The Shanghai Fashion Week’s ‘Asian Fashion Blooming’ (AFB), which was a special event for World Expo Shanghai 2010 of Shanghai International Fashion Culture Festival organized by Shanghai International Fashion Center on May 13, 2010, was made all the more special for us because of three very talented India designers opening the show. Designers Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nikasha tawadey and Anand Kabra, chosen from the Lakmé Fashion Week, presented the same collection that they showed at the LFW. Nikasha shared the stage with Anand and first presented her resort wear collection before Anand brought on his edgy east-west blended line. Sabyasachi displayed 14 apparels, each sporting the rich textures, embellishments and earthy colors that are his signature style.
Rahul Mishra’s ‘Butterfly Effect’ collection goes to Sweden
One of the bright young designers, Rahul Mishra from NID made quite an impact with his autumn/winter 2010-11 collection with the theme, ‘The Butterfly Effect’ that he showcased at the Wills India Fashion Week in Delhi. He became the chosen one to showcase this very collection to the Swedes as part of the India-Sweden Cultural Collaboration in Gothenburg. His show was held at the Gothenburg Opera House and Elite Park Hotel on May 8. The collection comprised a series of reversible outfits, using organic fabrics like chanderi and double-weave organzas in black, ivory, purple, bronze and brown. The silhouettes are crisp and architectural, with aari work and graphic effects. The collection, since its launch a couple of months back, has received a great reception in the international market, particularly in Europe and Southeast Asia. It was also showcased at the Audi Singapore Fashion Festival. “I always wanted to create something that endures, and this collection has worked fabulously for me,” says Mishra, who showcased about 35 pieces on the ramp.
Fresh Pearls shine at Portfolio 2010
Fifty seven fresh graduates of the Pearl Academy of Fashion (PAF) presented their collections at the Portfolio 2010 annual fashion show for the post- and under-grads of the Institute. The chief guest of the event was Silviano Ferre, managing director, Alberto Del Biondi, an Italy-based brand. The collections were inspired by themes like nature and native traditions. Various emotions and expressions from human life also stimulated many student designers for their first show at a professional forum. Deepak Seth, chairman PAF said, “I am amazed at the rapid improvements in the design excellence, that the PAF graduates are showing year after year. The diversity and use of fabric, silhouettes, and styles is amazing.”
NIFT Hyderabad’s grad show – Fashionova 2010
The graduating class of the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Hyderabad presented their collections at their show Fashionova 2010, which was held on May 7th. The students brought forth creativity with diverse themes and inspirations. Design student Rohit Soni was inspired by his mother and Simrith Kaur Hundal attempted to make low-cost product for Europe, US and Japan. Sanjeet Kumar Verma, a textile design student, showcased a collection of saris and ties, his being the sole tie collection. The students showed promise and ready to take on the world. Good luck!
Karl Lagerfeld takes his cruise collection to St Tropez
Chanel’s designer Karl Lagerfeld created all the appropriate ripples and desired buzz in Saint Tropez’s Café Sénéquier, where he presented his Chanel Croisière show. The elite audience that turned up to watch the unveiling of the collection was suitably entertained. The models arrived on motor-cruisers to the venue and stepped onto the runway or board walk to parade the latest bikinis alongside flared jeans or denim skirts.
Lviv Fashion Week A-W 2010/11 in Ukraine
The leading designer showcase in Eastern Europe, Lviv Fashion Week autumn/winter 2010-11 was held from May 20-23 in Lviv, Ukraine. The fashion week was launched in March, 2008 and over the previous seasons; more than 100 collections of established and new designers as well as fashion companies from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, France, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, and Libya have been presented. The designers of the mostly prêt-a-porter collections presented at least one dress in the typical palette of black and white with red accent. In this season, the Lviv Chocolate Workshop presented a chocolate bar representing the emblem of Lviv Fashion Week (a button) made of white chocolate. The last day saw the fourth charitable auction within the frames of Lviv Fashion Week, where the profits from the auction of interior decor, clothes, accessories, pictures and photographs granted by well-known Ukrainian designers such as Olena Dats, Roksolana Bogutska, Oksana Karavanska, Liliya Litkovska, Olesya Telizhenko and others as well as artists of various genres like Yuriy Dyachyshyn, Valeriy Nesterenko, were used to purchase necessary equipment for Regional Centre for Children’s Endoscopic Surgery and Neonatal Surgery.
