Indian designers have now moved to dressing international headliners and are making headlines themselves. Be it the latest news about Falguni and Shane Peacock designing Madonna’s birthday dress, after having dressed Fergie from Black Eyed Peas for FIFA, to Ritu Kumar’s Label being picked up by several starlets including former Spice Girl Melanie B, the trend is a rage now.
Although Manish Arora has been a favourite among the likes of Katy Perry, MIA and Rihanna, owing to his quirky style, it’s only recently that one can see other designers being worn internationally. Amrish Kumar, Ritu Kumar’s son who launched the pret line Label says that this is just the beginning. “It’s a natural progression, an eventuality that was waiting to take place. Also, the style of dressing up in India has changed rapidly, with women looking radically different from what they did 20 years ago. So, designers are adapting themselves accordingly, creating designs that are more international and getting noticed,” he tells us.
With an increasing number of designers showcasing at international fashion weeks, people were bound to take notice. Falguni says that simply doing good work is not enough, as one needs to be accessible. “We are in talks with designing for Rihanna and Lady Gaga and have also designed for an Ozzy Osborne video. But that couldn’t have been possible if we weren’t in touch with the right people,” she informs adding that the brand had a PR agency in LA, which ensures that they are accessible. Designer Anupama Dayal, who has dressed the likes of President Clinton, says that this is a result of designers finally not seeking approval from the West and concentrating on the local market instead.