Most fashion buyers rate Gen Next and emerging talent as better business bets than the ‘big’ designers.
With another fashion week behind us, it’s time to take stock of the situation and well, get down to business. “I really loved the clothes from Myoho by Kiran and Meghna. That apart, Paromita Banerjee and the Gen Next designer Shreya really made a mark on my mind. I am definitely going to approach them,” said Falguni Jhaveri, who owns Fuel fashion store.
Aparna Badlani, who runs Zoya fashion store, agrees that the Gen Next designers made maximum impact. “All these young designers showed something that was really different. The established designers often tend to repeat themselves so these new guys are like a gust of fresh air. Also, in today’s age, the price points matter a lot and the young designers offer you some great price points. So I am already stocking Masaba and Sabbah Sharma and I am speaking with Shreya Sharma, the other Gen Next designer,” says Aparna, who was also impressed with Nachiket Barve’s line.
Alka Nishar of Aza too is in talks with the Gen Next designers. “Each one of them has done well and they have made their own unique identity. So my teams are in touch with them and we should be stocking them in the coming season. But as far as an out and out commercial launch is concerned, I’d still give them another season,” she says.
On the other hand, Pradeep Hirani of Kimaya feels none of the designers showed anything spectacular. “I feel that none of the shows had a wow factor. Also, without taking names, I think that there are some designers who are in it just for fun. We need to rid the fashion weeks of such designers who don’t take fashion seriously,” he opines.
Amongst international buyers, Wendy Dias (who runs Indiva in Canada) believes that the younger crop of designers hold a lot of promise. “I checked out Rahul Mishra’s collection at the stalls and his collection is ideal for spring-summer and yet very affordable. As far as an established name — say, a Sabyasachi — goes, some pockets in the West may know of him but the average white client there doesn’t know how big a designer he is. So they go by the price and the wearability and when they get a far cheaper option by another designer, it doesn’t make a difference to them. This is where the younger designers score,” she points out.
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