Bid to unite fashion world

The Fashion & Design Promotion Council, the apex body of Indian fashion sponsored by the textile ministry, today announced the India Fashion & Design Week — Spring/Summer 2010, to be held in Delhi between October 23 and 27. This is the first major step taken by the FDPC towards forming a unified fashion consortium of the Indian designer wear segment. The FDPC is the only government-sponsored fashion body in India, formed earlier this year. Till now, Delhi used to host fashion weeks by two independent bodies — the Delhi Fashion Week by the Fashion Foundation of India (FFI) and the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). While the Delhi Fashion Week gets discontinued from this year and its designers join hands with the FDPC, talks are on to merge the FDCI fashion week as well. “Our aim is to unify the fashion industry and bring all Indian designers under our aegis. The Delhi Fashion Week, organised by the FFI, will be discontinued from this year and they will act as event managers for the FDPC fashion week,” Vijay Singh, secretary-general and CEO of the FDPC, told The Telegraph from Delhi. “We have been talking to the FDCI for the past few months and are at an advanced stage of discussions for a unified fashion platform represented by one fashion week. We are hopeful although we haven’t received any confirmation from them yet.” The prominent designers who have confirmed their participation at the India Fashion & Design Week — S/S 2010 include Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Raghavendra Rathore, Anamika Khanna, Ashima-Leena, Malini Ramani, Sanchita Ajampura, Namrata Joshipuria and Lecoanet Hemant. “It is in extreme interest for the industry that everyone can be under one roof, and I support the FDPC’s endeavour in doing this,” said ace Calcutta designer Anamika Khanna. She was echoed by many other design pros. “I am excited about the forthcoming season as we all come under the aegis of the FDPC. It is indeed heartening to see that we have pooled our resources to create a mega event,” said Tahiliani. “It seems like a dream team for Indian fashion has been created with government intervention. Everyone is excited and this is a fresh lease of life for the fashion industry. Now looking forward to a great season!” said Rohit Bal. “I am glad to be a part of the FDPC, especially since this is an initiative by the ministry of textiles. I am looking forward to all the promising projects under the FDPC’s aegis,” said Manish Arora. On Wednesday, the FDPC also announced India Design Vision 2015 — a road map to building the “India fashion brand” into a component of the premium and luxury market, both in India and abroad. This is stated to be the FDPC’s “manifesto” for the next five years and has the aim of earning Rs 2,000 crore for Indian designer wear by 2015. The roadmap includes offering end-to-end process training in fashion and design, both within the fraternity and to the industry beyond, thereby fuelling investment, and building a marketing and communication programme to encourage premium and luxury consumers to opt for Indian designer wear. It also includes uncovering new talent in the field of fashion and design.