily Express reported Thursday.

Sara Stern, cosmetics' director at Debenhams that carried out the study, said: "Reluctance to throw away old products is a risky business."

"We wouldn't hesitate to chuck out mouldy or bacteria-ridden food and the same standards should apply to lotions and potions.

"Hopefully this call to action will encourage women to have a ruthless spring clean of their cosmetics collections," she was quoted as saying.

European guidelines clearly state the shelf life of the product. But the study found that 89 percent of women were unaware the information existed, didn't understand what the symbol meant or were unable to read the often-tiny writing.

The chances of infection were multiplied as 68 percent of the women only replaced make-up and skincare when they ran out and 60 percent shared make-up.

Burberry organises 3-D fashion show

2010-02-25T07:06:00.001-08:00

A fashion show organised by British fashion label Burberry in London, was streamed live to audiences in New York, Tokyo, Paris, Los Angeles and Dubai in 3-D.

The audience Tuesday wore special glasses to see the clothes in 3-D, reported femalefirst.co.uk.

Christopher Bailey, the chief creative officer of Burberry, said: "We are very excited about hosting the first ever truly global fashion show.

"3-D technology will bring our global audience into the London show space allowing them to see the colours and fabrics, to hear the music and to be a part of that moment when it all finally comes together."

While invited guests watched worldwide, a host of Hollywood stars were seen on the front row of the show, including Kate Hudson, who sparkled in a green sequined dress and Claire Danes, who looked sleek and smart in a traditional trench coat.

White is the colour of clothes on Holi

2010-02-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

Holi may be the festival of colours, but white is what rules the day, as far as clothes go. Shop owners say the demand for white garments - even branded ones - shoots up ahead of the festival.

"The sale of white kurtas certainly increases just before and around Holi. In the women's category, the sales of white kurtas go up almost three times, while for men, the increase is four times what we usually sell," Prableen Sabhaney, head of communications of Fabindia Overseas Pvt Ltd, told IANS.

"Customers usually prefer white cotton kurtas for one-time wear on Holi. Apart from cotton, we also use khadi, mangalgiri and hand-woven cotton," she added.

Anil Arora, director of Sabhyata, said: "Yes, definitely the sale of white increases during Holi. We receive 25-30 percent increment in our sales during this period. Our target group is nearly 15-35 years old."

Holi is celebrated with gusto across the country and in most parts, white outfits become hot favourites as all the colours are visible on it.

For instance, in Bihar, people play Holi with mud in the morning and in the evening, they clean up and change into white clothes and go out to splash coloured powder and water on each other.

"The sale of white cotton kurtas shoots during Holi. For us, there is around a 25 percent demand increase. So we cut down a little on the prices. Normally, our price varies from Rs.250 to Rs.300, which we bring down to Rs.150 to Rs.200 as the festival approaches," said Nathulal, a sales incharge at Khadi Gram Udyog.

Even exporters go through the same pressure to provide their clients with 'white'.

"We receive a hike of 15-20 percent in demand by our clients. White has always been a colour that is accepted very well in India, especially because of the hot climate and as it is a neutral colour," said Vaibhav Verma, marketing head of Previse (garment designer, exporter).

"It's a colour for all seasons and it's for all moods. Yes, for the Holi season it's one of the best bets as it's best suited to add more colour to it."

Designers embrace power of fashion's blogging crowd

2010-02-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

Designers are embracing a growing crowd of internet-savvy fashion followers taking catwalk glamour beyond the coveted front row, with many young creators welcoming a trend they say brings them closer to consumers.
After years of shunning the internet, a changing luxury market has forced even top fashion houses to welcome the world wide web and, more recently, a burgeoning blogging and micro-blogging, or "tweeting", culture.

For young designers like 29-year-old Canadian Mark Fast, showcasing his collection of body-moulding knitwear at London's fashion week, the blogosphere offers a voice to new opinions and a platform for the start-up brands themselves.

"It's a great way to reach many more people," Fast said backstage, as models and dressers swarmed ahead of his show.

