Category Archives: In Focus

Sujal Shah

Sujal Shah, Head of Fashion, IMG, India, shares his views and responsibilities on holding the reins of the Indian Fashion Industry. Before engaging with LFW he was the Head of Strategy and Planning at Brand Marketing India where he enhanced business development through innovative partnerships across international brands such as Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Bottega Venetta, Calvin Klein, French Connection and Tommy Hilfiger. Besides consulting for various fields he focused on Luxury brands and the HNI’s in the US and India. Last season, Sujal served as the Senior Advisor to IMG for LFW Spring/ Summer 2010 before taking full time employment as Head of Fashion for IMG, India recently.
 
 What are the responsibilities that you hold as the Head Fashion IMG?   
In the global perspective, India is an emerging and high potential country for IMG, its businesses and core competencies. In my role with IMG, a large part is devoted to the continued excellence in executing Lakme Fashion Week, which is jointly promoted by Lakme and IMG. Additionally, I am charged with looking for new opportunities to engage our expertise via new and innovative platforms or partnerships.
 
In my role with IMG, I also support the overall business beyond fashion in terms of new project evaluation and business development.

What are the changes or new proposals that you would put forward for the LFW?
LFW, as with any eminent property, requires continued enhancement and innovation to be in tune with the needs of the environment and maintain its position as a market leader. As we enter our second decade, we have introduced concepts such as Resort and alignment of seasons with the domestic buying cycle. As we move forward we will continue to look for ways to add value to our key stakeholders of designers, buyers, media, and sponsors.
 
Please elaborate on the decision of showcasing the current season on LFW ramp? 
Lakmé Fashion Week consistently encourages the business of Indian fashion through various strategic and innovative endeavors. It is important to recognize the evolution of the Indian fashion industry and address the requirements of domestic buyers and designers head on. Reviewing the current scenario and the need of the hour, the upcoming Lakmé Fashion Week decided to commence a month prior than previous seasons and focus on the current/upcoming season.
 
Unlike the international market, in India fashion retailers are requesting delivery within 60 days, shortening the production cycle. LFW’s strategic change reflects the Indian market’s ability and desire to respond quickly and service its customers closely to the season and allows designers to take their merchandise to their customers immediately after the show from the ramp to the rack.
 
What steps would you take to ensure an increase in the buyers list?
While an increase in buyers is a plus for our event and designers, the key is to continuously improve the quality of buyers coming to the event. Perhaps even more important is the need to look for new and more ways to facilitate the dialogue and interactions between designers and buyers. Over several seasons we will implement a long term strategy aimed at improving the designer – buyer relationships and ultimately, business.
 
LFW has always been associated as Bollywood Fashion, has this image worked for or against the fashion week?  
Lakme Fashion Week is a trade event and is about promoting talent and creating business opportunities for designers. In the recent past, designers have been noticed and have had an opportunity to design for films through this platform; today their work has given them visibility in the film fraternity and supported their business growth. We are happy that these designers are able to leverage every bit from the platform.   
 
What are the short listing criteria for new and upcoming designers?  
Each season, LFW receives applications for GenNext and Emerging designers from all over India. We consistently focus on quality and not at increasing just the numbers. A panel of jury judges the applicants work on quality, innovation, creativity, marketability and commercial viability.
 
Why Suneet Varma as the Grand Finale designer?  
To this Mr.N. Rajaram, Vice President, Lakmé adds “Suneet is one of the most sought after designers and a name to reckon with in the fashion industry. He represents the perfect blend of Summer Resort and a flair for business of fashion, clearly being the best choice for the Lakmé Grand finale.” 
 
Any other established designer who has shifted base with LFW this time?   
Designers participate in Lakmé Fashion Week because they want to showcase their work to a larger audience, increase business and reach out to the global market. LFW welcomes everyone who meets the participating criteria and will continue to do the same.  
 
How is the future of fashion in India and how do you plan to take it forward? 
From and LFW perspective, as a pioneer, innovator and leader in promoting the business of fashion in India, Lakme Fashion Week will look forward to different avenues of redefining the future of fashion. One such example is our introduction of a formal Resort platform for Indian designers. Resort has been a well defined season internationally for years. Indian designers have a natural proclivity to Resort given the climate and the fabrics in India. Recognizing the immense talent in the country, LFW has committed to offering a yearly Summer/Resort event which serves as a powerful platform to increase the exposure of Indian designers to the international markets. LFW’s focus on this style in the coming season and years will now put India on the global map and act as a catalyst to attract more international buyers.
 
