Ankita Shukla
The Autumn/Winter 2008 fashion bonanza of the Wills India Fashion Week (WIFW) just got over but the fashion industry is not heaving a sigh yet. Reason being- that it is now the chance of the big daddy of fashion extravaganzas in India: the ‘Lakme Fashion Week’ to unravel its fasionista.
So do we hear some more cash registers ringing? More… Yes, certainly more than ever before!
Huge set of sponsors
Indian fashion industry is booming with two fashion weeks in its kitty now. Besides the WIFW, Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) also boasts of holding a strong presence in the Indian fashion circles. LFW is a combined initiative by Lakme and IMG, which is a frontrunner in organising fashion weeks and event production all around the globe.
Both Lakme and IMG Fashion have been pivotal to the success of the Lakme India Fashion Week over the previous seasons. In addition to these two, industry giants like Gitanjali, Samsonite, Lux, Allen Solly, Aza, Park Avenue, Chivas, Westside, Taj President, Peroni and DHL have also lent their support to make the event a success. The fact that these brands have associated themselves with the LFW, in itself proves that the eventual outcome is encouraging more companies to pump in money in such events.
LFW has been attempting to integrate India into the global fashion world with an aim to redefine the future of fashion. IMG’s portfolio of events in the Asia-Pacific includes Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai twice a year, Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney twice a year, the Singapore Fashion Festival presented by MasterCard, MasterCard Luxury Week Hong Kong, EcoStyle Kuala Lumpur, and Pakistan Fashion Week. Internationally IMG Fashion also manages and represents Fashion Fringe in London, Milan Fashion Week, Fashion Week in Moscow, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks in Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
Buyers all the way
The international associations of IMG have added immensely to the cause of promoting Indian fashion worldwide. The same has also made LFW a great success in terms of captivating the attention of the international buyers.
High-end fashion stores like Kimaya and Samsara have multiplied Indian fashion’s avenues by proving to be a major buyer at the LFW, these stores also have close correlations with international clients who are on a lookout for latest Indian fabrics and designs. Henceforth leading to an global interchange highlighting the fact that Indian fashion has come of age.
Over the years the fashion trends of the Indian subcontinent have attained a global recognition. The Indian designers have taken to Prêt-a-Porter and fusion markets, incorporating the contemporary trends, moved across borders, collaborated with international designers and have also participated in international fashion events attempting to merge Indian sensibilities with worldly ethos.
This has resulted in increased global recognition and spaces for Indian designer wear in stores across US, Europe, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UAE & many other countries.
The LFW Spring Summer 2008 is expected to see an almost 80 percent increase in international buyers, besides a large number of sales agents and public relation agents from London, Tokyo, Europe, Middle East and Milan. About 150 domestic buyers including Ensemble, Aza participate in the event as they feel that this is the most feasible podium for their creations.