"Everyone has an opinion -- it's nice to hear what these people are thinking, to give them a voice. Why not?"

Fast has become a darling of the controversy-hungry blogging crowd after choosing larger models to showcase his collection alongside the more traditional, long-limbed size zeros, a move he says that is more about diversity than ruffling feathers.

Mary Katrantzou, who showed her collection of structured dresses in dramatic, 18th-century inspired trompe-l'oeil prints alongside Fast, said bloggers offered her useful input, but most critically, put her in direct touch with consumers.

"It is a new way of getting in touch with people and finding out what they feel about your clothes," she told Reuters.

"Before, it was the shop (buyer) that had access to the customer. Now you have direct access."

Older designers like veteran Paul Costelloe echo the idea, arguing bloggers also bring them closer to a new generation of consumers: "It's a different sort of following, sometimes younger people who don't know about the baggage I've been carrying -- they just look and see what I'm doing now."

MOVING IN ON FRONT ROW

Not everyone has welcomed the voice the internet has given to people as diverse as teenage bloggers Tavi Gevinson and Bryan Boy and fashion stalwarts like Vogue's Vogue.com site.

But bloggers and contributors to online fashion sites are now a common sight and, increasingly, are moving closer to the front row normally reserved for heavyweight editors and buyers.

Helping to boost the impact of instant fashion views, London Fashion Week's organisers have streamed many of this year's shows live online, with fashion house Burberry even going 3-D.

But the meeting of internet and cutting-edge fashion isn't about to make the catwalk redundant.

"The expense, the fact that people have to travel across the world to see catwalk shows, that it would cheaper to look at pictures online, has meant people discuss whether there is any point," Dolly Jones, editor of Vogue.com, said.

"But there is a starry nature -- fashion is exciting and people want to celebrate it. The catwalk gives it that focus for celebration."

For Scott Schuman, a former showroom owner and now the name behind the celebrated Sartorialist street fashion site, blogs and sites beaming catwalk shows across the world could actually increase the appeal and potentially make runway shows pay.

"I asked people in my blog, would you pay (to see a show)? A lot of them said yes," he told Reuters on the sidelines of London's fashion extravaganza.

"It won't make (shows) redundant, it will make them entertainment. The Oscars used to be just a trade and industry thing -- now it's big entertainment."

via Reuters

Jenny Packham ga ga over London Fashion Week

2010-02-23T06:16:00.000-08:00

Fashion designer Jenny Packham is excited about showcasing her latest collection at the ongoing London Fashion Week and says the catwalk is the high point of the season.

"I love London Fashion Week. The catwalk is the high point of the season and so much creativity comes together. My favourite moment is when the models are lined up backstage in their first outfits. The music starts to play and the adrenalin flows. There is nothing more you can do and for a few minutes everything is perfect," femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying.

Jenny says those lucky enough to get a seat will be in for a treat.

"We are collaborating with the artist Anthony Burrill again this season. He has designed the set, invites and introduced us to the band Acid Washed who have composed the music for the show. It should be super cool, glamorous, very shiny and slick. Colours are electric and unrelenting," she added.

Shazahn Padamsee to endorse shoe brand Skechers

2010-02-23T06:10:00.000-08:00

Shazahn Padamsee, daughter of ad guru Alyque Padamsee and singer Sharon Prabhakar, has been chosen to endorse popular American shoe brand Skechers, which will be launched in India soon.

Shazahn made her movie debut opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Yash Raj Films' movie "Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year".

The official announcement of the launch of the footwear company as well as the appointment of the actress as the brand ambassador will be made at an event here Wednesday.

Fashion extravaganza at Filmfare Awards!

2010-02-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

It’s not about Bollywood celebrities walking the red carpet in their glad rags, but how the stage at the upcoming Filmfare Awards is going to turn into a sizzling ramp.

It’s learnt that the ace fashion designer Manish Malhotra is keen to conduct a ramp show at Filmfare Awards. He has many ideas, says Filmfare’s editor Jitesh Pillai, who is the first to break this news on Twitter.

