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'Mumbai provides better opportunities for young designers'

BUS5 Business/Fashion/Lifestyle 'Mumbai provides better opportunities for young designers' By Devapriyo Bhattacherjee Mumbai, Oct 24 IANS The Indian capital of New Delhi might be hosting some big ticket fashion shows but for young designers, the favourite destination is Mumbai, the country's financial capital. "Mumbai simply rocks" was their unanimous verdict. The majority of the young designers from across the country who had assembled here to display their exquisite collections at the Lakme Fashion Week LFW were of the opinion that Mumbai was the best place for them to exhibit, considering the spirit of the city. "The Mumbai fashion week is much younger as it involves a lot of young and new designers. It's simply a happening place where there is a lot of exposure compared to other places," said reputed designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Mumbai is home to the Lakme Fashion Week and from this year, the Fashion Design Council of India-organised HDIL India Couture Week. In contrast, New Delhi hosts two editions of the premier Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week WIFW, also organised by the FDCI, every year. This year Delhi also saw the inaugural edition of the Delhi Fashion Week conducted by the newly-formed Fashion Foundation of India. Delhi-based Aastha Bahl said though the national capital was the fashion hub of India and the shows there involved a lot of big designers, Mumbai's fashion week had a mix of everything. Aastha, who is participating in the event for the second season, said: "Some of the best designers in India like Rohit Bahl, Tarun Tahilani, Reena Dhaka, Manish Arora are based in Delhi and participate in fashion weeks there, but here we can even find a designer from a small town, which is really good." "Besides, I think the people in Mumbai are really good and co-operative which makes the city great," Aastha added. Kolkata-based designer Tapash, who has been in the business for the last four years, said: "We are selling through Mumbai as well as Delhi and other places, but Mumbai gives us a huge sale which supersedes other places." Anand Bhushan, a Delhi-based designer who was here for his first season, said: "Here, there is a lot of opportunity for new designers like me, as the market is really big and varied and we, as newcomers, are also given a fair chance to prove and showcase our talent." About the market, he said: "The buyers here are from every potential segment and designers have the chance to experiment with their creations." Kallol Datta, designer from Kolkata termed Mumbai as a city with a different attitude. "In Mumbai, the attitude is different. The people here are more relaxed and laid back," said Datta. Datta said people here don't think too seriously and want to have fun, which gives the designer an opportunity to come up with something new or different because the people here are more accepting. Model Sahil Shroff, who walked the ramp for various shows, expressed similar views about the city: "It is always fun to be part of fashion week in Mumbai, as this city is full of energy." "For me, Mumbai is about life, the people, fun, the best environment compared to any other place," said Shroff who has walked the ramp for reputed designer brands like Levis, and Provogue. --Indo-Asian News Service db/vm/dg 576 Words 24101102