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Do fashion critics really matter?

Fashion observers would recall that last October at Paris Fashion week, Hedi Slimane, designer at Saint Laurent had banned New York Times critic Cathy Horyn. In her scathing review she had noted, "I expected more from this debut.

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Fashion observers would recall that last October at Paris Fashion week, Hedi Slimane, designer at Saint Laurent had banned New York Times critic Cathy Horyn. In her scathing review she had noted, “I expected more from this debut. I had the impression from the clothes of someone disconnected from fashion of the past several years.” However, according to the latest reports in NYT, “Store buyers have fallen all over themselves to be the first to stock Mr Slimane’s designs, which they say have been selling briskly this spring, despite some problems with deliveries.” We spoke to some of our columnists and designers to debate if reviews in India affect the sales of a collection.

Rita Dhody, International fashion consultant  
India lacks unbiased, strong and independent fashion critiques and influential critics, who have a solid fashion base and knowledge so it doesn’t really matter in this scenario. Also, most of the collections viewed here do not follow dictates of the seasons and people here usually go by what suits them. However, internationally critiques can make or break a designer’s collection.

If a collection abroad hasn’t been received well, it puts a deterrence to the buyer who places the order. A fashion critique may not be a fashion bible but it definitely influences the buyer strategy. Also, a collection is reviewed six months before coming to the store and in that phase one sees a lot of editorial write-ups and advertising in magazines which affects the consumer towards the end. Controversies definitely generate interest into the brand but ultimately the consumer will only buy an outfit if it suits his or her personal fashion sensibility.  

Namrata Zakaria, Fashion Columnist

Fashion reviews definitely impact the sales of collections. More so in a nascent fashion market like India where even the richest people are insecure about about how they dress. In some cases, all news is good news, as in the Slimane-Horyn controversy. Hedi has his ear closer to the ground than any other designer of his generation, and his work is so firmly entrenched in subaltern music and street cred.

Horyn is rather underrated in India, and in a world obsessed with Suzy Menkes. Horyn is a clever and practical writer and an influential one too. It takes more than one poor collection to destroy a career. A buyer will only follow his customer. A customer will follow what has been labelled as cool and debunk what has been debunked. But these days, everyone with a Facebook account or a Twitter handle or a blog, is a critic.

Narendra Kumar, Designer

Abroad critics spend years watching hundreds of shows and honing their skills. Also, they My question is “Where are the critics?” I want to meet that one fashion critic in India who writes a well researched, analysed and lucid critique. If you are criticising a collection then you should validate it with a profound argument. You can’t just criticise for the sake of it. The Hedi and Cathy quarrel is nothing new. In fact Yves Saint Laurent fought with WWD magazine in his era. I think both brands and journalists are interdependent.

Sujata Assomull Sippy, Fashion Columnist 
Abroad critics spend years watching hundreds of shows and honing their skills. Also, they share a very formal and professional equation with the designers which is not the case here. In India fashion is not seen as a serious beat. Critiquing any art form be it cinema, the arts or fashion – is crucial, that is the way an art form flourishes. Having said that a good buyer will always go by his or her instinct while placing the order for a collection.

In India I don’t think there should be a scope of fear for journalists who want to write unbiased critiques because one is accredited at fashion weeks by bodies like FDCI and IMG. In fact a lot of journalists who attend fashion weeks have no confidence as they are not seasoned enough to review a collection. However, one cannot blame the writers alone. The publications need to recognise and respect fashion as a serious beat.

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