Shivangi Singh
Last time, it was at this year’s WIFW – the big fashion event! Cameras, arc lights, media and biggies of entertainment industry, all focussed on the svelte figure walking down the ramp. As she moved suavely, her feet matching the rhythm of the background music…all hell breaks loose. The shoulder strap of her blue cowl neck slid revealing too much of skin! Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh’s garment did the slippery act on a foreign model.
She winced, quickly regained her composure and put the strap in place but before that a sudden chaos had filled the fashion venue. Cameras started flashing, media went paranoid, messaging began, word spread and the magic began. Within seconds, ‘Breaking News’ flashed across the channels, the wardrobe malfunction shot was played and replayed, with a black patch attempting to cover the model’s body (But the black patch hid little). Meanwhile, Rajesh Pratap Singh became a star and the model got her share of fame.
They say ‘Wardrobe Malfunction’ is a part and parcel of fashion events. The reason for such blunder is attributed to “limited number of models who have to display the entire collection in a given time”. But is this really the reality? Isn’t there more to this?
Lakme Fashion Week 2006 was all about wardrobe malfunctions. And remember the exposure the event got due to the errr…those ‘innocent’ mishaps. Carol Gracias’ halter neck top came off while she was walking the ramp in a Bennu Sehgall dress. Former Miss India Gauhar Khan’s skirt unzipped while she was displaying an outfit by Lascelles Symons. Nobody was to be blamed for it but the model, the designer and the fashion event shot to instant fame.
Inspired by Carol Gracias’ magical moment, Madhur Bhandarkar has ventured to shoot a scene on it, featuring Kangana Ranaut in his upcoming film ‘Fashion’.
There are various other instances of wardrobe malfunctions. Miss Universe (2004) Jennifer Hawkins’s heavy skirt of her Bora dress came off while she was walking down the ramp at Sydney. Curiously, actress Nigar Khan’s top slipped at a Norway fashion event and it restored her ‘slipping’ career to some extent.
The effort that goes into such malfunctions is little but the reward is huge. Just a slight slip of cloth for a second or two and the mischief begins. The model gets sympathy and limelight, the designer gets super fame, media gets juicy stories and the fashion event gets unprecedented success.
Then what’s wrong with just a harmless little adventure? Wardrobe malfunction does wonders, it reaps hot benefits. Those snobs who contemptuously admonish such happenings should be snubbed. Even, Shakespeare would have wondered at the carefully staged drama which has become a regular occurrence at almost all major fashion events.
And folks, it is once again the time for Lakme Fashion Week. Wonder what “wardrobe action” it would be displaying this year. What juicy stories and occurrences will underline the mega fashion extravaganza? We are waiting for it to begin…with cameras, lights, cell phones and loads of anticipation.