He tweets, “Manish has some fancy ideas for the fashion show. No details yet please. Its all hush hush. Hold your thoughts for just a week more. All will be revealed. Manish is of course supercool.”

So, can we expect stunners like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor or Aishwarya Rai to walk in the beautiful creations of Manish?

Well, that can make the industry’s biggest award night an interesting watch. When?

via Apunkachoice

LFW buyers will eye designers - more than designs

2010-02-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Any fashion week is a trade event and the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) here next month won't be an exception. Here too buyers will probably not be in a hurry to grab exclusive designs, but instead hunt for creative minds.

"At fashion shows like Lakme Fashion Week, we are always looking out for talents. The idea is to spot some talent, provide them with a platform, so that our customer benefits. They (customers) get new designs with different creativity," Gaurav Mahajan, COO of Westside, told IANS.

Sangita Kathiwada, owner of Melange Boutique, echoed the same and added that fashion shows help get into the minds of designers.

"I think a fashion show is a great place to judge designers' capability. I don't think at the event I will be looking at whether collections are commercially viable. I will literally try to get into the minds of designers," said Sangita.

"This is one time when he or she (designer) is given the liberty to take as much freedom as possible to present his or her collection. If I want to buy any of these designs, I can go to their shops and buy them," she added.

Both Sangita and Gaurav feature on the buyers' list of the Mumbai Lakme Fashion Week, starting March 5.

Usually, fashion shows provide platforms for the established and first timers to make timeless presentations of their creativity.

"This timeless presentation would help me understand where the designer has reached in his career. It's also the time when a designer is really able to take a risk to show his creativity and that is his imaginary world, which he is not able to bring to the real world as he has to make wearable clothing," said Sangita.

Another reason why there are not many buyers is that designers are not well-equipped for business.

"It's expected that buyers would come, see your collection, place the orders and take the loot home. But it doesn't work that way in India because I think the designers are unfortunately not trade equipped," she said.

"The prices quoted by designers are astronomically high to place orders. If we block our money three months in advance, the collections don't reach in time, delivery schedules aren't maintained. The only reason we order consignments is that they (designers) take the risk with us."

But unlike boutiques, big chains plan it differently because even if per shop requirement is less they have to buy in bulk to meet the demands of all the stores.

"We have 50 stores spread across 20 cities. In each shop, the demand is not for a large quantity. It's amplified because you have that many stores," said Gaurav of Westside.

Stores like Westside caters to the masses; so they work out with the designers to ensure the designs fit the "affordability" of all customers.

"I think you can work with the designers to create a range that fit the price points. It is possible to sort of make a garment and have a design that is accessible to our customers," said Gaurav.

It's a different story for the boutiques - they don't need to worry about quantity, but they are under constant pressure to produce new designs frequently.

"In small businesses like mine, the quantities are very little but a number of collections are big. We have repetitive clients. The client who has came 10 days ago would want something new on the next visit. A woman who went to a party last week won't wear the same dress next week. We are highly challenged in a small business because we have to produce more and offer new styles," said Sangita.

"We have six seasons; so it works in an entirely different way from how it functions in the international market. We are always on our toes so that we can make sure the collections arrive before Rakhi, Diwali, Holi, weddings and so on," she added.

Fasion Spectrum @ NIFT

2010-02-22T06:27:00.000-08:00

India's premier fashion institute, National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi (NIFT), is all set for its annual festival, Fashion Spectrum 2010.

To be held on February 23-24, the festival celebrates NIFT's students, the industry and its patrons. The theme for this year's festival is "Pratibimb, the u in you."

Fashion Spectrum 2010 will showcase a host of events ranging including fashion shows, rock bands, jam sessions and inter-college competitions.

Participating institutions will battle it out in symposiums, choreography, installations and quiz shows.

Apart from the NIFT family, the event is expected to be attended by over 4000 guest

Via NDTV