Missing look, poor show

You can gawk, not register. Attend, not remember. Welcome to LIFW, a B2B fashion event where no one has heard of Look Books or Show Cards -- absolute musts at such shows abroad.

It's the question on everyone's lips: Will designers at Lakme India Fashion Week 2005 have Look Books and Show Cards at their shows? The world over, at all major fashion weeks, these are an integral part. Yet, the idea is yet to sink in at India's biggest fashion gala. Buyers, especially Saks Fifth Avenue (New York) and Browns (London), have constantly asked for Look Books at previous LIFWs.

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What's a Look Book? It's a one-stop shop for information on a particular designer's collection, showing concepts and USP, colour and fabric options, swatches, silhouettes and prices. It also has sketches of garments. In short, it gives a comprehensive idea of any garment to interested buyers.

A Show Card is presented at the show, and gives details of garments in the order that they'll be showcased on the ramp. By circling the serial number of a particular garment on the card, a buyer can keep track of what he wants to buy in future. It helps the media too, to make their show reports.

In short, the Look Book and the Show Card help designers communicate with buyers and the media -- something that's vi tal for a business event of the stature of LIFW.

"These are important aspects at any fashion week. They'll help designers attract buyers,'' says former FDCI chief Vinod Kaul. "Yet, very few designers have paid attention to this aspect."

Asha Baxi, dean (academics), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), feels the Look Book and the Show Card are important also because designers at LIFW target foreign buyers. "To be in the international class, one should ideally go the international way,'' says Baxi. "I hope more and more designers realise this."

Buyers and their representatives in India agree that providing information on garments showcased on the runway is crucial for business. Sunil Sethi, CEO, Alliance Merchandising (that represents Selfridges, Joshua Joseph, Liberty), says a Show Card is an absolute must. "Designers here may want to give Look Books only to buyers whom they think are serious as they fear copying,'' he says. "But a Show Card should be on the seats of both buyers and the media. Then, buyers can also discuss colour changes, number of garments, etc. But these things are essential elements of a fashion week.'' Get the cue, designers?

Factfile

Venue: The Grand, New Delhi.

Dates: April 20-26.

India's biggest B2B fashion gala 63 designers to take part (six more than 2004) 39 fashion shows (four more than 2004) 70 designer stalls (10 more than 2004) 13 new models (9 female; 4 male) Interactive panel discussions; introduction of accessory stalls Lakme Fashion House winner Shehzad Karim to walk the runway Entry by invitation

Take 5 - Fashion week, over the years

1. 2000: LIFW starts with 33 designers in New Delhi. Creates ripples for being India's first ever fashion business event.

2. 2001: It moves to Mumbai with 44 designers, 74 domestic buyers and seven international buyers.

3. 2002: Back in New Delhi, the number of participating designers grows (to 53). So does the number of buyers -125 domestic and 19 international buyers.

4. 2003: A total of 57 designers, 159 domestic buyers and 30 international buyers take part at the LIFW, held in Mumbai.

5. 2004: Held in New Delhi, the number of designers remained 57. The buyer count went up: 160 for domestic and 60 for international.