‘CatchAchoo’ race for a freshly launched trainer
The luxury shoemaker Jimmy Choo has unveiled its first range of trainers that are a blend of old school trainer style and a glamorous cool. The line of 8 designs is made from exotic purple elaphe snakeskin, patent leather and silver suede, with gold eyelets and star printed soles. Tagged at a steep £395, the brand has launched in London a city-wide treasure hunt, ‘CatchAchoo’, via clues left on Twitter and Facebook and foursquare.com, where the winner gets a free pair of the latest trainer. A picture of Jimmy Choo bag is taken in the location and left on the sites, where a company representative waits for a short period of time with the shoes on display. According to a Jimmy Choo posting on Facebook, those who have figured out the clue must race to the location, approach the representative and say: “I’ve been following you” to win the shoes. The competition has been running since April 19 and will carry on until some one wins the prize.
FTV lists on Frankfurt Stock Exchange
The Austria based Fashion TV has grown enough to list its shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Fashion TV Holding Ltd was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on April 30 and a total of 5,257,260 shares of the company are now approved for trading by qualified investors. The shares of FTV closed at €25 on Frankfurt Stock Exchange with a trading volume of €12,100 on same day trade. The 24/7 channel for fashion, beauty, style was set up in 1997 by Polish businessman Michel Adam Lisowski and is currently worth an estimated €250 million ($330 million). It is streamed to nearly 400 million homes via satellite and cable. The arrival of FTV in India was facilitated by Modi Entertainment (family business of the controversial Lalit Modi), who ran into legal dispute in 2003 and FTV went free on air. Nearly all global fashion weeks, including the two major Indian fashion weeks, are streamed on FTV.
We have tracked the three seasons of the first Couture Fashion Week for our readers and are gearing up to do the same for the just announced second Couture Fashion Week that is due to unfold in Delhi in July. But while we are yet grappling with understanding ‘fashion’ as such in its true context, the upcoming event in July raises a few questions as to ‘what really qualifies as Haute Couture? Are those involved doing justice?’ Who better than Asha Baxi could give us in-depth and unbiased answers. We logged into her thought process to bring for the readers of NewsVision her musings on the topic.
Prof Asha Baxi has a deep insight into every aspect of fashion design, which she has garnered over three decades of being at the forefront with her involvement with the fashion industry at various levels.
Since the founding of the Chamber syndicale de la confection et de la couture pour dames et fillettes in 1868, the Parisian Haute Couture sought the perfection of its art. From the impressionist decorative style of the originator of ‘haute couture’, Charles Frederick Worth, British couturier, to the abstract minimalism of Balenciaga, Spanish designer settled in Paris, the syndicale feverishly pursued the tenets of haute couture.
However sweeping changes in fashion, amazing developments in technology authored a new contemporary fashion system with the launch of bridge labels at affordable price tags in the late 1980’s.
It was also a turning point for India, a handful of Fashion designers trained abroad started making their presence felt in India. ‘Fashion’ was essentially about glamour, show bizz, socializing and media. The rigor of quality and fit was the headache of the ‘masterji’ i.e. the local pattern maker and tailor and surface embroideries were the saving grace. The grandeur of the shows, the invitee list, celebrity quotient and the media coverage established a designers’ reputation not their merchandise.
Instant success, wide publicity and glamour made fashion design a very desirable profession for young aspirants looking to achieve name and fame at the speed of light. Fashion education also became a lucrative business. Fashion shows became a popular entertainment for corporate and business houses. To legitimize fashion as a serious industry, a fashion council was set up and seasonal fashion weeks followed and India became a fashion destination. The presentations became sleek but mediocrity continued to prevail at the ground level.
