Fashion Week Diary: Money, management & motifs

Zeenews Bureau

Curtains came down on the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week 2008 on Sunday with several designers going home with substantial orders from domestic and foreign buyers. Not only did the 5 day long event witness new designs and designers enthralling the audiences, the management of the whole affair received kudos from the international buyers and writers. The five-day fashion carnival witnessed domestic and international buyers from Middle-East, Europe and the US placing huge orders with the Indian designers. WIFW 2008: Full Coverage»

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Acknowledging it, designer Alpana Chauhan informed that she has received huge orders from the fashion week, besides building long-term relationships with both domestic and international buyers. Hiba, owner of a high-end store Tiki Style also expressed the same and said while admiring the creativity of the Indian designers, "I came with an intent to spend less but ended up spending more due to exclusive apparels produced by the Indian designers". She also informed that the orders have been steadily growing by over 10 per cent every year. About 700-800 pieces have been ordered last year, she added. Domestic buyers, who accounted about 80 per cent of the sales of Indian fashion designers, include Ensemble, Kimaya Fashions, Ogaan India, Aza and Genesis Colors. Impressive management "The Indian fashion week is impressive. I have attended the American, French and Italian fashion and can say it is very well organised. I must congratulate the organisers since for buyers this means a lot. Good management makes a lot of things easier for us," Carla Cereda of Milan`s Tony Biffi Boutique told media. "I would love to come back again," added Cereda, who came for the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) just after the Paris Fashion Week. According to Patrick Cabasset, fashion director of the Paris-based Officiel magazine: "If they get some more sponsors, it will be more grand and that will come with time. Even so, I am pleasantly surprised to see how well the event is organised." Delays in starting the fashion shows were an irritant but foreigners at the WIFW said this happens everywhere. "Be it the Paris, Milan or New York fashion week, sometimes you have to wait for hours together to see a show. Delay in shows happen everywhere. It is nothing new and not at all disturbing," said Daniela Liconti, who works for the Italian magazine Collezioni. Chiharu Odashima, deputy editor of Women`s Wear Daily For Japan, pointed out that the Indian fashion event needs more rigorous international marketing because not many global media organisations were aware of it. "I am attending the Indian fashion week for the first time. I am overwhelmed by the creativity of the designers. "But the event needs more marketing across the globe, as not many media houses are aware that any such event happens here. I am glad that I came here and hope to visit it next time as well," said Odashima.