 Presents |
> Kimaya’s new address – Madison Avenue, New York
> Tata Indicom Fashion Weekend in Ahemdabad
> China International Fashion Design Grand Prix
> Bhagalpur silk reels under Government apathy
> Making a fashion statement in the face of the flu
> Designer Pierre Cardin’s Fall in Lacoste
> ‘Samsara’ Vegan bag by Inder Bedi
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| FEATURE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lately Trend forecast material prepared by compiling key style pointers from different sources is easily available as a useful reference to the producers of fashion clothing. One has to recognize the fact that ‘fashion’ is a time bound commodity always going out of fashion. And the industry is working against time ...all the time. Because there is very little time to explore and create something new, the designers are encouraged to recreate styles with a difference and avoid being booked under the plagiarism act. Designers are dime a dozen but only few make a mark for themselves with their signature styles and fewer remain in the fashion arena for a longer period of time. One such genius that comes to my mind is Issey Miyake of Japan. He has distinguished himself by the virtue of his inimitable signature style. He is one of that rare breed of designers who work from the heart and look within for inspiration. He has a wonderful team of textile experts and engineers who help him realize his ideas into real products. His Pleats Please collection has evolved over the last three decades and still remains a dream buy for the fashion conscious.
For designers, in order to be wired with the universe it is essential to feel the trends. Technology has impacted lifestyles and changing lifestyles demand different wardrobes. Demographic shifts have further necessitated the importance of knowing your customer. Everything is interlinked. Designers should be very good observers and listeners. No time to be seen!! In the changing scenario, the fashion industry more than ever needs thinking designers who can deliver amidst the complexities of enviro-socio-economic and political issues. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INDIA NEWS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Istituti Callegari Milano offers fashion course in Mumbai Istituti Callegari Milano (ICM), part of Europe’s biggest education sector giant Cepu, is offering an Indo-Italian fashion and interior designing course in Mumbai. Besides, the course toppers will be sent for an all expenses-paid internship program to Italy and their designer outfits will be displayed at the Callegari Studios in Milan and Mumbai.
This Indo-Italian collaboration is one of a kind where fashion and interior design students are offered courses designed in Italy. Namrita Kabra, President, Istituti Callegari Mumbai, said, “We offer toppers of each batch a golden opportunity to intern in Italy with globally renowned fashion giants such as Valentino, Prada, La Perla, United Colors Of Benetton, Diesel and Replay amongst others. For interior design interns, it works with companies such as Panto, Industrie Patriarca, Ceramiche Dolomite, Veneta, Cucine, Berloni, Divani e Divani.” |
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Kimaya’s new address – Madison Avenue, New York
Ahemdabad is all set to celebrate its first ever fashion week, wherein 14 handpicked designers will showcase their lines already shown at the Lakme Fashion Week and the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. The projections as of now are to hold two ‘Ahmedabad Fashion Weekends’ per year. With a repeat line being shown, the buyer aspect of the fashion week will be missing. Ramesh Menon, leading fashion consultant and impresario, summed it with, “The idea behind the fashion weekend is two fold – one to expose the best of Indian fashion to the huge potential of the domestic market and on the other to showcase and educate consumers across the country that fashion is not the preserve of the elite”. A dose of glamour – that is all it is about it would seem.
The emergence of the newly formed Fashion Design Promotion Council(FDPC) has given hope to all that the two warring fashion week factions in Delhi will be able to come to a common consensus. Meetings have been conducted to work out a solution. The clout of the Textile Ministry sponsored FDPC became evident when it was allocated prime land for a fashion hub near IGNOU in Maidan Garhi, Delhi. With a three year plan towards getting the new hub ready, it will allegedly host all fashion weeks and offer research facilities. The members on its advisory board include designers from FDCI as well as FFI such as JJ Valaya, Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Rohit Gandhi among others. As quoted in HT, Vijay Singh, CEO of FDPC said, "Bringing together the factions is our priority." Sumeet Nair of FFI said, "Coming together will depend on what's on the table for my designers and other details.”
Fashion Designer Gurvinder Arora has opened in Noida, Institute DreamShotz for those aspiring to become a part of modeling or fashion industry. The students will receive training in modeling and the faculty is said to comprise well known designers, models, choreographers, actors, makeup artists etc. No names have been disclosed as yet. The many wannabes with stars in their eyes will be queuing up.