In my broader IMG Fashion role, I have the opportunity to explore new, innovative platforms and commercial relationships. To the mass markets, fashion has an aspirational appeal. I think there will be interesting ways to take fashion directly to this segment.

The Leather Fashion in India

The other day I went shopping for an aubergine leather trench coat, and the next question asked to me, are you on a Europe tour. Such is the existence of leather garments in India that it accounts for a fraction nearing zero of the entire fashion buisness. Fashionfad.in goes hunting for the demand and supply confusion working in the domestic high fashion leather garment industry.
 
Leather wear in India is basically for export, though a very small quantity is available in the local market mainly in the north where the weather is conducive despite being the second largest exporter of leather garments to the world with an annual production of over 16 million pieces and a share of 12.9 percent, as per the latest data avilable at the Council for Leather Exports India. Fashion in India has been reaching new heights bridging the gaps of globalisation with every passing season. There has been a phenomenal increase in the number of designers, fashion weeks and fashion houses over the last decade, India also witnessed the successful landing of designers like Armani, Gucci, and Prada against rumours of not being graduate enough to sustain these high end expensive labels. Yet when we come to think of leather garments there is an unjustified void in the domestic market.
 
The Exporter point of view for the entire story summarizes as we talk to some of the giants in leather garment and accessories, who report a lack in market demand being the reason for the not so flourishing conditions of the industry in India. Ramesh Ramiah, GM, Ultima Italia, S.R.L, Italy (Subsidiary of Bhartia International India Ltd. India), who supplies an approx of 14 percent of leather garments of his total exports says, “Indian market is yet to evolve in fashion leather apparel. Leather jackets in India are still perceived as something to shield oneself from cold. You might be able to sell a few garments in Delhi or Mumbai – but that’s it. Secondly, it is an expensive product and people will not buy something if they really do not feel for it. Global demand for leather garments has increased substantially in the past 2 years due to the fact that all high end fashion labels have included leather apparels in their collection, whereas the domestic consumption of leather garments is around 0.01% – negligible”.
 
Similar feelings are also shared by Anoop Singh Rana, R&D Head, Kabir Leathers, as they carve the high fashion delight in leather garments for international brands like Max Mara, Armani with their luxurious jackets, overcoats, waistcoats etc. Kabir Leathers also retails through a domestic brand Poems in India which houses leather accessories like bags, wallets, belts, etc. but none from their leather garment treasure. He says, “India with restricted winters of two to three months and bounded only to the northern region does not welcome leather garments. The climatic conditions and the expensive nature of leather have not allowed us to forsee any demand for high end fashion leather garments.”
 

Existing domestic market of leather is provided a little teaser of high fashion through brands like Da Milano and Hi Design with a platter of super luxurious range of travel bags, wallets, belts and other accessories. Though they had forayed into the market with a fractional percentage of basic leather jackets but could not create a sustainable demand for it.
 
The twist comes as we speak to Aditi Wasan, who has recently launched her line of exquisitely designed leather jackets at Samsaara. Aditi belongs to the Wasans Group, one of the leading exporters of leather in India. “Today the Indian consumer is ready to spend on a high fashion article and their purchasing choice does not depend on price or limited weather condition of the products exposure. I am testing my grounds in the domestic market and so far the response has been very appreciable. People are also looking for varieties like pencil skirts, waist-coats and pants”, says Aditi. But she also agrees that the demand is absolutely in the niche market, the consumer who is well travelled, is breaking away from the basic browns and blacks, walks in the store to pick up the aubergine and green leather.
 
Henceforth, the leather garments fashion is open to decipher the true nature of demand in India and it is for the Indian designers to have a look at the void in this segment of fashion. So that the next time we set out shopping for leather waistcoats we don’t have to fly but the growing design fraternity takes care of our fashion essentials or rather luxury.

The Kimaya Converge

Kimaya came into existence in 2002 and overtook the Indian fashion industry with a graceful precision. Pradeep Hirani and Neha Hirani noticed seven years back the fulcrum of fashion moving towards India and took no time in conceiving their conceptual baby Kimaya in Mumbai, a Fashion House that within no time has become the leading Haute Couture Destination.
 