Subsequently couture week is launched while we are still struggling with the basics. More than often it is difficult to distinguish one designer merchandise from the other. Collections in general lack character.
Talking of character, one look at the exquisite Patan ka Patola, Issey Miyaki products or Madhubani art and you see each has a distinctive identity and character which makes it stand apart amidst millions. At a closer scrutiny one finds that it is not just about visual impact. There is a deep thought, painstaking workmanship and refining an idea to evolve the final product.
The sentiment has been reiterated by Louis Vuitton, a heritage fashion brand, that ‘value in couture cannot be manufactured overnight.’
A recent retrospective of Devi Prasad’s repertoire of paintings, writings and pottery drew home the same point, that signature style can only evolve through a meditative process, and ‘process’ being the operative word. Process is something completely missing in the work culture of the contemporary fashion business in India, where numbers and productivity are key elements for commercial success. There is too much of everything but very little of something special. Then one also finds a huge disconnect between collections of designer labels from one season to the other and many a times a single collection looks like an assortment of different garments put together mindlessly in matching colours or fabrics.
Profound thoughts of Balenciaga reflect my sentiments.
“A good couturier must be an architect for design, a sculptor for shape, a painter for colour, a musician for harmony and a philosopher for temperance,”
In fact Balenciaga is an example of the art of turning one’s own name into a signature: he succeeded in doing it without even trying. In fact it seems he never had any other aspiration than creating clothes anonymously and merely for the pleasure of creating for those who are elegant enough to combine audacity, attention to detail and propriety in their dress. From a signature the name was transformed into a
brand. His passion was, to find technical solution to couture which he pushed to the highest level through relentless simplification of cut that became legendry. The long evolution comes to an end when he
reduces the garment to its essentials, to one single unique seam. Balenciaga worked intently at the construction of each garment, dissecting its structure in great detail, seeking out their secrets, like a puzzle endlessly reworked and simplified until he reached perfection, the purity of a single line.
A designer should work with passion and dedication and respect for high standards, without a care for concerns of other designers thus reflecting ones individuality and the spirit of the time. Such dedication and discipline can alone improve the much desired level of ‘couture’ in our country.
“Use the difficulty” don’t overlook it. Nothing can be achieved at the speed of light.
Forbes lists the Green Billionaire of Indian origin Vinod Khosla
What is a venture capitalist doing in a green column? Forbes, the compilers of such lists as ‘World’s richest men/women/companies’ etc has made another that features the 10 greenest billionaires who are most active in green, sustainable causes and who are working to have the greatest impact in safeguarding the environment. One amongst the ten is Vinod Khosla, the Indian born venture capitalist. He showed his green side by investing in green tech companies. Writing about the Silicon Valley billionaire, the magazine said, "Vinod Khosla -- a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and a longtime partner at venture capital powerhouse Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers -- has, with fellow billionaire and green business supporter John Doerr, been pouring millions of dollars into green tech companies." Khosla, who has a net worth of $1.1billion, entered the business in 2004 through his Khosla Ventures, providing funding to dozens of innovative companies involved in areas such as sustainable building materials, solar power and advanced biofuels. The company claims to capture massive volumes of carbon dioxide and other emissions and convert those emissions into building materials such as cement. Khosla Ventures funds "science experiments" and takes on both "for profit" and "for social impact" ventures, Forbes added. Besides Khosla, Israeli billionaire and Carnival Cruises heiress Shari Arison has also found a place in the list. Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also feature in the list.
Satara’s non profit fashion is very impressive
The Dutch fashion label Satara is making waves with its beautiful summery prints and fabrics and mostly its sustainable practices. Satara is a non-profit organization that trains and supports underprivileged women in developing nations with the aim of achieving gender equality and the eradication of poverty. Each of the garments is tagged such that one can find out who made that particular piece of apparel. Satara works with talented graduates from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute who teach their skills to seamstresses in India while the Mann Deshi microcredit bank provides local support. Volunteers from Dutch universities also lend assistance at home and abroad. As the website says, "This network has the will and ability to create a sustainable clothing and textiles production network in India, and in doing so bring underprivileged women confidence, independence, and ultimately hope for a better future for themselves and their children." The inspiration for their spring 2010 line was our very own khadi fabric, which the website describes as, "steeped in Indian history and was an icon of Mahatma Ghandi's liberation movement, where it embodied the ideas of freedom and autonomy, truth, and closeness with nature."
