Fashion Week means BUSINESS to these buyers

They're the ones who fashion weeks are organised for, so we asked buyers to weigh in on the winter/festive installment of the LFW.

Each year, 'The Source' at Lakme Fashion Week is a place buzzing with activity. Primarily, that's because these designer stalls are where the actual business of fashion takes place.

It is here that designers come face-to-face with buyers who are interested in their collections. These could be celebrities, store owners from different cities or common people, ie fashionistas who have a sound sense of fashion and are looking at something exclusive for themselves.

Generally, buyers visit the stalls, browse the line and exchange numbers for future correspondence. The negotiations for pricing and availability happen much later. We caught up with three prospective buyers to get a perspective of what they're looking at and what ideas they share about fashion.

Ritie Duggal, Owner of Chamomile in Lower Parel, Mumbai

What kind of clothes are you currently looking to buy from the winter collection?

Since the festive season will be out soon, people will be shopping for festive clothes, which are traditional yet eclectic in fashion. I am trying to see if I can find something interesting along those lines.

Can you name some designers whose collections you thought were impressive so far?

I quite liked Archana Kochhar and Payal Singhal.

According to you, what kind of colours are trending this season?

I think corals, hues of blue, peach and green are trending. Among the GenY, vibrant colours are back. Youngsters are going in for a bold look by sporting bright colours. It's becoming like a statement now.

What fashion tip would you like to share with the GenY?

I think the key is to be comfortable in what you wear. You will naturally look fashionable.

Jharna Kothi, owner of store Kothi in Santacruz, Mumbai

What is your impression of the winter collections so far?

Well, it's just the first day. Unfortunately, I still haven't got the winter feeling in any collection yet. So far they have been like regular collections. In fact, I found that some of them are repetitive and the same as last year.

Do you find any difference between the GenNext designers and the established ones?

Oh yes. The new entrants are really good. I particularly liked Prashant, Liz Paul, Payal Singhal and Manjaree Jindal. The established designers are also good, but they are mostly repetitive and have nothing really new to showcase. I find that the GenNext designers are working hard and that shows in their creations. They are promising.

What about the pricing? Do you see any change in the pricing this season?

(Laughs) The prices are definitely getting higher by the day.

What kind of clothes does your store deal with? What is the average price range for designer wear?

We have all kinds of clothes for all kinds of people. In my store, you will find tunics and designer tops starting from Rs 3,000 onwards.

What kind of clothes are you currently looking to buy from the winter collection?

I came here looking for bridalwear in the Rs 30-35,000 range. So far, I haven't decided which ones to go for. I hope I will find something interesting within Rs 40,000, although my store has collections that are priced upto a lakh. Some of the collections I saw here are priced really high, but I personally feel that very few people in our country would be willing to shell out more than Rs 40,000 for bridalwear.

What kind of clothes have been selling lately?

Anarkalis or the empire cuts are selling bigtime. They are all over the place and people are buying like crazy. Layers in clothing are in. Besides, you will see a lot of them going for drapes, loose harem pants, patiala pants.

What colours are in this season?

Green and maroon are in vogue, especially if it's a bridal collection. Besides, gold is an alltime favourite. It adds to the glam and glitz factor.

Damayanti Raje Bhonsale, owner of store Araliya in Pune

What is your impression of the winter collection so far?

I checked some of the stalls and I think they are too small. But some of the new designer collections are good.

Which designers appealed to you so far?

I quite liked Farah Sanjana from the GenNext lineup. I also liked Sitara, Manjaree Jindal, Paromita Banerjee.

What is it about young designers that makes them click?

These are young, talented minds who are ready to explore and experiment with fashion. If you look at their designs you will realise that they have put in their best and the creativity is startling to say the least. The only advantage that established designers have is the commercial sense of design. They already know what sells. For the young designers, it's just a matter of time and with this amount of hard work, the time won't be too far.

What are the colours that are trending this season?

Bright pinks and orange.

What suggestion would you like to make to young designers?

I think as designers you need to be aware about the global trends. Especially, with high street brands available locally, one also needs to be aware of the competition around and design clothes accordingly. Also keep a track of the weather in the market you are dealing with, so that you offer the right design solutions with fashion.