Pradeep Hirani, Chairman, Kimaya, a personality radiating with positive energy says, “At Kimaya we love to go against time. What you see of us is just the tip of an iceberg. Kimaya is a huge gigantic force anchored in depth with a strong and exhaustive backend that allows us to shine on top”. It is the only fashion house to have more than hundred Indian designers and recently designers from countries like Pakistan, Malaysia and South Africa have added to its growing repertoire of collection. Kimaya has been the largest buyer at fashion week across India since its inception. But to be precise when it had entered the Indian Fashion market the scenario here did not paint a promising future. Back then in 2002 there were already five to six fashion houses in and around Delhi and Mumbai who had been sustaining for past fifteen years with not much growth prospects. Kimaya made business of fashion its forte with impeccable business matched to the glamorous world. And proudly boasts of more than hundred percent growth and profit rate every year.
 

At a time when the industry was focusing only to the metros for fashion consumers Kimaya spread its wings to smaller cities as well, realizing the growing potential for fashion country wide. It is also the first fashion house to go abroad with Kimaya Dubai in 2004. Each of Kimaya’s stores is individually designed for a particular clientele and thus the designer selection also varies from store to store along with an assorted individualistic taste of merchandise. Like the Dubai Kimaya at Jumeirah beach, caters exclusively to the Arab sensibilities hence it has unmatched designs by Indian designers but for the Arabian consumer. And thus a tantalizing visual treat would be the latest store on map, as Kimaya plans to launch its house of fashion in New York next year.
 
In midst of serious colloquy about fashion and life Pradeep Hirani also comes forward as strong believer in the strength of determination, talking about his interest in numerology and tarot cards. Thus one does not wonder at his vision and believe in India, as an exhaustive resource of colours, embroidery and weaves. He also appreciates the spark of creative talent in Brazil. He defines fashion in India has graduated to a level that the consumer is able to distinguish a good fashion show from a bad one which was not there five years ago. A prudent visionary Pradeep predicates India to be the next fashion capital of the world. “We want to be a pivotal part in holding the reins of fashion when it makes it shift to India and help to keep it in India as long as we can”, envisions Pradeep Hirani.

The Chivas Culture

Chivas has offered much more than great whiskey as it carries a heritage of more than two hundred years since it was founded in 1801 by the Chivas Brothers. Bringing glamour, exuberance and passion to life’s characteristics with its various associations and events, be it the Cannes Film festival, Chivas Fashion Tour in 2007 and 2008 or the latest Chivas Studio. The name sketches a larger than life image and has risen way above to be merely recognized as a product. 
 
The name synonym for luxury, style, chivalry pronounces, “Of course, you can live without Chivas Regal. The Question is how well.” When the Chivas Studio landed in Delhi this December it also attracted Peter Prentice, Regional Vice President – Asia Pacific, Chivas Brothers and David Experton, Best Practices Manager, Pernod Ricard to enjoy the cultural extravaganza of its India edition. 
 
Peter Prentice, who also represents the World Elephant Polo Association, was highly impressed with the paced up fashion scene in India. The last time he had seen India was way back in 1996, he very clearly remembers an extremely enthusiastic kid who was firmly determined to become a fashion designer. The kid with incredible design and creativity, has now the authority over fashion in India, is non other than Rohit Bal. The other name that he remembers from the fashion scene fifteen years ago is of Ritu Beri, both influential and directional in Indian fashion history. 
 
On the concept and creation of Chivas Studio Peter Prentice says, “We are trying to project a much more profound meaning to lifestyle which is not frivolous. Something that is less materialistic and more fundamental with more real values. The depth is very important for the success of any concept or culture and though the branding of the entire event is exuberant we bring luxury with a sense of meaning.” And he very strongly feels the depth of rich cultural heritage is something India abounds in whether it is in the sphere of music, art or sculpture. The latest being Royal Salute Scotch whisky’s much hyped polo sponsorship deal in India. Royal Salute Whisky is one of the premium brand from Chivas Brothers said Peter Prentice, who was very excited to hold the Royal Salute Maharaja Jodhpur J’oscar in polo to be held from 26th – 30th December. 
 
Bikram Basu, VP, Marketing India, is the person behind the India edition of Chivas Studio. As he takes a breather between the closing of the Delhi weekend and before begining with the Mumbai extravaganza, he narrates the India story for us. Bikram, who was an integral part in the conceptualization of the Chivas Studio when the idea was born in 2008, says, “It’s our umbrella property and within its construct we built it differently by country based on our consumer understanding. With the India edition we looked at the top set across creative art, discussed within, and spoke to them. We could not approach everyone as the opportunity was limited but we hope to work closely with a wider number of people over time”. 
 