Eco Alphabet
Good (?)
N for Natural Dyes
The increased emphasis on eco friendly, non toxic methods has brought into focus the preference for natural dyes. But can dyes really be all natural? Are all the eco-dyes only natural dyes and are they commercially viable too? There is the need to ask these questions instead of pushing ahead without proper research. Natural dyes are based on natural sources such as plants, berries and insects and are inherently biodegradable and carbon neutral. Yet there is this fallacy that mordants, which include heavy metals are needed to fix these dyes to the fabric. Peter Johnson of Huntsman, one of the biggest synthetic dye companies says, ‘The colours aren’t always as bright and strong, they’re not as colour-fast as we’re used to and lots of natural resources are needed to make them.’ Gracie Burnett, a UK-based natural dyer said, ‘Any big company will be sceptical of natural dyeing. It’s expensive and can be physically hard work. The only mordant I use is alum, a mineral salt.’ Clearly, the effort is towards creating dyes that are eco-friendly, even if they are not natural. Huntsman has developed several ranges of dyes suitable for use on organically certified garments that have eliminated many harmful substances normally used in synthetic dyes. Why milk natural resources. That in itself is a hazard.
Shahnaz Husain as case study for Harvard Business School
Shahnaz Husain’s name is already in history for having bottled and branded the age old recipes of Ayurveda as cosmetics and made it work globally against the best of international names. She also did it without publicity. Making a note of this, the Harvard Business School has incorporated the brand as case study for its budding managers. The case study lectures will highlight the strategies she adopted to establish her global network of franchises. Finance guru and HBS professor, Dr Samuel Hayes, said, “You (Husain) violate every norm that we teach of setting aside a part of your budget for advertising and publicity. It is not only her franchise-based enterprise but also her marketing strategies that are truly unique. Even at a time when there is cut-throat competition, Shahnaz Husain products have sustained without commercial advertisement.” Ms Husain runs a chain of over 400 global franchises and 600-odd distributors. The company, according to an FMCG analyst, has a turnover of Rs 650 crore and competes in India along with skincare giants such as L'Oreal, Clarin's and BodyShop. The mid-to-upper market positioning of the brand has made it popular with beauty salons as well as distributors, the analyst noted.
Givenchy ad creates buzz-casts a transsexual model
Riccardo Tisci, the creative designer of Givenchy has stirred a controversy by casting the transsexual Brazilian model Lea T in his advertising campaign for autumn/winter, which is due to appear in the July issue of L’Uomo Vogue. Lea T was formerly known as Leo Cerezo and has been working with Tisci as his personal assistant and former fit model. Many are seeing this as a marketing gimmick, though Tisci says that she was chosen because she “exemplifies the masculine-feminine dichotomy that has become one of his design signatures.” He said that he found her ‘very feminine: superfragile, very aristocratic.’ Take a look at the image alongside and judge for yourself.
Pretty, colorful and as elegant as can be are these lovely dresses that required a special genius to create. Not an easy job, mind you, for the choice of material is rather tricky and not at all needle friendly. Made of air that is wrapped in some extra stretch rubber and hey presto. Will this trend catch on or is here to stay? Good question. Only if the one adorning it will not sit down and keep away from cacti of all types. Some of the models in these light airy apparels are actually wearing skin toned body suits underneath. Just in case…
A divine dress in shades of Coral with fringe details in shades of purple orchid and golden and a cinched waist detailing. One off shoulder with the option of the sleeve still alive (the designer has it in her hand). Keep away from pins and needles.
