Textual content by Ranjabati Das, with inputs from Akanksha Pandey and Sarah Rajkotwala. Images by Naomi Shah and Asad Sheikh.
The discourse across the reordering of priorities in addition to long-standing energy dynamics inside the trade — introduced on by rising shopper consciousness and the democratisation of style by digitalisation and social media, and geared in the direction of making style extra sustainable and inclusive — has already taken centre stage lately. And, as anticipated, the return of the bodily format of FDCI x Lakmé Vogue Week in March 2022, after two years of warning exhibited by phygital variations in a post-pandemic world, gave recent impetus to the dialog across the relevance of style weeks, one of many many contentious sides of an trade in want of dire change.
In an effort to create a roadmap for the long run, Verve brings to you a motley assortment of opinions to dissect the legitimacy of the delight of place style weeks have come to get pleasure from over time and the world over regardless of the dissonance created by an outdated mannequin that leaves a lot to be desired by way of entry and monetary yields. Pointing in the direction of a spate of adjustments deemed very important to make style weeks extra present, experiential and interpersonal, these reiterate the necessity to problem the established order and reclaim a extra genuine face of style, most seen maybe in style week’s potential to encourage and supply an area for celebration, drive innovation, mould expertise, make statements and handle collective cultural histories.
On the newest version of the occasion, members of the style fraternity weigh in on the professionals and cons, the return to the concept of the style present as spectacle powered by celebrities and influencers, and the significance of reinvention:
Rajesh Pratap Singh
“It provides us a timetable, a singular platform for designers and their communication. A calendar for the trade. And it makes the expertise handy for patrons.”
-Rajesh Pratap Singh of his eponymous label.
Abraham & Thakore
“Vogue showcases serve totally different functions to totally different stakeholders. Firstly, style exhibits are an incredible platform for us designers to creatively highlight our distinctive values to merchandisers, patrons and style trade professionals. Secondly, we get to talk to the media immediately in addition to by our showcase, which supplies us a voice. Thirdly, on this age of social media, we additionally get to talk on to the customers, who can take part remotely.”
-David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore of Abraham & Thakore.
Eka
“In the mean time, there aren’t many patrons. Vogue week is extra of a media train these days. Because of the quantity of stimulation we obtain on social media by way of the inflow of labels and style imagery, the inventive trade has been pushed to a nook. Maybe we have to reinvent the mannequin of style weeks. As a lot as I get pleasure from presenting on the runway, it doesn’t all the time translate into enterprise.”
-Rina Singh of Eka.
Pankaj & Nidhi
“Vogue exhibits ought to experiment and take dangers. They must encourage upcoming designers and never simply goal the influencer market. Designers get to inform their tales, reaching inventive satisfaction. However, by some means, glamour has taken up a big house, the showstoppers are prepared earlier than the clothes.”
-Mohit Ahuja, influencer.
Satya Paul
“Vogue week was a refreshing expertise after so lengthy. After the gloom of the pandemic, everyone wanted a trigger for celebration, and style week solidified the truth that style shouldn’t be lifeless. It proved the relevance of designers, outdated and new.”
-Ankith ES, stylist.
Studio Medium
“The interplay and engagement price on social media is larger throughout these occasions and it helps your web page attain new audiences. They result in loads of new enquiries, a few of which do change into fruitful!”
-Riddhi Jain of Studio Medium.