Ready-to-wear clothes rule at LIFW

ith designers like Wendell Rodericks leading the 'prêt (ready-to-wear) brigade' at the Lakme India Fashion Week 2005, buyers have welcomed the shift from high-end diffusion (the middle line between prêt and couture) and couture (expensive) collections.

"This time around there has been a shift towards the basic in the collections showcased. Designers seem to be looking at the volume market which augurs well from a business perspective," says Sumit Chandana, Ladies Ethnic Wear category manager, Shoppers Stop.

"We have been into serious buying from India fashion weeks for the last four years and the prêt trend at this year's fashion week is really heartening," he adds.

Paulomi Dhawan of Raymond Ltd, the promoters of Be, says prêt is going to play an important role in the future of designer clothing in India.

"Internationally, designer prêt accounts for about 10 percent of the apparel industry, whereas in India it has grown to 0.7 percent from just about 0.4 percent nearly two years ago," she says. "In another two to three years, we see the designer prêt market growing to about 1.5 percent."

Chandana says the current the Indian designer prêt market is estimated to be about Rs 160-180 crore.

International buyers too are taking note of the collection.

"I find Ashish Soni's collection very impressive. It has a lot of global commercial appeal," says Jason Broderick of London-based buyer Harrods.

"The challenge for India, however, would be to convert its loud and colourful products into wearable streetwear for the masses," he adds.

Elizabeth Bedersen of Selfridges, a UK-based international buying house, says, "We are trying to find what is saleable and what we do not have in Europe."

She feels some of the collections are interesting and could be translated into products for a bigger volume market.

Photographs: Jewella C Miranda