Mumbai’s brain drain

Even as FDCI feels the loss of big names like Shantanu and Nikhil, Cue and Rohit Bal, designers discovered in Mumbai are filling in the gaps.

When inviting media to her show, Alpana of the Alpana & Neeraj duo commented, “We’re one of the few designers showing at WIFW this time.” With many of FDCI's usual suspects gone, even show timings have been pushed back from the usual 12 pm to as late as 2 pm. But making up for the absence of names like Rohit Bal, Suneet Verma, Anamika Khanna and Cue, are a host of young designers, who first shot to fame at Mumbai’s Lakme Fashion Week.

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Rohit Bal

While Arjun Saluja of Rishta jumped ship a few seasons ago, he was followed by Anupama Dayal and Rahul Mishra. The latest to test the waters in Delhi are Aneeth Arora of Pero, Anand Bhushan, Nikasha Tawadey and Rimzim Dadu. Even veteran Krishna Mehta has set up a stall here, showcasing the collection she had on LFW’s ramp. "I always get orders in Mumbai, but I’m surprised that I'm still getting new orders at WIFW. There are definitely more buyers here," she says, adding, "I’m not sure whether I’ll shift permanently because being a Mumbai-based designer, moving to Delhi is not easy logistically. But let’s see."