Front-Row Fashion Defines Delhi\'s Couture Week

By SUJATA ASSOMULL SIPPY

India Couture Week begins tomorrow, and this means that Delhi's most beautiful women are now in full preparation mode. For them, the real fashion show happens in the first row. From the elegant to the outrageous, Delhi's fashion plates will flaunt it all. In fact, there is likely to be more fashion off the catwalk than on it.

“This is socially a very important week,” said Tanisha Mohan, one of Delhi's best-known fashionistas and a first-row regular. “When the lights come on, they also hit row one, and frankly, I find people looking at row one more than what's on the ramp.”

Quite a few fashion weeks take place in the capital, but couture week has a more rarefied feel since it is about exclusive bespoke clothes, so dressing for this event is something that is taken very seriously. Some women will even change in between shows.

“Planning the seating at India Couture Week is hard as everyone feels that they are entitled to a front row,” said the designer and couturier Varun Bahl. “I sometimes think we should just have the show on the Delhi-Noida Expressway so everyone could just park their cars and watch from their front seat.”

The fashion-savvy woman in the first row knows that she will be judged by her peers and the media. The newspaper the next day will probably carry a more in-depth review of what was worn by those sitting in row one than the actual collection shown.

“Much of the media still treat fashion week as entertainment, and many papers in fact send their social or entertainment reporter to cover the week,” said Pearl Shah, fashion editor of Marie Claire in Mumbai. “So often you are only reading about showstoppers and who was there and wearing what, which has resulted in certain Delhi women have made being seen in the paper during fashion week their job.”

While it may be Indian Couture Week, many wo men choose to use the event to show off their international labels - a Hervé Léger dress with the Hermès Birkin bag becomes the natural choice for many in row one. It is, after all, just after the summer holidays so it's a great opportunity to show off what they bought while they were in London, Paris and New York.

“There is a social perception that wearing something international automatically shows you have global perspective,” said Ms. Shah. “Plus, I find that because India Couture Week is Delhi based, it becomes all about flaunting. It is a shame as we are at an Indian couture week and therefore need to support our talent.”

Mr. Bahl expressed dismay at the trend as well. “In America, Italy, Spain or any other country, you would see the women only wearing local talent for a fashion week,” he said. “That just does not happen here. And this could be a reason why Indian fashion has not grown as much as it could.”

In fact, seeing the first row all dressed in saris would make couture week feel truly like an Indian bespoke event. Also, the show of support for local designers would benefit all who genuinely adore fashion, helping the event that Delhi's beautiful women love to attend become bigger and better. But no matter what they're wearing, the front row will be putting on its best show.