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Guest Column by Sujata Assomull: No critics’ view at fashion week
The recently-concluded fashion week, the first after a gap of two years, seemed to be just about social media
The coming together of Lakmé Fashion Week and Fashion Design Council of India into one fashion week was a moment. Something the industry has wanted for a long time. This recent edition was also the first physical fashion week since the pandemic broke out. But, the week seemed just to be about social media algorithms and sponsors’ diktats.
Strike a chord
So, I put out an Insta story that said:
“The eco-system has changed and today influencers are stakeholders in the event. Fashion always celebrates the new and is happy to welcome new players. But it seems to me that this event has decided that fashion has no time for the people who helped build the foundation of the event. As I speak to the few journalists there, they don’t have much positive to say about the week. Many senior journalists have decided not to attend. There is such a focus on the influencer and getting social media traction, journalists feel invisible, and also that the event lacks real content. However, at a trade event, which is what fashion week is meant to be, a journalist is the one who documents chronicles and gives context. As the first post pandemic physical fashion week this needs to be looked at through a cultural and commercial lens—and that is the role of fashion journalist. If a fashion week can not understand and respect this role, then what does that say about the future of fashion journalism in India?”
My Insta story was just meant to be a personal observation. My intention was simply to start a conversation on the future of fashion journalism, something I obviously have a vested interest in and something I also have a background in and understanding of. I did hear from one of the organisers, who was clear that they had in no way ignored the media or editors, and that they had all the media there. But the fact that many senior journalists, designers and even some influencers either reposted my story or sent me a message meant that it had struck a chord.
The OG stakeholders
Influencers are now key stakeholders in fashion (and also make a healthy profit from it), they are the new “conductors” and I think every journalist is respectful of that. However, it felt like this fashion week, which is a trade event, was only about them. The timing of the week meant buyers were missing, and designers seemed to be more interested in collections to grab the attention of Instagram than anything else. Fashion journalists feeling like they were no longer considered key stakeholders was also another definite issue. It is not an influencer’s role to give context or critique; that is where the journalist fits in. This may not be something sponsors enjoy, but the voices of the journalists help drive fashion forward and help start cultural conversations. This element seemed to be missing for me at this fashion week and as one leading fashion influencer messaged me, “I have to say, I am sick of the damn twirls. I want to read an article that gives some context to the collections.”
Fashion weeks are reflective of where the industry is heading. So, what did the most recent edition of fashion week say about the state of Indian fashion?
Dubai-based fashion journalist Sujata Assomull is also an author and an advocate of mindful fashion. She was the launch editor of Harper’s Bazaar India.
I Say Chaps is an occasional guest column that allows passionate, creative people a platform to have their say.
From HT Brunch, April 3, 2022
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