As far as fashion in Delhi is concerned, I now have a feeling that in the next few days some good news is coming. It seems that there will be one fashion week in the coming season finally.
I have been in touch with some fashion designers, who I think are fashion designers, and I hear from them that in all likelihood, their fraternity here is going to align themselves together once again. I specifically mentioned them as ‘fashion designers’ as I have only seen them talk less and work more, be it in terms of their creativity or their efforts towards strengthening the fashion industry.
Now from what I hear, chances are that all those fashion designers who are worth mentioning have decided to join hands with the Fashion Design Promotion Council of India (FDPC) and have decided to work as one. FDPC has been formed by the ministry of textiles and if the intervention from the top bureaucrats happens diligently, it will help India’s fashion industry gain momentum tremendously.
I have heard that the textiles secretary too has been invited to be in the governing council of FDPC. I think this is a welcome move, as I feel that with the expertise of bureaucrats such as this, the council will assume the seriousness that it needs. A council with members who are relevant to the growth of the industry can catapult the same to unimaginable heights. At the same time, it is important for designers and those who are involved in the industry to think more rationally.
{{/usCountry}}I have heard that the textiles secretary too has been invited to be in the governing council of FDPC. I think this is a welcome move, as I feel that with the expertise of bureaucrats such as this, the council will assume the seriousness that it needs. A council with members who are relevant to the growth of the industry can catapult the same to unimaginable heights. At the same time, it is important for designers and those who are involved in the industry to think more rationally.
{{/usCountry}}For me, what it needs is seriousness. It’s no longer affordable to have an image that is flippant. Fashion industries in France, Italy and the United States are looked upon as serious industries with multi-million turnovers. Fashion designers are also seen as serious businessmen who bring in sizeable revenue to the ex-chequer. I think with the developments that are taking place in the designer community, if continued seriously, we too can assume the status that our counterparts in the West possess.
For this, I feel all stakeholders of the industry should be involved in the process. The general talk that is going around these days of having a body that will have an official calendar wherein all fashion weeks, be it Mumbai, Bangalore or Calcutta, are listed, sounds good to me. This way, collision and unhealthy competition can be avoided.
While the motto ‘By the Designers, For the Designers’, sounds alright to me, I feel that those responsible for running this council should keep in mind that both serious buyers and responsible media are integral part of the growth of fashion industry anywhere in the world.
India is definitely not an exception to this and involvement of members of these should also be considered rather than having in-camera proceedings in the boardrooms. I think Lakme Fashion Week is a good example to this. It has members from fashion, fashion journalism and fashion retail.