Talking about the team that put together the event Bikram proudly discloses to have had an amazing set of people with sound, light, sets, production, choreography, backstage, curate and the list goes on. With Chivas he says, “It will always be consistently the same great product, and actionable idea’s which makes a difference and stand for style and substance.” 
 
The Chivas Studio is a unique concept of serving fashion food, music art and sculpture on a single platter. The culture is imbibed and carried forward as it travels from Chile to Brazil, Madrid to London, Australia to India. Being seen in the world’s most stylish cities, drawing a star-studded cast of international A-list celebrities, designers and artists, its coming to India is surely a sign of fast rise on the country’s luxury quotient.

 

Behind the Runway Lights

Walking down the narrow lanes of Shahpur Jat, Delhi, takes you on a ride through the backbone of Indian fashion industry which has been growing at a reverberating pace. The locality here houses craftsmen from West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and all corners of the country settled with their sharpened craft tools that have gradually developed into small manufacturing units themselves. These crafts people have been providing the fine zardozi, ari work and all the glitter and shine that sashay down the ramp for the designers of our fashion fraternity.
 
The rich and yet scattered heritage of Indian handicrafts can be very aptly described as the Kuber’s treasure house of ideas, techniques and colours. It has the most intricate embroideries of zardozi, kantha and mukesh work; dyeing techniques like bandhini and batik; wondrous textile weaves like ikat, chanderi and brocade and innumerable other crafts that support the textiles of India.
 

Designers like Ritu Kumar, Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, Neeru Kumar, Meera & Muzafar Ali and more recently Samant Chauhan and Virtues (Ashish & Vikrant) have been very closely associated with the upliftment of various crafts. With the globalisation of fashion and Indian garments being reduced to mere costumes, the craft struggles hard to carve out a niche for itself into contemporary silhouettes. The indigenous crafts form the support system for fashion but due to its heterogeneous nature fails to get recognized as a unified body. Designers hold strong opinions that revival of craft should not just fissile out into cutting patches from old fabric of brocade or kantha and stitching them into jackets whereas the handcrafted piece of art needs a wider and more respectable canvas of expression. The wave and upsurge for bringing crafts to a higher platform has kindled, now it is the responsibility of our Indian designers to become the directional force for it.
 

Organisations like Dastkar, Dastkari Haat Samiti, All India Artisans & Craft workers Welfare Association have been instrumental in formatting and organizing the Arts & Crafts Industry in India. The most prominent figures that have held the reins of the craft industry are Laila Tyabji and Jaya Jaitly. Fashion and Design institutes like NIFT and NID have been proficient tools for identifying such crafts and handmade products through there specially designed craft intervention programmes with the students. These organizations have now worked over a decade to consolidate and make the crafts and craftsmen available to the contemporary market.  
 
Shifting our focus again to the glamour world, fashion in India has always been the reflection of our infinite database of crafts. And designers come up with the most innovative and fresh designs from the traditional techniques. The recent Marie Clare’s second edition of the Made in India Fashion Awards, where young designers like Zubair Kirmani, Anupama Dayal, Pankaj & Nidhi, Atsu and many more worked in close association with individual craftsperson of specific regions to develop a special collection is a step towards the direction. And there are still miles to go.
 
The trumpet of crafts has not been restrained only to the Indian territories as ikat weave, paisley prints and kanjeevaram have been spotted sashaying down the International ramps. Hence zeitgeist confirms an alarm for Indian designers to realize the importance and re-establishment of Indian craft as a combined responsibility of the entire fashion industry before they become just folklores of a glorified history.

Swarovski and its Elements

The latest trend alert, “If you are wearing diamonds you should never stand next to me,” says Sanjay Sharma, Country Head Crystallized Swarovski. This statuary warning relates to an incident when Rohit Bal wearing an exquisite diamond brooch was standing next to Sanjay and a lot of people complimented him for his diamond brooch taking it to be a Swarovski creation.


Swarovski came to India in 1999 specifically targeting the fashion and garments industry, realizing the need for crystallized elements both in its domestic and export market. Indian fashion market at that time was a fledgling and the designers did not have substantial access to the crystals by Swarovski and thus were not able to compete with the international fashion market. In its nine long years of journey in India Crystallized Swarovski has grown with an industry (fashion) that was laying its foundation.