Spaghetti strap on short bodice that is connected with a strip to a billowing skirt, all put together in soothing shades of lagoon blue, woodbine and lemon-except for that strange addition of orange and yellow detailing on the extra turkey ruffle at the back of dress. The headgear is sadly a total misfit in shape and colour too.
Sculpted floor length gown in golden yellow with ebony detail on ruffle at hem and bodice and collar cuff. Elisa Doolittle would immediately buy this one, hat and all. The designer looks pleased as punch.
Luminous sculpted long dress in pearly white, accessorized with a matching halo. Ruffles highlight the neck with plunging neckline, sleeveless outfit. More of the ruffle on the skirt in interesting detail. Perfect for fairy godmother types. Is that Cruella by her side wearing a Dalmatian like polka dot combo
Bright orange bra top strung to a bright yellow skirt made up with graded balloons, the ones in the last row of the skirt being as big as huge cantaloupes! The matching fan is a lot better. The model has cleverly kept her nude coloured body suit on. What’s with the cat make-up though?
Lovely orange (or is it red?) off shoulder drape dress with asymmetric hem. Perfectly accessorized with matching shoes, anklet, a Japanese lantern for a bag and a bag for a hat. Congrats Mr Designer!
All the colours of the rainbow..almost all..just the perfect over wear for a tryst on the beach. Provides good competition to Hawaiian grass skirts. Leftover from shoulder strap has been cleverly used as bracelet. Huge headgear sure to keep head cool and not get it full of air.
The fashion kingdom has gone global and the sundry Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese etc fashion brands and names of different origins are foxing us as to how to pronounce them correctly. NewsVision has it all simplified for you.
Andrew Gn is a singapore-born, Paris-based designer. His creations are opulent and boast luxurious fabrics, along with developing his embroideries in-house, creating his own buttons and embellishments and creating unique event-dresses. Artisanal details in the form of bows, mink trim, and beading are appreciated by his clients. They also make handbags.
Designer Consuelo Castiglioni is the founder of the Italian label Marni, which was launched in 1994. The label is known for its quirky, feminine combinations of bright colors, bold graphic patterns, elaborate fantasy prints, and natural textures, including many furs. Consuelo Castiglioni herself is publicity shy and low key. Yet her excellence and artistically designed creations are recognized by the celebrities who throng to her.
In the age of rapid mechanization and high tech advancements it is the artisan who holds the thread of a tradition of ancient skills. Cut away from the mainstream these artisan groups struggle to hold on to what they have inherited and many social groups have come forward to support them. Newsvision introduces its readers to various artisan groups and their crafts in this column.
Now GI status for Rajasthjan’s Snganeri block print textiles
The Sanganeri hand block printed textile products from Rajasthan have been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status that will protect it from being duplicated anywhere else. The unique delicate floral motif in multiple colors that are block printed are the specialty of the region and now the GI status allows the producers of the Sanganer region to take legal action against the infringement of the name of their product. Abhijit Das, deputy project coordinator, UNCTAD India, which worked with the artisan community in Sanganer for seeking the GI certificate said, “There are many screen printing textiles in Rajasthan which are sold in the name of Sanganeri. This will be illegal now. Demand for authentic Sanganeri will increase now, thus helping the producers.“ There are around 300 units involved in producing the Sanganeri textile products.
Think of fashion and it evokes visions of glamour and page three. Fashion designers become members of an elite group of celebrities second only to Bollywood stars. From this perspective, designers are dense packages of creativity waiting only to be unburdened. Every once in a while the curtain befuddling this gets blown away and the ugly side of ambition gets revealed. The reality is that every creative field is built on a discipline. Even before formal education with lofty titles became de jure, an apprenticeship under a master craftsman ensured that new entrants imbibed the ‘secrets’ of the trade as well as the culture that it entailed. Many a successful designer has been tutored under a master into the discipline. Alas, in India today the object of mastery is the PR and the drama orchestrated by the media with a scant thought to the discipline that the trade demands. Perhaps this is what ails Indian fashion!
