Water water everywhere, not a drop to drink! Is this applicable to the glittering outfits on the ramp as well, wonders suchayan mandal
Besides becoming popular as a take-off point for new designers, Fashion Weeks across the country have succeeded in becoming a below the line marketing strategy for sponsors. One major question, whichrises from all quarters, is the wearability of the showcased outfits.
Two recently concluded mega fashion-cum-trade shows ~ Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai and Wills India Fashion Week in Delhi ~ attracted over 200 designers to exhibit their creations. Apart from the commercial aspect of the event, giving a platform to new budding designers and displaying avant-garde concepts, the autumn-winter season of both the Fashion Weeks overreached the seasonal limitations. To be frank, while Sanchita, Aneeth Arora and many others stick to the season's convention, there were a few designers, whose collections weren't made for fall, rather for spring. This reverse of seasonal metaphor was also accompanied by wearable quotient.
"When I visualize any collection, for me the topmost priority is whether the clothes would be wearable or not," said Kolkata based designer Paromita Banerjee. "Though I understand that a ramp collection is also about showcasing the designer's theme/concept and mind-frame of that season, I am unable to do collections that do not translate into wearable clothes. At the end of the day, it is the audience (comprising buyers/ merchandisers of retail stores and single buyers) that would buy these clothes in order for us to get our business going and to have our clothes reach the market. Unless they are able to visualize how the clothes will look when worn (on the models on the ramp), the whole point is lost." Banerjee's collection Tana Bana was not just meant to set the ramp ablaze but any commoner of random physical structure can easily carry off the clothes. Using mulberry silk, hand spun cotton and Azo-free vat dyes, Banerjee's range uses two-coloured ply and twisted thread to add texture to the woven surface. Each colour is woven into 7-8 inch blocks, making checkered fabric blankets, creating a wonderful colour interaction.
Talking to a few buyers attending WIFW was informative. Akanksha, checking collections at the buyers' lounge in Pragati Maidan, said, "Many designs look good only under the spotlight and not in reality. You won't wear a bling decorated leather jacket in the bedroom with your love." Intervening in the conversation was Khyati, a marketing executive, who believed, "Neither would you wear a terrific overworked draped skirt to party with people ogling at the weird attire. But yes, there are collections that have a handwoven feel and also decent designs."
Anavila Mishra's collection at LFW was traditional. Mishra explores various drapes in saris on natural fabrics like cotton, jute and linen. Khatwa, sujani, batik and hand texturing were made glamorous with light and sober hues like ecru, burnt rose, black, indigo, white, sap green and ochre. "A designer collection is not about the designer and her team sitting in an 'ivory-tower' and making clothes that have no connect to the end of the chain (the final user, who will wear the clothes)," said Banerjee. "Those who do, are either reatively challenged or are not concerned with the money flowing back into the business after the clothes are sold. As I always say, it is a huge validation to see people wearing our collections and walking down the streets."
Besides wearability, what amazes one is the heavily zeroed price tags. "Pricing on a collection is solely dependent on the kind of raw
materials used," Banerjee pointed out. "Since we work on handwoven fabrics, sometimes the process in which a fabric is woven and innovated at the loom stage makes for a very complicated process of handiwork. Hence the price of the final garment goes up. I also look at the value addition that goes into making the garment from scratch. The more hand-processes are involved, the more is the price of the final garment. Sometimes, a seemingly simple looking outfit can have a very long-drawn background process of research and R&D. Also whatever the price, we make sure that the craftsmen /weaver clusters get their share of the profits."
Two recently concluded mega fashion-cum-trade shows ~ Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai and Wills India Fashion Week in Delhi ~ attracted over 200 designers to exhibit their creations. Apart from the commercial aspect of the event, giving a platform to new budding designers and displaying avant-garde concepts, the autumn-winter season of both the Fashion Weeks overreached the seasonal limitations. To be frank, while Sanchita, Aneeth Arora and many others stick to the season's convention, there were a few designers, whose collections weren't made for fall, rather for spring. This reverse of seasonal metaphor was also accompanied by wearable quotient.
"When I visualize any collection, for me the topmost priority is whether the clothes would be wearable or not," said Kolkata based designer Paromita Banerjee. "Though I understand that a ramp collection is also about showcasing the designer's theme/concept and mind-frame of that season, I am unable to do collections that do not translate into wearable clothes. At the end of the day, it is the audience (comprising buyers/ merchandisers of retail stores and single buyers) that would buy these clothes in order for us to get our business going and to have our clothes reach the market. Unless they are able to visualize how the clothes will look when worn (on the models on the ramp), the whole point is lost." Banerjee's collection Tana Bana was not just meant to set the ramp ablaze but any commoner of random physical structure can easily carry off the clothes. Using mulberry silk, hand spun cotton and Azo-free vat dyes, Banerjee's range uses two-coloured ply and twisted thread to add texture to the woven surface. Each colour is woven into 7-8 inch blocks, making checkered fabric blankets, creating a wonderful colour interaction.
Talking to a few buyers attending WIFW was informative. Akanksha, checking collections at the buyers' lounge in Pragati Maidan, said, "Many designs look good only under the spotlight and not in reality. You won't wear a bling decorated leather jacket in the bedroom with your love." Intervening in the conversation was Khyati, a marketing executive, who believed, "Neither would you wear a terrific overworked draped skirt to party with people ogling at the weird attire. But yes, there are collections that have a handwoven feel and also decent designs."
Anavila Mishra's collection at LFW was traditional. Mishra explores various drapes in saris on natural fabrics like cotton, jute and linen. Khatwa, sujani, batik and hand texturing were made glamorous with light and sober hues like ecru, burnt rose, black, indigo, white, sap green and ochre. "A designer collection is not about the designer and her team sitting in an 'ivory-tower' and making clothes that have no connect to the end of the chain (the final user, who will wear the clothes)," said Banerjee. "Those who do, are either reatively challenged or are not concerned with the money flowing back into the business after the clothes are sold. As I always say, it is a huge validation to see people wearing our collections and walking down the streets."
Besides wearability, what amazes one is the heavily zeroed price tags. "Pricing on a collection is solely dependent on the kind of raw
materials used," Banerjee pointed out. "Since we work on handwoven fabrics, sometimes the process in which a fabric is woven and innovated at the loom stage makes for a very complicated process of handiwork. Hence the price of the final garment goes up. I also look at the value addition that goes into making the garment from scratch. The more hand-processes are involved, the more is the price of the final garment. Sometimes, a seemingly simple looking outfit can have a very long-drawn background process of research and R&D. Also whatever the price, we make sure that the craftsmen /weaver clusters get their share of the profits."
http://www.thestatesman.net/news/48584-wearabouts-of-the-ramp.html
No comments:
Post a Comment