The name itself being a tongue twister for India, the path was not paved crystalline for Swarovski from getting itself attached to designers individually and survive an overtly price sensitive Indian market to achieving a position where a brand name Crystallized Swarovski becomes generic for crystallized elements across the planet. It has been associated with designers like JJ Valaya, Rohit Bal, Suneet Varma, Manish Arora from their first showcase and till date when the relationship has crossed boundaries of being a mere element supplier and client.

The latest to the already exhaustive crystal menu is the mosaic crystal and with it also comes an association with Rajesh Pratap Singh (a designer whose sensibility can be least expected to be crystalline) that actually completes the client list for Swarovski in India setting it out to look for newer pastures. Hence after appeasing the design appetite of even the no bling Rajesh Pratap Singh, Crystallized Swarovski steps into the fashion jewellery section for India. Sanjay says, “Growing from a primarily marriage jewellery the market in India has graduated to witness a renaissance in fashion jewellery with more and more women going out for work and need to dress accordingly.” Swarovski forecasts an unexpected breakthrough in fashion jewellery with the growing demand of dressing for everyday occasion, breaking the barriers that used to place jewellery in lockers. Though yet again it is working with a sector which is still a cottage industry in India, Crystallized Swarovski is taking a 360 degree review of the potential and kinetics of the market catalyzing various associations with jewellery designers, design colleges, craftsmen and workshops.

WGSN

Yet another instance of bringing you an insight of the Fashion world as Asha Kumari catches Julie Harris, Managing director, Asia Pacific, WGSN and Anjelio Teo, Head of Content, Asia Pacific, WGSN, exclusively for Fashionfad.in.

The story begins with the squeaking stilettos of Julie as she gathers remarkable attention during her presentation at the WIFW SS’10. Julie can be easily mistaken to be a fashion icon herself coming from the clan that is the foresight of fashion. And Anjelio based in Hong Kong, oversees an expert team and a network of freelancers across the Asia Pacific region. Anjelio in her account of India therapy writes for WGSN, “A cacophonous mix of colour and sound, all so foreign, jarring and beautiful at the same time. There are sights here you’ll never see elsewhere and sounds and smells that will linger on in your memory for years after. India seeps into your skin.”  Now let’s get the experts talking-

What are the various parameters that influence the fashion forecast of any season?
Fashion is influenced by nearly everything and anything under the sun. Beginning from the climatic conditions it digs out references from culture, music, politics, economy and all the little ingredients that are making a difference or have the potential to do so. Trends from the street scrutinized under the eyes of the experts, great things in design (furniture, space, lamps etc. utility driven or luxury driven), design innovations and of course art, it is the luxury answering commercial. Each day we analyse events around the world to create a strong understanding of consumer behavior, and an inspirational well informed future.

We work 18 months in advance of the season to develop the forecast. Each forecast is followed on the catwalks of Milan to the streets of Tokyo. Confirmation is taken at every stage and necessary amendments taken care of and conclusions drawn.

Brief about your client base
WGSN is the global trend analysis resource for all design related industries. We provide creative intelligence across 60 countries to over 35,000 users from designers to fashion brands, retailers and manufacturers. Among our international associates are Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani, Zara, Walmart, Nike and Adidas to name a few. In India we have been forecasting for companies like Shoppers Stop, Madura, Raymond, Titan and Numero Uno.

What according to you is “the fashion capital”?
Fashion capitals have been shifting their base since its origin. Like in the 60’s London ruled the world of fashion before Paris established itself as the undisputed monarch in 80’s and 90s.

Why don’t we see a drastic change in Fashion?
Because fashion is not revolutionary it is evolutionary. When you see someone dressed up differently people start talking about it and the acceptance is not that easy. Fashion works on a trickle-down theory or a trickle-up theory. In the former case style icons and trend setters introduce a new fashion statement and from there it flows down to the people who are constantly refurbished in vogue and very gradually the trend transcends to masses. The trickle-up theory supports a street trend which picks up very fast and soon shows up in vogue among the top niche of fashion. And as fashion always follows a cycle it takes its due course. For example this season the colour beige is in vogue. In this age of globalisation of trends beige is easier on the eye and you just have to find the exact shade of beige to match the skin type of every region.

