Equal Sequel

“It will be bigger and better than the last fashion week,” promises Yudhajit Dutta director of Mindscapes group of companies,which is organizing the second edition of the Kolkata Fashion Week this September. When he says “bigger” and “better” Dutta probably means that there will be some buyers in this edition of the Kolkata Fashion Week. “We need to focus on buyers this time. We are hoping that we will do much more business,” says Dutta. At the last fashion week of the promised “42 registered buyers”,only one was spotted. And we couldn’t blame them too. Most of the celebrated out station imports chose to repeat collection already showcased in the Lakme Fashion Week,Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week and Delhi Fashion Week. “We plan to get a host of new designers this time and there will be plenty of new collections,” adds Dutta.

Delhi-based designer Varun Bahl feels that is a good thing. “What’s the objective of this particular fashion week? A fashion week can hardly afford to showcase old collections because that will not help the business. It’s very likely that interested buyers have already checked out these collections,” he says.

Kolkata based fashion designer Abhishek Dutta who showcased a collection in the last chapter of the fashion week says that the first edition of the fashion week was more of an “image-building” exercise. “We wanted people to take Kolkata seriously as a fashion destination. The event was a statement to that effect. We wanted the world to sit up and take notice. Though it’s too early to comment now,but I think the focus this time should be on business,” says Dutta.

To make things more professional,Mindscapes has decided to shift the venue from a green patch in the middle of nowhere (read PC Chandra Greens) to the plush confines of a five-star hotel. “That is such a relief. We had to face a lot of problems because of the venue,” says Dutta.

Yet,there seems to be one major stumbling block. Kolkata Fashion Week dates are clashing with that of the much-anticipated Men’s Fashion Week in Delhi. “I am quite confused about that. The men’s fashion week is something I am committed to for a long time. I don’t know if I will be able to spare a collection for the Kolkata Fashion Week then. I hope things work out for the best,” says Dutta.