On the 28th of August 2012 Vijay Singh held a press conference in Delhi to announce the India Bridal Week in Delhi. Singh in fact announced the dates too – 2nd August to the 6th of August 2013, which is just a week before the annual Delhi Couture Week hosted by Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). If that wasn’t enough, Vijay Singh read out the names of participating designers and even got Tarun Tahiliani on to the podium to announce him as the ‘Grand Finale’ designer of his maiden venture in Delhi. You can read all about it in my earlier post here: http://wp.me/p1C8a1-16l
The Board of FDCI was not happy with Vijay Singh hosting a Bridal/Couture Week strategically just a week before the Delhi Couture Week. The Board also expressed its angst against FDCI Members taking part in Vijay Singh’s event. The talks were so serious that the Board decided if a FDCI Member designer takes part in Vijay Singh’s show in Delhi, his/her membership may be cancelled.
Seeing the strict posturing by FDCI the designers who were tom-tommed by Vijay Singh at his press conference did a U-turn. I have come to know that all the designers who were supposedly showing at the India Bridal Week in August 2013 have now given in writing to the board that they will not showcase in any event that is similar to the one hosted by FDCI and is held in the Capital around the same dates. In simple words – Tarun Tahiliani & JJ Valaya – the trump-cards in Vijay Singh’s Delhi agenda will not participate in it.
This news may not have reached Vijay Singh as the written undertaking was kept confidential by the FDCI Board.
When I BROKE THE NEWS on fashionscandal.com that, ‘Couture Week is in Troubled Waters’ as the Title Sponsor – Pearls backed out from the Couture Week because of impending matters with the Enforcement Directorate, the aspiring new couturiers in the add-on afternoon slot cried MURDER. No I won’t blame all the five designers who were to showcase in the afternoon slot, but couple amongst them started weaving conspiracy theories. This is the biggest problem plaguing the Indian Fashion Fraternity. Everybody sees a conspiracy somewhere or the other. Instead of being positive and trying to work towards helping get a new sponsor, the couple of designers complained, - “It’s Not Fair.” Well dearies, falling out of a sponsor at the last minute wasn’t somebody’s doing. It was unforeseen.
Anyway the five new couturiers who were to be part of the Delhi Couture Week 2011 in a newly created afternoon slot have now reasons to be happy. I have learnt from highly reliable sources that the ‘Sponsor’ issue has been sorted out. It will take a couple of days to formalise it and hopefully by the 6th of July when the FDCI Board meets on the return of its President, Sunil Sethi from London, things would be crystal clear. So don’t worry, be happy. Thank your luck that there are still some hardworking people associated at the helm of affairs in FDCI who don’t give-up!
Every other designer wants to be in the Couture Week. In fact some feel that if Delhi Couture Week maintains a slot of 10-14 designers, the upcoming ones will never get a chance. True but then have a bloody strong and competent Jury who will decide these 14 names judiciously, irrespective of clout, network and influence of free clothes. And yes, every designer who makes lehnga-cholis think they deserve a spot in Couture Week. Really?
P.S: Anyway now that the news is out, you will get the details in Newspaper Tabloids soon!