How do you perceive the Indian fashion market?
Fashion in India has the local ethnic flavor with contemporary finishing which has a great market internationally. India brings to the global forum something that it has not seen before. Indian designers have an individualistic appeal with their excellent use of colours. We also find that there is awareness about the eco friendly clothing and human rights issues in India. Thus there is a strong need for the designers here to launch themselves globally. One of the buyers said that a lot of International designers have started looking the same however Indian designers have still retained their distinct sensibility. This is the first time that we are at WIFW, though we have been at the LFW as well. But we did not see the contemporization strongly enough at Lakme as is visible here. The WIFW is more organised it is easy for the buyers as they are getting appointments with the designers easily and the designers are competent enough for the business. Buyers are buying more than they intended to. I would like to add that the soul purpose of both the fashion weeks in India is to promote the Indian fashion industry. So they should not have two faces for the international market. There should be one single united face of Indian fashion.

How would WGSN help the Indian designers?
This is the first time we are trying to reach out to designers in India. Our services our quite expensive for individual designers to purchase, so we with Sunil Sethi, President, Fashion Design Council of India are working out a feasible module to provide designers under the umbrella of FDCI a subsidized fees. We are still working out the finer details but at present the proposition is such that we would stipulate the FDCI an annual license for five users at 15,000 pounds (approx)

Didier Grumbach

An exclusive FASHIONFAD.in tete-a-tete with Didier Grumbach – president of the Fédération Française de la Couture, du Prêt à Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode (aka the Chambre Syndicale) the most important organisation in the French fashion industry. Grumbach last attended the WIFW in 2007 and has returned to WIFW ss’10 after almost two years. De facto (in fact) Grumbach was the one who took Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Anamika Khanna to the Paris Fashion Week. When the Pope of the fashion industry himself comes down to India attending our fashion event it definitely sets the buzz around. So we go ahead to ask the authority himself about our fashion challenges-
 
What do you think of the Indian fashion?
The fashion in India is very interesting and has a very promising future. It has great potential to become a part of the global fashion. But frankly there is nothing that can be termed as Indian fashion or Japanese fashion or French, anything that looks Chinese or Japanese or French cannot be called fashion, it has to be global. And Fashion market at present in India is very good it is not necessary always to sell abroad to be successful. You take your design to places only when you are an artist and you want people to see your work of art. But as a designer it is not necessary to go places in order to sell your collection. This is what fashion in France is all about; there if a designer is selling very well he/she doesn’t export.
 
What is the kind of competition that exists between luxury and prêt lines?
The difficulty arises from the fact that India has very product oriented pieces that are saleable. And there are designs which are only for the ramp. The lack of proper understanding of which ensemble would fall under what category in the international fashion scenario adds up to the woes of the Indian designers. In crisp words there is no clear demarcation between the luxury, prêt and the couture lines. (Mockingly comments) a collection which the press likes is not commercial and something that is commercial is not liked by the press.
 
Why International designers are not coming to India?
The duties for India are very high and it is very difficult and expensive to rent new stores. It is practically impossible for designers to export to India unless it is a Gucci or Prada. If a French designer comes to India there is no one to buy his designs. Things might change in future but the present Indian market does not have any business for International designers.
 
The international buyers already come to Paris so designers don’t need to travel. And the Indian distribution is not that strong enough so it sometimes becomes necessary for the Indian designers to travel abroad.
 
The network system India is not at a very advanced stage — Japan had a similar experience. Japan didn’t have its first international label, Issey Miyake, until quite a long time after it entered the international market. Issey Miyake had access to European and American markets in 1973, by then it was already a 20-year-old label. And designers like Yoji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake who brought Japanese fashion in the global scenario do not showcase in Japan but in France.
 
How would Indian fashion benefit from your association?
(A very important question remarks Didier Grumbach)
First I would like to comment on how I gain from this association. I am looking towards a tie up with countries like India, China Brazil as soon there would be no more boundaries in fashion. And selling and producing worldwide is now a necessity.
 
And for the Indian port I bring awareness of the global fashion. Seeing from here Paris is completely impossible to foresee. The association proposes to educate and help Indian designers categorize their collection according to prêt-a-porter, haute couture and other different lines. As it is very difficult for the designers here to get it to know what is the demand of the market globally and how each category of clothing is different from the other line. I don’t propose for the Indian designers to put up a show in Paris immediately. The show is only necessary after the designer has an established client base like Manish Arora.

I come to India because I feel in one world fashion keeps us together and it comes even before the politics of countries.