Journalism of Courage
For an industry that claims to be avant-garde,fashion is still to catch up with the digital business.
Rarely do things get my goat. But I fell in love with a pair of Shaolin trousers I spotted on the runway at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi six months ago. I ran to the designers stall the next day with my cheque-book (yes,I always carry it with me for fashion weeks,along with a strip of Ibuprofen for the eight-hour-days in heels),and placed an order for a pair. He took my measurements,while the assistant noted my home address. And I never heard from them again.
I sent reminder texts several times (there is no greater love than the love for beautiful raiments),but the inefficient bloke kept making excuses and eventually,I gave up. Neither of the two Mumbai stores the said designer sells at had the trousers,nor were they available online anywhere.
A few weeks ago,I began my search for those adorable boys shirts for my son from Nee & Oink,a new Kolkata label whose trunk show in Mumbai last year was a big hit. They then began to stock at Chamomile at the Palladium,and Atosa,in Bandra. None of the stores seem to have them anymore.
You can Like the lovely childrens wear label on Facebook,but it doesnt have a website.
If an industry insider has to struggle to buy designer clothes outside of a brick-and-mortar store,imagine the rest of the fashion-hungry country. Despite several new websites offering high-street wares,fashion designers are taking too long to catch up with digital shops.
I did a quick survey of Indian designers sites. Almost everyone has one,but most are under construction (including Sabyasachis and Namrata Joshipuras). Very few have an online shop,and most in this lot (including Rajesh Pratap Singh and JJ Valaya) are coming soon. Aneeth Aroras website is just a photographic flyer; it has no links at all. Two labels who do have a functioning online shop are Manish Arora and Shivan-Narresh two truly new-wave brand ideas,high-end pop and luxury swimwear respectively.
Indian luxury makers arent alone in their dread for the digitised. Pradas website is only five years old. Other labels such as Louis Vuitton,Gucci,Chanel and Christian Dior are only just realising the strengths of the Internet.
Social media networks are the best marketing tools today,but the future of fashion retail is in Internet technology,too. For one,there is nothing standing between the design and the audience. Many people shop online and smartphones have made this even easier. In times when you get even your groceries off the net,the irony isnt missed.
Traditionalists have argued that theres merit in making the trip to an ambient physical store or in waiting until the collection finds its way on to the racks. Reports have shown their numbers are quickly waning. Limited editions are for a very limited few. Besides,the rise of online fashion shops (such as the popular Perniaspopupshop.com) are showing the way.
The truth is that most Indian designers cant cope with large numbers,their businesses arent geared for long-term growth. But you can either fight a natural evolution or you can embrace it and make it work to your advantage.
namratanow@gmail.com
