Week AND worn

Seven fashion weeks a year and what8217;s a designer to do? Indulge in some soft white talc and dream a little dream, says the ethereal style-smith Wendell Rodricks

Seven fashion weeks a year and what8217;s a designer to do? Indulge in some soft white talc and dream a little dream, says the ethereal style-smith Wendell Rodricks
THERE8217;S a snowstorm before my eyes. Between me and the green room. Must stop doing those lines. I mean, really. Like my mouth feels like an entire kabootar khaana of pigeons shat in it. Foul.

But green rooms are wondrous places. Packed with form-driven beauties. Ripples of nerves and egos playing tennis. Nubile excitement high on some intoxicant. It8217;s intoxicating, this energy! That Indrani Dasgupta is so distractingly beautiful. I always feel my dress is unworthy of her. And Diana Penty. So utterly angelic. Like Audrey Hepburn. Maybe I need to change her gown and give her another more appropriate neckline.
I love this season. So many weeks. So many cities. So much fun. So many clothes. So I get on the fitting on hand. Difficult to do this Lakme fitting while our Emporio show is rolling out tomorrow.

8220;Eh Sir8221;, my assistant Sheryl shines. 8220;This is not Lakme. Not even Emporio. This is Chivas sir!8221;
Really? In any case the clothes are the same. We just add the celebrities. Anyway that8217;s all the media and janta want.

8220;But sir, the press will notice8230;8221;
Don8217;t be silly. You think Anaita is going to cut herself up in four and attend all four weeks. Even if they do, their editors will show the stars on head ramp. Learn from Shantanu and Nikhil dahling. They opened with Dia, closed with Neha and put Bappi in the middle for flavour.
8220;Not Bappi sir8230;8221;
Whoever. Who cares? Now call Madhur Bhandarkar and tell him we want him to walk Wills.
8220;But Sir8230;. he won8217;t. He will be busy with his film8221;.

Just do what I say. Where will he get so much mupht publicity for Fashion? And I will ask him to make Priyanka, Kangana and Mugdha to walk too.
8220;But Sir they are walking for Lux and Lakme?8221;
Are they? Well then let8217;s add Kitu Gidwani. And Achala and Lubna who worked on the film. And to ensure the 8216;wow8217; factor let8217;s get Rita Dhody and Nari to walk too. Nice! Nice!!
Now let8217;s finish this fitting and rush to Delhi for the Wills fitting.

The snowstorm before my eyes is turning to a blizzard. But that clears at Mumbai airport when I see Vikram Phadnis posing with some fans. They take multiple shots on three cell phones. Then ask for an autograph. He sweetly obliges. Then the girl reads the autograph and shrieks. You are not Manish Malhotra! Vikram passes out as she stomps off in a huff.

See! That8217;s Indian fashion. The media doesn8217;t know what they are seeing. The public doesn8217;t know who8217;s who. How many times do people mistake me for Rocky S we are both insulted!
Ok, now let8217;s get on with this check in. It8217;s 5.30 am and the vodka is doing a trance jerk with last night8217;s coke. Must stop all this one day.

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8220;Did you pack your bags yourself Sir?
Eh? I want to tell her eight people of various religions packed the four suitcases. But I nod a 8220;yes8221; numbly.

8220;You have any sharp instruments or guns. Now I want to stab her with one of my four tailoring scissors in the cases. Will terrorists admit to guns? I give up and walk away while she is muttering to her colleagues 8220;These designers are all drama queens8221;.

Anyway, now we are in Delhi. No one is talking about the clothes or the shows. They are all plotting Sumeet Nair8217;s murder. Kill him! Kill him, they chant like the mob ready to crucify Jesus. But here Pilate is Anil Chopra from Lakme. What does Chopra care? He is smiling since Lakme is rolling smoothly far away from this capital mess.

Why did I agree to do all these weeks? Couture Week was so much drama. Held in a tent on the outskirts of the Hyatt, even God was against them poor organisers. The tent opened up, rained on the socialite B-Blunt hairdos and got their Jimmy Choo feathered heels like wet chickens. But I liked Ashish and Varun. Though nobody came for our show. It was so spooky to walk out to empty seats. I mean this is fashion. If you breathe the word a mob turns up.

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I8217;ll tell you why we are doing all weeks. We gotta learn from Gudda and Tarun Tahiliani. They get so much press because they are like serial showers. So we will follow suit and just do it. Do them all! All seven weeks a year. Plus Chivas and whatever else turns up like Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen.

This fitting room is so small; someone actually is pouring a drink on my head. Please stop. Stop! I scream as it continues to pour.
Wendell. Wendell. Wake up.
It8217;s Jerome pouring this water mischievously. I open my eyes in wonder. We are at Bogmalo beach. Nice sun. Great Sky. So peaceful. I was dreaming.
What a nightmare! Thank God I8217;m not taking part this season in any fashion week.