There seems to be no end to fashion politics and no dearth of designers falling prey to people attempting at fracturing the fashion fraternity. Remember Vijay Singh – the man who had formed FDPC and had ambitious plans to disintegrate FDCI – is still at his games. Not satisfied with the lack-lustre Sahara India Bridal Week that he has been hosting for the past three years, Vijay Singh yesterday held a press conference to announce a year in advance about his Couture Week in Delhi in the year 2013.
Remember yet another Real Estate Group – AMR – that recently formed Indian Fashion Council, which later was renamed as Indian Fashion Company and boasted about forming a platform to promote Young Designers has now dumped ‘young designers‘ and joined hands with Vijay Singh to sponsor the Couture Week. I always doubted AMR’s intention and wrote about it in my various posts. Now that they are sponsoring an alternative couture week, AMR’s lie is exposed. You can read my earlier posts here:
Another “Fashion Council” Raises Its Ugly Head: http://wp.me/p1C8a1-10L
Overnight the ‘Council’ Turns In To A ‘Company’: http://wp.me/p1C8a1-118
Unabashed Pimping of Fashion Continues: http://wp.me/p1C8a1-11d
At the Press Conference held yesterday jointly by Vijay Singh and AMR, the dates were announced – 2nd August 2013 to 6th August 2013. The intent is clear to hold it before the FDCI organised Delhi Couture Week. The ace up the sleeves of the new couture week is Tarun Tahiliani and it has been announced that Tarun Tahiliani will be the Grand Finale couturier. Other designers present at the conference were Ashima-Leena, Shantanu – Nikhil and JJ Valaya (who later re-iterated that he will be part of the FDCI’s Delhi Couture Week). Rocky S and Vikram Phadnis are also supposedly part of this alternative Couture Week.
I yet again ask – do we need two Couture Weeks back to back in Delhi? Should designers who are members of FDCI ( a body constituted by them and for them) participate in an alternate couture/fashion week? Is it the lure of money that is making designers opt for an alternative organiser? What does the alternate Couture Week bring extra to the table that FDCI’s Couture Week doesn’t?
I believe in one fashion body for the welfare of the fashion fraternity in India. But then there are many who disagree with me and believe in ‘more the merrier’. Everybody has the right to their esteemed opinion. But I think everyone will agree that it is absolutely unethical for an alternative fashion body to use the FDCI organised PCJ Delhi Couture Week to market and propagate their event. Kuch toh Sharm Karo!
At the post show party of JJ Valaya, Vijay Singh of FDPC that hosts the Bridal Week in alliance with Sahara virtually had a mini Press Conference hard-selling his Bridal Week. Vijay Singh, his wife Jyotsna, Marc Robinson (choreographer of Bridal Week) and couple of models found the gathering of media an opportune moment to plug the Bridal Week. This is absolutely not done when you are a guest at the FDCI organised event. Vijay Singh, Marc Robinson and gang could have done their Bridal Week marketing at the hotel lobby or in their suite and nobody would have had complained. But it is absolutely unprofessional and grossly unethical to come as a guest to an FDCI event and use the platform to propagate the Bridal Week where designers are lured in by mega bucks to participate.
Anyway I am not passing any judgement on FDPC or Vijay Singh’s event but I felt what happened last night was absolutely wrong. Grow up guys and show some maturity!
The Day 1 of PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2012 was totally unadulterated fashion. Neither ‘drama queens’ fighting for front-row seats nor ‘Bollywood Stars’ sending the shutterbugs on a frenzy, distracted us. Personally for me it was an ideal atmosphere to enjoy fashion.
Varun Bahl opened the PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2012 and must say it was a nice show. Varun Bahl established the fact that Indian Couture can be stunning without an overdose of ‘Bling’. In fact the absence of ‘Bling’ gave the collection a very ‘classy’ feel. Extensive use of sheer net added sensuality to his well crafted collection. The colour story developed nicely with Indigo, Black and Crimson. Gradient shading – lighter shades blending in to darker ones – was effectively used. The embroidery work was mostly on the border or the hem and occasionally strategically placed on the breast panels and cuffs. Some deft layering added a novelty factor to the collection.
JJ Valaya had his ‘off-site’ show at The Grand Hotel. Little less opulent than what I expected but then high expectation is always the ‘devil’. Valaya showcased his signature Couture line – intricate embroidery work on lehengas, Bling but nothing OTT, long achkans in Chevron pattern with parakeet embroidered on them and some classy empire line maxi dresses in silk-satin were eye-grabbers. Valaya too used shades of Indigo in his collections. Looks like ‘Indigo’ is the colour for the coming Wedding season.
The PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2012 kicks-off today (8th August 2012) at the Taj Palace Hotel with two heavy-weight designers – Varun Bahl and JJ Valaya. Bahl calls his couture collection – India, Nouveau - and attempts to merge the classic evergreens of old India with the outlook of modern Indian dressing tastes.
JJ Valaya, a master of opulence is doing an off-site show at The Grand Hotel. When I asked if the show is indoors or outdoors, Valaya said, “It is both indoors and outdoors.” Expect some real grandeur at Valaya’s.
Fashionscandal.com yet again brings you this news first – It is finalised that designer JJ Valaya is the Grand Finale designer at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW). This is the second time JJ Valaya has been opted for as the Grand Finale designer at WIFW. Fall-Winter 2012 edition of WIFW is scheduled from February 15th till 19th at The Pragati Maidan.
Why Manish Malhotra manages to get a ‘Sponsored’ show at WIFW? He is a horrendous designer and we haven’t yet got over the horrendous show he presented at the Lakme Fashion Week last season. Yet we find Manish Malhotra doing the Blender’s Pride show at the forthcoming WIFW. Is it the lure of the Bollywood Tamasha that makes Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) offer Manish a sponsored show year after year???
Sanchita Ajjampur has been offered the other ‘Sponsored’ show – The Fiama Di 
Wills Show. Sanchita is a good choice though. However sources say that the Fiama show was initially offered to Ranna Gill but she opted out. The Fall-Winter 2012 edition of WIFW is marked by the glaring absence of the true Pret designers. We don’t have Namrata Joshipura, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna, Ranna Gill and Nandita Basu showcasing. Reasons? Well if my guess is right, these designers are concentrating on Tranoi in Paris.