Textual content by Ranjabati Das, with inputs from Akanksha Pandey and Sarah Rajkotwala. Pictures by Naomi Shah and Asad Sheikh.
The discourse across the reordering of priorities in addition to long-standing energy dynamics throughout the business — introduced on by rising shopper consciousness and the democratisation of vogue by way of digitalisation and social media, and geared in direction of making vogue extra sustainable and inclusive — has already taken centre stage in recent times. 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 way of phygital variations in a post-pandemic world, gave recent impetus to the dialog across the relevance of vogue weeks, one of many many contentious sides of an business in want of dire change.
In an effort to create a roadmap for the longer term, Verve brings to you a motley assortment of opinions to dissect the legitimacy of the satisfaction of place vogue weeks have come to take pleasure in over time and the world over regardless of the dissonance created by an outdated mannequin that leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to entry and monetary yields. Pointing in direction of a spate of modifications deemed very important to make vogue weeks extra present, experiential and interpersonal, these reiterate the necessity to problem the established order and reclaim a extra genuine face of vogue, most seen maybe in vogue week’s potential to encourage and provide an area for celebration, drive innovation, mould expertise, make statements and deal with 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 business. And it makes the expertise handy for consumers.”
-Rajesh Pratap Singh of his eponymous label.
Abraham & Thakore
“Vogue showcases serve totally different functions to totally different stakeholders. Firstly, vogue exhibits are a fantastic platform for us designers to creatively highlight our distinctive values to merchandisers, consumers and vogue business professionals. Secondly, we get to talk to the media instantly in addition to by way of our showcase, which provides 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 intervening time, there aren’t many consumers. Vogue week is extra of a media train these days. Because of the quantity of stimulation we obtain on social media when it comes to the inflow of labels and vogue imagery, the artistic business has been pushed to a nook. Maybe we have to reinvent the mannequin of vogue weeks. As a lot as I take pleasure in 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 should encourage upcoming designers and never simply goal the influencer market. Designers get to inform their tales, attaining artistic satisfaction. However, in some way, 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, all people wanted a trigger for celebration, and vogue week solidified the truth that vogue isn’t lifeless. It proved the relevance of designers, outdated and new.”
-Ankith ES, stylist.
Studio Medium
“The interplay and engagement charge on social media is larger throughout these occasions and it helps your web page attain new audiences. They result in numerous new enquiries, a few of which do transform fruitful!”
-Riddhi Jain of Studio Medium.
