Thaindian News

By Shilpa Raina
New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) Buyers from the Gulf, online orders and new clients made for good business at the 15th edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here, despite a chaotic start.

A few designers, however, were left worried about profits as some of the over 175 buyers scheduled to attend didn’t turn up at the five-day event that concluded Monday.

“Let me confess that the orders I have got this year are larger in number compared to the past several years. The effort has paid off very well and I couldn’t have asked for more,” designer Reynu Taandon told IANS.

“Things are just way too great and I am very happy with the business I made this year,” she added.

Though the designer refused to divulge the details of her order book, she acknowledged that apart from her old buyers, new buyers had entered her already impressive list this year.

Designer duo Hemant-Nandita’s smile said it all when IANS asked them about business.

“We have got huge orders from buyers from Dubai, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Bahrain and South America. All buyers who had ordered from us last time came back again. The reason for this is that we have managed to deliver our products on time and because the finishing and packaging of our stuff is also good,” said Hemant.

The fashion week was to have begun March 24 but the first day’s shows were cancelled because the organisers failed to obtain clearance from the fire department. The event was then extended by a day and concluded Monday.

The grand finale was held as scheduled on Sunday and the shows scheduled for the inaugural day were eventually held a day later on Monday, but this didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as the crowds turned out in large numbers.

WIFW also went online this season and Leena Singh of designer duo Ashima-Leena said she benefited from the new initiative.

“Though most of my regular buyers were not around this time, I managed to get good business because they saw my show on the internet and ordered in bulk,” she said.

Designer Charu Parashar was more forthcoming about her deals and said she got confirmed orders for Rs.15 lakh. She plans to send a few samples to buyers who showed interest in her work but didn’t place orders in the hope that this will translate into even more business.

Many buyers went back happy.

Hiba Al-Ateeqi, a regular Kuwait-based buyer at the event, has ordered from Rana Gill, Pallavi Mohan, Amit Agarwal and Kiran Uttam Ghosh.

“This time I was looking for more evening wear because the demand for this is rising back home. I have placed small as well as big orders with the designers, depending on their work and experience,” Al-Ateeqi told IANS.

Another Kuwait-based buyer, Bader Mughni from retail shop Designer’s Lounge, placed orders with Kavita Bhartia, Vineet Bahl and label Bian, focusing on short and long dresses, kurtas and long-sleeved dresses.

However, it had been announced that more than 175 buyers would be present - and some were not seen.

There were some like designer Joy Mitra, who was worried whether he would make a profit.

“The whole idea to invest so much money in any fashion week is business. At WIFW, I had invested a lot of money to showcase and exhibit my collection, but the end-result is not that fruitful because I have not got any new buyers,” Mitra pointed out.

“I come from a middle-class family and it’s very important for me to at least get back the amount that I have invested here. I was given a long list of buyers, but I hardly saw any new faces,” he added.

Manish Gupta faced a similar situation and said getting new buyers was very difficult this season.

“I don’t know what the reason is but I have managed to receive orders from only my regular buyers. Unfortunately, no new buyers have been added to my list,” rued Gupta.

In sum, WIFW was an eclectic mix of 130 designers from all over the country and 43 shows.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)