Want to own a Tahiliani? You can get the fashion guru's prêt collection TT literally for a song. It’s selling  Rs 2,000 upwards! And it’s not just a Tahiliani, you name them, chic affordable designer wear now retails at a store near you!

 If this is any indication, then it is the beginning of the future of designer-wear in India where the appeal is going to be more broad-based rather than niche and is symbolised by the prêt a porter (ready to wear) collection.

While the most expensive and exclusive haute couture (high fashion) remains the preserve of the rich, the affordable prêt collection, which also has the designer's stamp, is set to woo the masses. This is illustrated by the fact that South Mumbai and its old money that formed the core of the high-fashion clientele has ceded its place to the younger and more vibrant suburbs of Bandra and Juhu where many high fashion designers and boutiques have shifted or set shop. Same is the case with Delhi with designers setting up shop in newer suburbs.

Kunjan Buddhiraja, a merchandiser for Ammarra, a high-end store in tony Kemps Corner area of south Mumbai, stocks designer wear from Geisha Designs, Gaurav Gupta, Gauri Nainika, Namrata Joshipura, Shyaman-Bhumika, Gayatri Khanna, among others. “Designers now also do prêt line. No more is designer wear only for the rich and the famous. The designers have adapted their garments for Indian seasons, for Indian-to-Indian market and Indian clientele. They have realised that they have to do more sensible and affordable garments as incomes have increased.” Buddhiraja, who sees both sides of the divide in her interaction with designers and buyers, informs that earlier the focus was on one-piece-one style but now, a single style is mass produced under prêt. This is a win-win situation for both as the cash registers jingle big time under prêt wear.

Media boom
Kolkata-based Sharbari Datta, who designs men wear, feels that awareness of the fashion scene and the media boom has contributed in a big way towards taking fashion to the masses. She says there was a British influence in our dressing due to the long colonial rule. ``Today's generation has been exposed to fashion from Italy and Paris, sitting at home. “Attitudes are changing, they are shedding their inhibitions and have a clear idea about what they want,” says Datta. They are not only open to global cuts and styles from shopping malls but also are out to discover their traditional roots, she adds.

Bangalore-based designer Manoviraj Khosla feels that although retail stores are now showcasing designer stuff, corporate backing is not enough. “``There is a lot of untapped talent and Indian designers are now on par with the world. The potential for developing the industry is great. One as to spend to look  good. It’s about knowing your style and how you want to look.”

While Khosla advocates corporate backing, industry watchers are wary, saying that Indian fashion has not progressed from the days when it was perceived as nothing more than a hobby of the elite. The country still awaits its very own Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani. ``There is no concerted effort to ramp up production or tie up with big corporate houses. “Corporates are  discouraged to pump in money, citing high risk. A big name does not necessarily translate into great business sense,” explained an industry observer. However, prêt bridges the gap between the designers’ creativity and retail sales and the prêt market is estimated to rake in huge money. Further, the India success story has made designer prêt line affordable to a larger section of the Indian consumers who are now snapping these off the rack.  

 Nikhil Mehra of designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil, says the Indian fashion scene is currently very dynamic and there is a huge influx of global trends. “Conversely, the Indian look is also finding its way to the international ramps. The fashion scene has certainly allowed for a lot of interesting brands in the market,” he adds. An upbeat Nikhil points out that events like the India Fashion Week have brought all designers under one roof and a forged a stronger community. “Fashion is now taken more seriously. We are present in more than one city of the country. In a few years, we will be completely accepted by the Indian population,” he says.

Very boring?
But Goan designer Savio John personally feels that the fashion scene in India is very boring because everything is Bollywood-driven and nobody is thinking otherwise. Explaining his point, he says, everything about Indian fashion is loud and garish and in bad taste. “``Basically, fashion is an expression of oneself, an art form, something called creativity. Whereas music has segments fashion does not. We have a wedding season and Bollywood. One look can work for ten years in India,” he rues.

Bollywood-driven
Savio says while brands are available, there is nothing that is beautifully made. “`We have a long way to reach a point to talk of a niche we have created. We need to click on the international scene, which is the ultimate playground,'' he adds. But Buddhiraja contradicts him saying fashion is not so driven by Bollywood where trends come in and go out in a couple of months. ``While 30 per cent is dictated by what the in-thing in Bollywood is, the remaining 70 per cent picks what suits their personalities,” she asserts. She says while designers have to maintain their exclusivity, they have to make money too and push for sales.

Hotshot designer Rocky S believes Indian fashion has progressed considerably and thinks it will get even better in the near future. “Indian designers are venturing into several related creative fields like home furnishings, diversifying into pret labels etc. This just goes to show how the Indian market is becoming more 'open' and the trend is moving slowly but steadily towards 'global'. Fashion weeks every season, effective marketing has ensured that Indian fashion is getting noticed on the international level.”

Delhi based Gaurav Gupta says with globalisation, mixing of cultures, expansion of multi-nationals, the fashion scene globally is a bit confused and at the domestic level, India is in a transitional stage. “There is too much happening. The economy is in a boom. People are trying to look good, bring out their individuality,” he explains. He adds that after all fashion is not just clothes but  also recognised as a lifestyle.

The catwalk that was once ruled by enigmatic clotheshorses like Meher Jesia and Madhu Sapre, today it has been run over by popular Bollywood names like Kajol and Rani Mukherjee. When the girl next door see a Malaika Arora sashaying in a Wendell Rodricks creation, she decides she would like one for herself.