Now, a fashion week for global designers in India

The three day gala event to be held in the first week of December will see fashion designers from countries including UK, USA, Tanzania, Canada, Pakistan, France, Sweden, Spain, Israel, Turkey, Norway, Denmark, China, Italy, Peru rubbing shoulders with their Indian counterparts.

Indian designers believe that the event will increase the level of competition and will raise awareness about international fashion.

"It will raise the level of awareness of fashion in India and designers who have been sitting at the laurels for the past 40 years or so will stand up," Mumbai-based designer Narendra Kumar said.

"It will lead to competition for younger generation with western influence as people will be able to compare their designs with western designers," Kumar said.

The country already boasts of a number of fashion weeks including Wills India Fashion Week, Lakme Fashion Week, HDIL Couture Week and the recently initiated Van Heusen India Mens Week.

Apart from them, fashion weeks are now being held in major cities in a bid to catch the eye of the large number of local buyers.

"Any event done with genuine push to the industry is is important but it should be in sync with the market scenario. The big question is whether it is for the Indian consumer or for the retailer," said ace fashion designer Raghuvendra Rathore.

"We cannot compare Indian and International fashion as they have different sensibilities. The fashion week can have two objectives, to propagate the idea of fashion and to boost the business of cycle and trade. Retailing industry is moving in good speed and it will play a pivotal role in encouraging the segment," said Rathore.
Kumar, however, believes that though the International designers will find a place in the western segments but they will find it hard to capture the ethnic wear market, which is still being ruled by Indian designers.

"It will not be able to impact the ethnic market which is the mainstay, they can't do anything with Indian wear," said Kumar.

It is also said that the models for the Fashion Week will especially be flown in from New York and Italy.

However, most designers were caught by surprise with the news of any such event happening in the capital.

"This is the first time I have heard of it," said fashion designer Ritu Kumar.