Hyderabad is all set to be the new fashion destination in the country. The pearl city has attracted top designers to come and showcase their creation in a manner which really resemble the regal attitude of the city from the Nizam era. Right from Rocky S to Tarun Tahliani, Sabyasachi to Shantanu and Nikhil everybody seems to have felt the alluring nature of the city which truly has a fashionable character . And when designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee launched his store in the city , the designers spoke about the scope, trendiness and what to aspire from them in the future .
"The city has been welcoming," says Shantanu. Ever since the duo designed for high-profile weddings in the city, including that of Sania Mirza, they’ve had a steady inflow of orders. "Hyderabad is maturing as a market. Clients understand silhouettes and are clued into latest trends. Having a separate store allows us enough room to stock bridal wear, menswear, a western line and more importantly address the couture segment," Shantanu added.
His faith in the city is understandable. It’s a known fact that designer stores in Hyderabad didn’t really feel the heat even at the peak of recession. In fact, more stores by emerging designers came up on Road no. 4, Banjara Hills, and multi-designer stores came up in nooks and crannies of Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills.
But buyers felt there was too much yet too little. "In a multi-designer store, you cannot stock more than 10 to 12 pieces of one designer because you have to accommodate collections of other designers as well. In the bargain, it’s tough to offer a range of products," says Smita Shroff of Elahe, who convinced Sabyasachi to open his standalone store. Apart from heavy lehengas and saris, the store will have Sabyasachi's diffusion line S/S and Chota Sabya for children. "I felt the need to do something for children, using Indian techniques and handlooms, to make children sensitive towards our clothing," says Sabyasachi.
The ethos of design has to be complemented by a strong production chain and business acumen. Designers can no longer palm off older collections to clients. The growing awareness about fashion has necessitated stepping up production to keep new collections coming in. For instance, Sabyasachi has more than 1000 karigars working to ensure collections are delivered on time.
Shruti Mallpani, who manages both Rocky S lounge and multi-designer store Red Carpet, feels more competition is good for business. "Rocky S opened his store a year and a half ago. At that time, Hyderabadis were still travelling to Mumbai and Delhi for couture. With more designers opening stores here, people are assured of getting new collections here," says Shruti.
With all these going around we can surely expect the fashion sense and standards in the city to attain a new height pretty soon.
Go for it..Hyderabad...!
(AW Jyothisman)
