Indian fashion is changing and growing, says Sunil Sethi

Indian fashion industry has come a long way in the last 15 years. It has grown and changed significantly for the world to take notice of it. It is growing and in the years to come, it will be a force to reckon with.

Sunil Sethi, President, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) is confident that the growth story of Indian fashion has just begun. He remembers the time when he had brought together seven buyers who came to buy Indian products but there were hardly four or five shops to go to. There was no fashion week and no young designers exhibiting their creations. Simply, India didn’t have a platform for fashion 15 years ago. Even the few fashion designers that were around, didn’t have their own stores. So, there was no place one could go to buy a designer outfit. Most Indian designers would go abroad for trunk shows where they would showcase their designs.

Things have changed significantly, pointed out Sethi, who was present at the Runway to New Zealand fashion event organised jointly by Education New Zealand and FDCI. Today, not only there are dozens of young designers making tons of money but many of them are being sought after by international celebrities. It is because of their name and their creations that the world is taking notice of Indian fashion, and now buyers come to India more regularly.

Also, what has changed is the fact that most designers showcase clothes on the ramp that are wearable unlike in the past. It’s definitely a sign of the changing times.