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“I feel fashion started in the West but now it has run out of its inspiration to do new and good fashion. It’s about fads and trends now, but no ‘real fashion’. The Orient (China and India) can really make it big. And India has an advantage over China of the language — you guys speak English.”
“If India wants to be serious in the business of fashion, then there has to be one fashion body and one fashion week. The Delhi-Mumbai divided is only harming their international reputation.”
- Colin McDowell, British fashion writer and historian, as quoted in Hindustan Times, 10th March, 2010.
Indian Designers open Shanghai Fashion Week
What is a venture capitalist doing in a green column? Forbes, the compilers of such lists as ‘World’s richest men/women/companies’ etc has made another that features the 10 greenest billionaires who are most active in green, sustainable causes and who are working to have the greatest impact in safeguarding the environment. One amongst the ten is Vinod Khosla, the Indian born venture capitalist. He showed his green side by investing in green tech companies. Writing about the Silicon Valley billionaire, the magazine said, "Vinod Khosla -- a co-founder of Sun Microsystems and a longtime partner at venture capital powerhouse Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers -- has, with fellow billionaire and green business supporter John Doerr, been pouring millions of dollars into green tech companies." Khosla, who has a net worth of $1.1billion, entered the business in 2004 through his Khosla Ventures, providing funding to dozens of innovative companies involved in areas such as sustainable building materials, solar power and advanced biofuels. The company claims to capture massive volumes of carbon dioxide and other emissions and convert those emissions into building materials such as cement. Khosla Ventures funds "science experiments" and takes on both "for profit" and "for social impact" ventures, Forbes added. Besides Khosla, Israeli billionaire and Carnival Cruises heiress Shari Arison has also found a place in the list. Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also feature in the list.
Shahnaz Husain’s name is already in history for having bottled and branded the age old recipes of Ayurveda as cosmetics and made it work globally against the best of international names. She also did it without publicity. Making a note of this, the Harvard Business School has incorporated the brand as case study for its budding managers. The case study lectures will highlight the strategies she adopted to establish her global network of franchises. Finance guru and HBS professor, Dr Samuel Hayes, said, “You (Husain) violate every norm that we teach of setting aside a part of your budget for advertising and publicity. It is not only her franchise-based enterprise but also her marketing strategies that are truly unique. Even at a time when there is cut-throat competition, Shahnaz Husain products have sustained without commercial advertisement.” Ms Husain runs a chain of over 400 global franchises and 600-odd distributors. The company, according to an FMCG analyst, has a turnover of Rs 650 crore and competes in India along with skincare giants such as L'Oreal, Clarin's and BodyShop. The mid-to-upper market positioning of the brand has made it popular with beauty salons as well as distributors, the analyst noted.
The Sanganeri hand block printed textile products from Rajasthan have been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status that will protect it from being duplicated anywhere else. The unique delicate floral motif in multiple colors that are block printed are the specialty of the region and now the GI status allows the producers of the Sanganer region to take legal action against the infringement of the name of their product. Abhijit Das, deputy project coordinator, UNCTAD India, which worked with the artisan community in Sanganer for seeking the GI certificate said, “There are many screen printing textiles in Rajasthan which are sold in the name of Sanganeri. This will be illegal now. Demand for authentic Sanganeri will increase now, thus helping the producers.“ There are around 300 units involved in producing the Sanganeri textile products.
Think of fashion and it evokes visions of glamour and page three. Fashion designers become members of an elite group of celebrities second only to Bollywood stars. From this perspective, designers are dense packages of creativity waiting only to be unburdened. Every once in a while the curtain befuddling this gets blown away and the ugly side of ambition gets revealed. The reality is that every creative field is built on a discipline. Even before formal education with lofty titles became de jure, an apprenticeship under a master craftsman ensured that new entrants imbibed the ‘secrets’ of the trade as well as the culture that it entailed. Many a successful designer has been tutored under a master into the discipline. Alas, in India today the object of mastery is the PR and the drama orchestrated by the media with a scant thought to the discipline that the trade demands. Perhaps this is what ails Indian fashion! 