JJ Valaya will be showing off his photography skills in the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar, for which he has wielded the camera. The magazine has previously had Karl Lagerfeld do a similar photo shoot for its international edition. Valaya shot his pictures at the newly opened luxury hotel Aman, over two days. Speaking to HT, Valaya reportedly said, “I was in the frame of mind of a professional photographer. What mattered was how best I could bring forth the beauty of the ensembles.” |
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| INTERNATIONAL NEWS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
China’s biggest competition of its kind, the 2nd China International Fashion (Colleges) Design Grand Prix was held in Wuhan, the eighth biggest city in China. A total of 30 student designers from 11 countries participated for the ‘Golden Scissors Award’. The Awards were supported by the Government of Wuhan and organized by New Silk Road Company (China). The fashion show was different in its presentation by shunning the straight catwalk format and instead presenting the lines in a pageant format with a lot of choreography.
Vintage boutique offering Victorian styles online An online boutique, Woodland Farms Vintage Designer offers styles which are made up from the early works of designers going back to almost the early Twenties. Dating back to the Victorian Edwardian times was John Redfern who was a tailor in England in mid 19th Century. His Maison Redfern was the first fashion house to offer women a tailored suit based directly on its male counterpart. This plush brown cape is a replica of one of his styles. Anne Whitney Fogarty, an American designer from the fifties who designed for the Youth Guild. Her ‘New Look’ comprised cinched waist with flared skirt. This blue silk satin dinner dress has rhinestone set buttons. This Dior raw silk dress is the look Christian Dior created when he ruled the French fashion scape post World War II. Although he died in 1957, his brand still rules.
Inder Bedi, the Canadian accessory designer whose Matt & Nat line of bags is already a well established brand, has recently launched a new vegan line ‘Samsara’. The leather used to craft these exquisite bags is not tanned and there is a promise to eve stop use of PVC too. The bags will be made of PU instead. His bags are different and very chic no doubt.
Designer Marc Jacobs is all set to launch this Fall, a new fragrance, Lola, for woman. Daisy Marc Jacobs, his last fragrance launched in 2007, was well received. Moving away from the girlish scent of Daisy is the new more mature Lola which has been developed by Calice Becker of Givaudan and Ann Gottlieb with Marc Jacobs. It opens with pink peppercorn, pear d’anjou and ruby red grapefruit. Its heart is of fuchsia peony, rose and geranium, and the drydown is of vanilla, tonka bean and creamy musk. This fragrance is set for an August launch in Bloomingdales.
Designer Pierre Cardin wasn’t creating his fall collection when he fell from a scaffolding at his property in the village of Lacoste in France. The 86 year old hosts an annual classical music festival there every year. The designer was in a Marseille hospital recently for high blood pressure and is back again with injury from the fall. He owns about 800 licensed products along with the Maxim’s restaurant brand
Never mind the swine flu outbreaks, the Japanese are not going to let it cramp their style. The quick response offers a plethora of designer face mask with interesting designs to combat any bug or dust. There are almost 42 manufacturers of masks in Japan for a mere 127 million people. When asked about this fetish for masks, Naoya Fujita, head of the Japan Hygiene Products Industry Association, told AFP, "The Japanese essentially like cleanliness and hygiene." Japan has a tradition for protective dust mask. It could be the result of rapid industrialization leading to a dusty environment and going back further there was the Spanish flu back in 1919, followed by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the influenza outbreak in 1934. Might as well make those masks more attractive.
Junko Shimada’s Spring/Summer ‘09 collection is obviously inspired by nature. Flowers are every where, even blooming on the shoes and animals scamper across shirts. The plan is that there is no plan and all can go home happy with something there for everyone. Shimada’s fan following is certainly going to go up with this trend proof, recession proof, timeless line.
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| TRENDS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To stay naturally fragrant reach out to any of these options that is sans any artificial chemicals. Steeped with natural scents these healthy deodorants, powders, lotions will lift the mood this summer.
Lush Vanilla Puff Dusting Powder is just the right solution to keep the skin feeling fresh and smelling good. For that luxury, yesteryear moment for a smooth skin use any of these jasmine, tonka and vanilla infused dusting powders.
