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Journalism of Courage
The market for personalised couture by celebs is restricted to the affluent few who have the money to spend,say designers.
What do Priyanka Chopra and Shilpa Shetty have in common with the ultra-posh trendsetters in Hollywood? These divas have embraced Hollywoods latest trend: personalised style. Chopra did a Marilyn Monroe when she recently visited the Florentine headquarters of Salvatore Ferragamo. The actress was presented with her personalised wooden last in a special ceremony at the interntaional shoe brands boutique. She later received her own personalised evening sandal,with rhinestone-crusted 13cm heels and platform,from Salvatore Ferragamo. The material and colour was of Chopra8217;s choice. The elated actress says,Im delighted to possess my very own customised pair of shoes from Ferragamo. Its every girls dream come true. What makes it so much more special is that its the only one of its kind in the world. I was consulted during the design process,but it was another feeling altogether when I saw my shoes for the first time. The actress,however,is not the first to own her personalised fashion item.
But one wonders whether theres a market for celebrities personalised couture and does it find a connect among the masses? Singh says,When we introduced the limited edition,people went crazy to buy Jackies pair of personalised denim pants. But theres no such craze nowadays. Even if the designer is recognised globally,the market for such couture is limited to the people who can afford to buy such expensive items. Its not a trend that will pick up. Stylist Pria Agni adds that personalised collections are a hit among bored rich housewives and not the masses, This kind of couture and accessories are highly priced. The average Indian cannot afford it.
Designers add personalised celebrity style in India is quite different from the concept abroad. Here,its a designers initiative to team up with the celebs,so that they can encash on the brand name. Its known that Indians are label crazy,so people who religiously follow the celebs may make a rush to buy the outfits and accessories launched by them. But the personalised clothesline aren8217;t cheap. This style is not for the masses and has few takers, says Agni.
But thats not stopping celebrities from launching their personalised couture. Karan Johar recently announced that he would launch his personalised collection in collaboration with designer Varun Bahl,called Karan Johar Varun Bahl. The range hand-crafted in Italy,is expected to be bespoke and prêt-a-porter clothing in classic. Wonder whether Johars personalised style,is the beginning of a fashion revolution?
