Textual content by Ranjabati Das, with inputs from Akanksha Pandey and Sarah Rajkotwala. Images by Naomi Shah and Asad Sheikh.
The discourse across the reordering of priorities in addition to long-standing energy dynamics inside the business — introduced on by rising shopper consciousness and the democratisation of style via digitalisation and social media, and geared in the direction of making style extra sustainable and inclusive — has already taken centre stage lately. And, as anticipated, the return of the bodily format of FDCI x Lakmé Trend Week in March 2022, after two years of warning exhibited via phygital variations in a post-pandemic world, gave contemporary impetus to the dialog across the relevance of style weeks, one of many many contentious sides of an business in want of dire change.
In an effort to create a roadmap for the longer term, Verve brings to you a motley assortment of opinions to dissect the legitimacy of the pleasure of place style weeks have come to get pleasure from over time and the world over regardless of the dissonance created by an outdated mannequin that leaves a lot to be desired by way of entry and monetary yields. Pointing in the direction of a spate of modifications deemed very important to make style weeks extra present, experiential and interpersonal, these reiterate the necessity to problem the established order and reclaim a extra genuine face of style, most seen maybe in style week’s potential to encourage and supply an area for celebration, drive innovation, mould expertise, make statements and tackle collective cultural histories.
On the newest version of the occasion, members of the style fraternity weigh in on the professionals and cons, the return to the concept of the style present as spectacle powered by celebrities and influencers, and the significance of reinvention:
Rajesh Pratap Singh
“It provides us a timetable, a singular platform for designers and their communication. A calendar for the business. And it makes the expertise handy for consumers.”
-Rajesh Pratap Singh of his eponymous label.
Abraham & Thakore
“Trend showcases serve completely different functions to completely different stakeholders. Firstly, style exhibits are an excellent platform for us designers to creatively highlight our distinctive values to merchandisers, consumers and style business professionals. Secondly, we get to talk to the media instantly in addition to via our showcase, which provides us a voice. Thirdly, on this age of social media, we additionally get to talk on to the shoppers, who can take part remotely.”
-David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore of Abraham & Thakore.
Eka
“In the mean time, there aren’t many consumers. Trend week is extra of a media train these days. Because of the quantity of stimulation we obtain on social media by way of the inflow of labels and style imagery, the inventive business has been pushed to a nook. Maybe we have to reinvent the mannequin of style weeks. As a lot as I get pleasure from presenting on the runway, it doesn’t all the time translate into enterprise.”
-Rina Singh of Eka.
Pankaj & Nidhi
“Trend exhibits ought to experiment and take dangers. They should encourage upcoming designers and never simply goal the influencer market. Designers get to inform their tales, attaining inventive satisfaction. However, someway, glamour has taken up a big area, the showstoppers are prepared earlier than the clothes.”
-Mohit Ahuja, influencer.
Satya Paul
“Trend week was a refreshing expertise after so lengthy. After the gloom of the pandemic, all people wanted a trigger for celebration, and style week solidified the truth that style will not be useless. It proved the relevance of designers, outdated and new.”
-Ankith ES, stylist.
Studio Medium
“The interplay and engagement fee on social media is larger throughout these occasions and it helps your web page attain new audiences. They result in a number of new enquiries, a few of which do transform fruitful!”
-Riddhi Jain of Studio Medium.