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| NEW CONCEPTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Although spider silk is said to be tougher and lighter than steel as it is, the scientists are working to make it three times more strong by adding small amounts of metal. The technology is being claimed as being a precursor to the future of manufacturing super-tough textiles and high-tech medical materials like artificial bones and tendons and strong threads for surgical operations. Perhaps designers will soon be embelleshing some real Superman, Batman costumes.
The latest innovation in the fashion accessory department is the amazing iTie or iPod Neckties. These are ties fitted with a secret pocket to park the iPods or MP3 players. Provision is made for the earphone wires to go up through the collars. The weight keeps the tie from flipping across the shoulder. Perfect and simple. |
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| ARTISAN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
P.Gopinath is a Padma Shri awardee whose endeavors have changed the lives of the 1000 families of his village Machavilakam on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. The son of a weaver himself, he chose to improve the lot of the other weavers in his locality and set up a consortium in 1972, Mahila Samaj, which trained women in the art of weaving and ensured they be freed from exploitation. Towards this he contributed his own land and looms. Subsequently jobs were provided to 600 women. Today Gopinath, 64, is in deep debt of one crore rupees and he has had to pledge his house and remaining farm land as collateral. He his hoping the Indian Government will wake up to the plight of the poor weavers and assist them.
Bhagalpur, the silk city of Inidia in Bihar, manufactures two million meters of silk per year, employs 100,000 workers extracting silk and spinning yarn and is a Rs 900cr industry. What was once on the silk route to China and Europe, today appears to be dying out and may soon lose all of the above. The bug bears existing are lack of credit, power shortage, rampant corruption (wherein all government subsidies are siphoned off) and increasing competition from Bangalore and Ahemdabad. The lack of power alone cuts down the production by as much as 50% and knocks out 25% of the profits. The once famous, Bhagalpur’s Bihar Institute of Silk and Textile today lies in a state of dereliction where all teaching has been suspended. Designer Samant Chauhan has proacitvely been promoting Bhagalpur silk to improve the situation. Whither else relief will come from, there is no predicting that. |
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| EVENTS CALENDAR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PHONETICS FOR THE FASHIONISTA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The fashion kingdom is 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. John Paul Gaultier is a French designer who designs for three collections: his own couture and ready-to-wear lines, the newly relaunched clothing line for Hermès and a French leather goods company. He also has a popular line of perfumes. He had designed the infamous cone-bra for Madonna in the Nineties and promoted the use of skirts/kilts on men’s wardrobe. Without a formal training in designing, he was picked up by the famous couture stylists Pierre Cardin.
Hermès International, S.A. or Hermès is a French high fashion house specializing in leather, ready-to-wear, lifestyle accessories, and perfumes. Hermès’ products are famous for their workmanship, reputation and price. Their Kelly bag and Birkin bag are handcrafted and most coveted in the fashion world. This luxury brand has stores all across the world at some of the most expensive addressess.
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| PEARL ACADEMY OF FASHION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| EDITORIAL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locating fashion correctly
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Survival of a style over a long period of time is a process of natural selection. Effortless survival and perpetuation of our traditional clothing as hot and trendy is indeed an unique case in point. One cannot ignore the fact that traditional clothing in India is integral to weddings, rituals, religious and popular festivities. Fortunately all of the above is enthusiastically embraced by the young generation who thrive on dressing up and celebration. Any trend adopted by the Gen x becomes a fashion trend. 
Looking at the fashion markets, they are flush with a huge variety of mass produced clothes almost in every category. Barring a few, the general approach of the apparel industry is to reproduce or replicate the best selling items for the next season as an easy way out. This cloning tendency highlights the fear of experimentation and disinterest in investment on talented professionals, research and development. 
Then another common practice amongst the industry professionals is to religiously refer to the visuals of collections in magazines, trade fairs, fashion shows etc. and trend forecast, with the result the ‘inspiration’ ends up as the design or product itself with hardly any distinction between the two, regurgitating same ideas only slightly different. No wonder it is difficult to distinguish between the collections of different designers. 
