Spring in Their Step

Fashion often seeks out high art — sometimes in the name of inspiration,sometimes to appropriate a place slightly more elevated than the glitzy ramp it perches on. At the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW),expect the effervescence of 19th century Russia and its flouncing ballerinas,as designer Suneet Varma gives a spring-summer twist to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. “I have always been a lover of western classical music. So when I decided to do the show this year,I wanted to capture the essence of the world of classical dance and music in a contemporary form,” says Varma. Gaurav Raina of MIDIval PunditZ has reworked Tchaikovsky’s score for the show.

Varma’s ballet stunt is not the only surprise package of the WIFW,which is set to take off at Pragati Maidan from October 24. For starters,the week is the first after the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) got together with the warring faction of designers from the Fashion Foundation of India and will see an unprecedented 110 designers. While regulars like Ritu Kumar,Ranna Gill and Rajesh Pratap Singh will mark their attendance,surprise entrants include Mumbai’s Narendra Kumar Ahmad and Wendell Rodricks,both avowed Lakme Fashion Week adherents. Designers like Poonam Bhagat and Anshu Arora Sen,who haven’t been part of the weeks organised by the FDCI in a while,too will showcase at the event. Apart from Varma,who is returning to the fashion week after almost three years,designer Ritu Beri will come back to an Indian fashion week after over a decade. “I have had a packed agenda the past few years and,unfortunately,the dates of the fashion weeks in India did not coincide with my prior commitments. Also,with the fraternity coming together this year,the energy is just right,” says Beri,who promises to show a collection replete with “youthful charm,sensuality and grandeur”.

Another comeback designer,Kolkata-based Shantanu Goenka,will bring the charm of the Royal Ascot to the ramps of Delhi . “It’s a larger-than-life look. There are bouncy dresses,corset tops,flouncy skirts,accompanied by hats and lacy gloves,” says Goenka..

The focus of the trade event is also on hitherto untapped markets. “While the Middle East has given us a steady clientele,we are looking to tap the Asian market better. Japan is our focus,with several buyers coming down from there,” says Sethi. A delegation from Japan will be here next month as well to pick up potential candidates for the Young Asian Designers award. Clearly,the party is not ending anytime soon.