Thaindian News

Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Some designers got a bagfull of orders, while others managed average business at the just concluded Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2011. Eighty-seven designers from various parts of India participated in the five-day bi-annual event that concluded Sunday and the younger lot felt that business was lower as compared to the last season.

“We participated in LFW more for branding than anything else. Last season, it was very good but this season it has been average. We don’t do consignments, we only do outlets, so anyways we are restricted to the people we sell to,” Kolkata-based designer Debarun Mukerjee, who presented a line for both men and women, told IANS.

Parvesh of Delhi-based designer duo Parvesh-Jai echoed this.

“Business has been okay this time, not very great. Our existing buyers did come and place some orders, but I had thought local buyers too will come and buy as the festive season is around the corner. But I didn’t see too many buyers,” said Parvesh, who presented a bridal line.

“So basically, business has been only 50 percent. Last season it was great,” he added.

For young designer Sanjay Hingu, business was very dull.

“This is the third time I am participating in LFW and business has not been that great. I was looking forward to get orders from international buyers, but I didn’t get that many orders,” said Hingu, who had presented a men’s line on the runaway.

“This season was really dull compared to the previous ones but LFW is a great platform for upcoming designers like me,” he added.

The established designers who have been regulars at the LFW were not complaining.

“We have done very good business this time around. The business has been Rs.1.75 crore to Rs.2 crore. As the collection was completely Indian, so the buyers who have placed orders with us have also been domestic. I’m quite happy with the results,” Sabyasachi Mukherjee told IANS.

Nachiket Barve, a well-known face in the Mumbai fashion circuit, was also content.

“I started my career with the Gen Next show at LFW around 10 seasons ago, so I already have an established base of buyers and the show has been received very well. So for me, it has been a good season,” he said.

Though business was a mix, those responsible for selecting the particupants at LFW are being applauded for choosing better designers who seem to have impressed the buyers a lot.

“The selection process at LFW has improved a lot. We see a lot of new designers with good talent. There is a lot of improvement. I think the experience of doing shows at LFW has taught people what to make and what not,” said Falguni Jhaveri of fashion house Fuel.

“So this time we saw a lot of new designers with better ideas and designs, unlike in the past where any amateur designer used to showcase on the ramp,” she added.

Jhaveri has tied-up with designers like Pallavi Goenka and Shashank-Prajwal to create a line for her fashion house and has also placed orders with Babita Malkani and Nachiket Barve.

“Apart from the younger lot, we have also struck a deal with Sabyasachi, since he wants to retail from more stores,” she added.

Gaurav Mahajan, COO of Westside and a regular buyer at the LFW, praised the freshness and creativity in terms of designs offered this season.

“As always, LFW brings in a certain amount of freshness. It has always been a platform that has promoted and brought out the best designer talent in the country. You see a lot of young, fresh energy and new designs here,” he said.

“We have made contact with a lot of designers. What we do is that we continue talks after the fashion week with the designers. This is a very good opportunity for us to get introduced to these designers and then the ordering process continues beyond the fashion week. I would not like to take names right now but we are in talks with six-seven people,” Mahajan revealed.