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Fashion's loungewear gurus debut at home
At the Lakme India Fashion Week opening Wednesday, one of India's most successful labels abroad, Abraham and Thakore, debuts as subtly as the quiet elegance of its clothes - with a stall and not a blistering fashion show.
At the Lakme India Fashion Week opening on Wednesday, one of India's most successful labels abroad, Abraham and Thakore, debuts as subtly as the quiet elegance of its clothes - with a stall and not a blistering fashion show.
"We are definitely interested in the market here," Abraham, one half of the duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, said. The third partner in the business is Kevin Nigle.
"We see great opportunity in the market now."
After years of concentrating mainly on exports, to top shops like Browns and The Conran Shop, Abraham and Thakore (or A&T as they are popularly called) has opened three standalone stores in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
"We feel very strongly about the market here," said Abraham. "And the fashion week gives an appropriate forum to showcase our work for the market here. We want to grow our presence in the domestic market significantly in the coming years."
Abraham and Thakore's quintessential soft silhouettes and almost charming clothes would be on display at the fashion week and the duo said they would be looking for partners in areas where there is no direct competition for their own shops.
"This is a time of localisation," said Abraham. "The demands are very local. So we have work in that way. We can sell in Delhi from other shops as long as they are not in the same area as our own. The same with Mumbai and Bangalore."
He said he opted for a stall rather than a show because it gave them more "intimate" space. "I have always believed that clothes need to be touched and felt to really get a sense of what they are," said Abraham.
"Also showing on the runway requires clothes made for the runway and I am not sure that our clothes are made that way. There is a theatrical format that is meant for the runway. Seeing them one to one is much better.
"We really don't design for the catwalk."
The clothes would retail between Rs.2,000-7,000.
