India : Off fashion & other stories

The script runs along the dotted line year after year. Fashion weeks in the country have become hackneyed with their annual churn out of glamour, scandal and wardrobe malfunctions.
Whether it is Lakme or Wills, fashion weeks are at best remembered for the who’s who that was spotted on Day 2 or the one who was not. They are either talked or written about for reasons why Manish Malhotra chose Preity Zinta and not Rani Mukherjee to don his collection at the show.
Recently, media focus has remained riveted on yesteryear model Gitanjali Nagpal’s discovery as a wandering mendicant, a victim of drug abuse and reckless lifestyle, all hallmarks of a glamorous career gone off-track.
One might ask then, what is missing in this most dazzling and eye-catching industry. What is it that is consciously kept under wraps, that is deliberately shushed? It is the billion dollar side of the fashion industry.
Be in no doubt. The color of money is intricately blended into couture garments that earn accolades at these fashion weeks. You can even smell the dollar in the greenrooms and in the unstoppable madness of models to stay stick thin by smoking their way to the ramp.
What is surprising is the fact that designers have shied away from creating any buzz about their business. However, this reluctance on the part of fashion designers to legitimize their off-the-rack-sales strategy is a global phenomenon. It is true not just of Indian designers but also of those in the prêt capitals like Milan, London and Paris.