The Hindu Business Line : Breathing life into old, dying creations

FOR the ladies of Chennai's affluent elite, it was a chance to look beyond the homestead and for the organisers, Junior Agarwal Mahila Mandal Fashion World 2003 was one way of projecting themselves as progressive women.

The event hosted at the Park Sheraton Hotel, Chennai, brought together 20 designers from all over India in an effort to revive old and dying forms of fashion.

So, you had a vibrant melange of hand painted chiffons, brush painted Bagalpuri fabrics, patchwork georgette, kantha work, a mind-boggling variety of chickan worked creations and a dazzling array of accessories.

"We are trying to revive intricate art forms of the various States of India and give it a contemporary fashion statement," said Arti Bagdy, President, JAMM. The club was an association of the Agarwal womenfolk and directed its efforts towards the betterment of the less fortunate, she said.

The Little Drops home for the aged and the Home for the Deaf and Dumb are two such institutions that have received assistance and aid from the club.

In fact, apart from being a `melting pot of Indian Art Forms', the event was also a fund-raiser, the proceeds of which will go to charity.

For designers, the event was an opportunity to get a feel of Chennai's fashion scene. Pummy Walia a designer from Mumbai, was amazed at the over-whelming response her trendy creations in vivid hues received.

"I wanted to present what sells like hot cakes in Mumbai out here and people love the bright colours," she said. Another designer, Kantha Khemani, owner of men's designer store in Hyderabad, might have thought that "it was too early to say" what kind of response her creations had received till then, but from the numbers that descended on her jacquard and thread work creations, it was bound to be good.

"Through the event, we also hope to make fashion affordable," said Arti. But at Fashion World 2003, affordable meant nothing less than Rs 1,500 with prices toeing the Rs 30, 000 mark.

"I thought I could buy something with Rs 900, but everything seems to be above that," was the dismal comment of one buyer.

Alongside the event, was an American auction with creations of Chennai up-market designer Rehane, Satya Paul, Vastrini and Anshu Modi being auctioned at throwaway prices, as in the last bidder had to pay the difference between the final bid and the one before.

Fashion World 2003, is open to the public on September 8 and 9, from 10.30 am to 7.00 pm.

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