Affordable fashion at WIFW

New Delhi, March 22: As over 100 designers displayed creative clothing skills by making 56 models walk on the ramp at the five-day Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) ending today, they sent out a clear message: Fashion need not be expensive.The Indian designers` community, which has made a name in global high street, saw themselves converging on the bottomline -- `Let`s make fashion affordable for the buyers hard-pressed for cash in a difficult environment`.

Brands like Liberty of London were missing at the bi-annual high street event in the national capital. But then, there were others like Anthropologie of the US which came looking for sourcing fashionwear from India. Over 170 buyers, registered with the organisers, made itknown to the designers that they must create fashion that is affordable even if frills around it are absent. Another aspect of cost-cutting that was visible at the fashion week was the reduced used of sequins. The trend seems to be shifting to the western wear segment. "The quality is definitely improving but what we are looking at is the quality-price (balance), where India is doing well," Portugal-based Lifung`s official David Schneider said. Schneider said his firm had to rework its budget. "We have reduced our budget by about 10 per cent this time but ifwe get a good offer, we will go for that...We spend about USD one million per season..." he added. "We are now also looking at daily wear or sportswear apart from party wear," he said. With the global downturn very much visible, the designers seemed prepared to cut prices. Renowned fashion designer Rocky S said, "We are bringing out a clothe line under Rs 5,000 for budget customers in a few days." Though the number of buyers has declined this season, designers say that there were serious enquiries. "This time we have slightly fewer buyers but so what! What matters is that there is a continuity. Our designers are getting orders -- that is more important. The creativity of the Indian fashion designers is going to bring bloom to this gloom," Fashion Design Council of India President Sunil Sethi said. India`s designer clothing market is estimated at Rs 300 crore, whereas the market for branded wear is pegged at Rs 8,000 crore, industry sources said. Bureau Report