Designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s opening show at Lakmé Fashion Week had models grooving to Jawani Jaaneman. On the textile day, at designer Gaurang’s show, there were Kathak performers. It just wouldn’t be fashion week without its fair share of high voltage theatrics and some ramp rampage, would it?
Internationally, one of the finales of the late Alexander McQueen show was part live art, part catwalk. Supermodel Shalom Harlow, dressed in a strapless white dress took to the catwalk and onto a wooden plinth. As the plinth began to rotate, two mechanical robots spray painted the dress in black and green. Last season, Rick Owens’ monastic monks flashed their penises and this season, one of them walked with a placard bearing a scathing political message.
Sometimes, drama is good and adds value to the clothes and also has a recall value and there are times, when it’s rather distracting and the show turns into a boisterous shindig.
How much is too much? We ask the fashion players...
Wendell Rodricks, fashion designer
Entertainment and fashion have always gone together. As long as the entertainment is in sync with the collection on ramp, it makes perfect fashion sense. However, when the garments lose their spotlight, it is not on. I have been advocating that the government waives the entertainment tax for fashion shows. But seeing some of the shows, I regret that. The entertainment tax should be imposed on the tamasha that passes off in the name of fashion.
Asmita Aggarwal,
Editor, L’Officiel, India
In India, designers need crutches to make a splash as their clothes don’t possess enough punch...they assume that a Bollywood showstopper or a catchy performance will get them a front-page picture the next day in all the leading newspapers. I would not blame designers alone for the theatrics — we are a Bollywood-driven industry where most identify with a star than a beautifully cut, draped or ingeniously thought about garment. For example, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons in her latest A/W Homme Plus line, thought of something inventive, she collaborated with New York-based tattoo artist Joseph Aloi and used his patterns as prints on her ensembles, that for me, would any day be more meaningful than just a Bollywood dreamboat in a cheaply-cut velvet lehenga schmoozing on the catwalk.
Nonita Kalra, fashion columnist, FDCI member
In both shows, the drama actually worked as an effective backdrop for the clothes. It enhanced rather than detracted from the showing. In India, we are comfortable with emotion and theatrics ,so I think in the context of our fashion weeks it actually works towards holding the audience’s attention.
Sujata Assomull, fashion columnist
Fashion in every country had to adapt and be true to the culture of its own home. We love our drama and so fashion must reflect this. That said, fashion is about clothes, and a fashion week is a trade event. From what I have seen, this seems to have been forgotten. In my view, there is a balance to be maintained. It’s great to have fun on the ramp, but when it turns into theatre, it is no longer fashion.
Achla Sachdev, Choreographer
I am the one who started this on the ramp in 2002. People were rather psyched up that time, but designers loved it. It works, but does not distract. People are bored of girls walking up and down. Let's not fool ourselves, just because we are wearing clothes popular in Milan. I love it and we are Indians, we love drama and Bollywood. You have to use it effectively. There's a thin line and you can't OD.
Aastha Sharma, Stylist
Fashion week is not a platform to entertain people, but serious business. I don't see the point of doing it since it distracts you from business. Internationally, designers follow themes well and execute the presentations with much better production values. For me, it's distracting because I want to see the trend which designers establishing.
Urvashi Kaur, fashion designer
If it resonates with the collection and finds an aesthetic in right place it's fine, otherwise, it's gimmicky. Personally I am not in favour of drama which distracts from the real focus. Having said that, it should be a professional dancer and not untrained models trying to do a jig, which is not their forte. Internationally, sets, styling and music is conceptually executed and professionally done, for example, the Louis Vuitton show staged on escalators which had models looking like carbon copies of each other.
Mrinalini Chandra, jewellery designer
Honestly, there is a huge difference between the pieces which actually sell and are not showcased on the runway and pieces, which are made for the ramp. I have never thought that anything is too much. People always talk about the drama and in the end, you do remember the drama towards the end.
Payal Khandwala, fashion designer
It's not for me. I'd never do it. I can get some sort of a live performance thing. Making models dance is unfair. It's not their thing. I find it's unnecessary and distracting. Nowadays, people do things to grab eyeballs but the clothes have to be amazing. Fashion is not kicking ass seriously here. Fashion is also entertainment here. It's like a party. It's not about people coming and critiquing the clothes. No one calls a spade a spade. Bollywood has percolated into everything and people love it. They think it's a wedding. I stopped judging because it's pointless. Maybe with the new generation, it'll change. I don't see the impetus to do such things among the younger lot.
Nimish Shah, fashion designer
Internationally, too, Galliano does theatrical shows. Last season, there was the Rick Owens' d**k flash. There’s a fine line between subtlety and what pop culture expects. In India, it’s borderline predictable and there’s no element of shock. Honestly, fashion weeks are not meant to sell clothes. For that, you do sale previews. It’s relative. Some designers do dark, morbid things which an artistic person may appreciate, but a commoner might not.
Payal Singhal, fashion designer
It’s a personal choice. If a designer feels that some theatrics is important for what she's trying to convey, it's fine. Some people like to keep it clean and minimalistic. I personally feel that it’s a trade show to show my clothes to buyers and clients. People may condemn a showstopper, but I feel it gives the brand a celeb identity. The elaborate sets seen at finale, being another example.
Sabina Chopra, fashion expert
While drama within limits is acceptable in some, it's just unnecessary in others. At the end of the day the clothes have to do the talking and too much drama can only take away from good clothes not compensate or distract from less-than-good clothes. Personally for me, less is more.
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