Fashion designers back to business

It’s hasn’t even been a month since the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, but the spirit of its people hasn’t been shaken by the tremors, even as the whole world joins in prayer for the tragedy-struck. And that indomitable spirit finds expression at the ongoing fashion week in Delhi. The Japanese are back to business and fighting all odds with much bravado. And so are the Middle Eastern people despite political upheaval.

Sensing the potential in Indian designers, buyers from Middle East and Japan have come down to do some serious business. Metzada Zeevi from Israel is here to buy designs for her own company. She says, “Indian designers are really talented and that has made me travel all the way and do business with them.”  Having bought from designers like Gaurav Gupta, Meera Mahdevia, business is still on for her.

Ask her if the unrest in the nation has caused trouble for her business and she admits, “It does cause lot of problems but now we have learnt to make it a part of life. We have to be fighters to do something in life. But what worries me at times is our safety.”

As life in Japan still struggles to come to normalcy, about 10-odd buyers from Tokyo and surrounding regions are looking to do business. One such buyer, Tomoko, says, “I bought from Manish Arora, Namrata Joshipura, Pooja Arya and Niharika Sharma. I love the designs as they are dreamy and romantic.”

Talking about her own country’s business scene, she says, “It has been a testing time for all of Japan. But we want to look forward and wish that everything settles soon. So we are here to do some buying in the hope that our positive attitude and discipline helps us come out of this calamity.”