Vidya Prabhu,my colleague from the Express features team in Mumbai is currently in the LFW spin. She writes about Kareena Kapoor waltzing in.. as well as young designers stressing on pricing as a key factor in their success. Read her here: A string of shows aside,day one at Lakme Fashion Week was also marked by a workshop at the main show area. Moderated by Sujata Assomull,the former editor for Harpers Bazaar India,the workshop had buyers Sushil Jhaveri (of the store Fuel) and Pune-based Rasika Wakalkar (from the store Rudraksh),as also designers Ashley Rebello,Masaba Gupta and Priyadarshini Rao as the panellists. It was interesting to see Gupta and Rao recount their journeys in the fashion industry and both stressed on correct pricing as a key factor in their success. The buyers,on their part,stressed on the need for quality,consistency and on-time delivery. Predictably,the consignment- versus-buying out argument cropped up and both designers and buyers pointed out the others responsibilities. Gupta went so far as to say,Often the stuff given on a consignment basis for one month or two is not returned within the said period and by the time the stuff is back with me,it becomes old stock. That puts me in a not so great position. However,the debate ended on positive note with both buyers and designers agreeing that they were on the same side as they worked towards giving the customer a satisfactory product. The need for artistically commercial fashion was also touched upon. During the course of the conversation,it was interesting to see Rebello often side with the buyers. This is because the designer-cum-stylist is soon going to open a multi-designer store. Not surprisingly,he also plans to cash in on his filmy connections. Bollywood is a big draw in our country; all designers hanker after movie-star showstoppers and even customers want to follow the latest movie looks- say a Kareena choli or a Katrina dress, he said at the discussion. Jhaveri and Wakalkar may have been on the panel but they werent the only two buyers in attendance. Also present was Pia Ganguly Ghosh,the founder of Pia Ka Ghar,a California store that sells designer wear by Sabyasachi Mukherjee,Masaba Gupt,Pallavi and Bhairavi Jaikishan and Paromita Banerjee. As the name of her store suggests,hers is a retail space that operates out of a sprawling 2000 square feet portion of her home. We will be opening another outlet soon,probably in LA. Besides,we have a strong online presence too, she says. What makes her venture stand out is her close relationship with design whiz Sabyasachi. When we started working with him,his creations were selling out of many boutiques in the US,but within a period of three years,we outdid the sales of all other US outlets and this has made our friendship stronger. The best part about him is that he understands the pulse of the consumer. That makes it easy for us to work with him, she enthuses,before heading to Pallavi Jaikishans cocktail party. Anushka Khanna is not a name that many in the fashion industry are familiar with. But if her debut show at the Talent Box show at LFW on Day One was anything to by,the Bollywood fraternity considers her to be very promising. The small show area was packed to capacity even as Kareena Kapoor and Karan Johar took seats in the front row and cheered for Khanna,who,it is believed,has filmy connections. At an event that is still starved of star power,the connection has clearly paid off rich dividends. Vidya Prabhu is a principal feature writer with the Express features team in Mumbai. She writes on fashion and lifestyle.
