HLL splits from FDCI, to launch fashion week in Mumbai

It is official now. After all the acrimony, mudslinging and rumours of a split, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Lakme have officially split and the cosmetics division of the consumer durables conglomerate Hindustan Lever has decided to go it alone for organising a fashion week in Mumbai.

Lakme India and IMG have come together to launch their own fashion week, the Lakme Fashion Week, to be held in Mumbai from March 28 to April 1 next year.

Announcing this at a press conference in Mumbai today, Anil Chopra, vice-president, Lakme Lever, said, "We split basically for two reasons. They were asking for three times the current marketing fee and we found that unjustified. And then, of course, there was the Delhi-Mumbai issue. We feel that there is an equally big market in Mumbai for designers and it should not be ignored as it has been for the last three years. But FDCI was not willing to listen."

The inaugural Lakme Fashion Week will be held from March 28 to April 1 next year at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai, with 20 shows spread over five days. The participating designers will showcase their ready-to-wear and diffusion lines. The fashion week will include shows by these designers as well as exhibition stalls, business seminars and workshops.

Designers will be invited to showcase their collections at the fashion week before national and international buyers and media, which will include four representatives from the US, European and Asia-Pacific markets.

The eligibility criteria include participation in earlier Lakme India Fashion weeks. In addition, there will be two other categories for emerging designers and special invitees, Krishan said.

LFW will also help Indian designers participate in fashion weeks elsewhere with subsidies ranging from full production to venue at fashion weeks in New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and Australia, said Ravi Krishnan of IMG Global.