The design vocabulary of a designer should be able to identify him and the resultant signature style must follow a design process. For a beginner, it is important to do some soul searching to get a deeper understanding of his/her self; passions, likes, dislikes et al. It helps in making the right choices thereafter.There is a tendency to seek inspiration from similar or competing products. This limits designers to think within already existing possibilities. Search for abstract concepts and issues as a starting point to start afresh on a clean canvass. And the best thing is that we don’t have to go too far for inspiration. If we look around us there are enough sources to choose from. Simply observe Nature - it is the best teacher and inspiration. Atoms and molecules present in the universe combine and recombine on some basic principle to create and recreate in continuum. The same applies to all kinds of creatures that smell, breathe, think, feel, grow, multiply and much more. If closely observed the design process is clearly omnipresent in the nature’s cyclic existence. It may take nine months for a sperm and an egg to become a beautiful baby and a few more years to become an adult, few weeks for dead decaying organic matter to become rich manure and millions of years to become fossil fuel and minerals. Everything is continuously in the process of transforming the old into something new. It is this understanding of the nature’s cyclic process that can help fashion designers to believe in the theory of the design process to create original ideas.
Fashion Design cannot exist or flourish in a vacuum. The very nature of fashion is to connect with the present, and whatever it takes to be in the present. Fashion is sensitive to macro and micro issues. From the World Wars to 9/11, global warming to child labor, all impact the fashion industry. Made in Italy vs Made in China determines how much and what you pay for. In the face of economic meltdown, Made in India is interestingly going through its own metamorphosis. 
While many an established brands are downing shutters in the US, Kimaya of India is bravely opening its showroom on Madison Avenue.
Set for a September opening, the 4,500 sqft standalone store will retain all the basic features. Pradeep Hirani, Chairman Kimaya Fashions, reportedly thought the timing to be right in view of low rentals. Hirani reportedly said that of the 147 designers that they usually work with, only 40-45 would be retailing out their New York store. Kimaya had opened its first international outlet in Dubai and is now hoping to have stores in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and London. Hirani said, “Given the current economic scenario, we’re getting some very good deals in the US and Europe and there couldn’t be a better time for us.”
Need for unity in fashion
Bhagalpur silk reels under Government apathy
As part of the ongoing process of cooperation between Swiss Embassy and Pearl Academy of Fashion, India's leading fashion and design institute, His Excellency Mr. Philippe Welti (Swiss Ambassador) visited Pearl, Delhi on 27th April, 2009 to meet designers working on a project to design "Women's Evening Wear" to be showcased on 29th October on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Indo-Swiss Friendship. The designers working on the project were inspired by the traditional and modern values of both the countries-- Switzerland and India. The themes of the designs had a wide range which went from landscapes of both the countries to flora / fauna to its cultural environment such as music, chocolate etc. The Ambassador showed great interest in designs incorporating technological themes as well as the technically advanced fabrics used by them. The designs also showcased an amalgamation of sustainable practices of Indian crafts and techniques with the modern concepts. The designs had strong visual elements with modernity and creativity being the guiding principles. In all, over 120 students from Pearl are involved in the project out of which 30 best designs will be selected for the finale to be organized by Swiss Embassy.
For a fashion designer, opening a new store is tantamount to a whole new channel for moving his designs forward commercially. This is because the designer will always have a limited number of stores and so each one has to be power packed. This means reaching a whole new slew of clientele. A lot of investment goes into a store and closing one can be very costly both in terms of money and reputation. In the past several months I have seen a spate of high fashion stores being opened and then closed. Many of these stores are in obviously wrong locations. The ‘laws of store location’ are applicable to high fashion stores as well. The store must be accessible in terms of being at the ground floor on a high street or a frequented level in a mall. However, this is not enough as adjacencies are critical. The store must either be large enough to become a destination in itself or be in a cluster of similarly positioned high fashion stores. It may be tempting to go for a high traffic mall store. However, what may be uplifting for a premium brand may be a ‘downer’ for couture. The latter must have a smattering of ‘exclusivity’ – a step apart. Otherwise, why else would one want to pay a premium in price and time? How and where it is sold is as much a part of the essential product experience. If a designer is unable to fathom the dynamics of retail, he can be pardoned. But then he must leave it to professionals or sit in his own glorified but small world. 
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