Sunil Sethi takes fashion in 2022

2021 is a busy year for the fashion industry, from fashion week collaborations, focus on sustainability to corporate investments in designers like Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani and Anamika Khanna. What does this year have to offer the fabulous fashion world? IANSlife spoke to Sunil Sethi, Chair of the FDCI for his views for 2022:

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Q: From Literature Festivals to Art Exhibitions events have returned to physical format across industries, can we expect this to be in fashion too?

Sethi: As things get better and start to return to normal, everything we have planned from January 1, 2022, has been planned in a physical format. We have a hand loom fashion show taking place in Dubai this month as part of the Dubai Expo, all arrangements have been made for this. In February we have planned a four-city fashion tour with shows in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata with longtime supporters of Indian fashion. In March the FDCI X LFW collaboration continued, this time with fashion week in Delhi. We will also hold a handloom fashion show at the National level mela, which takes place every year. We are looking forward to these shows.

So, the first three months are the busiest time of the year for fashion, the setup is so intense and in the late stages that we can’t take it virtually. Of course it depends on the reality on the ground and in accordance with state law regarding the Omicron government protocol, if necessary we can set the date.

Q: You mentioned that the FDCI X LFW collaboration continues with fashion week, this time in Delhi, can we finally see a unified fashion display?

Sethi: A start has been made, during the pandemic we have successfully completed two fashion weeks together, and with this effort and collaboration going forward, we are returning to a physical format together.

Q: In 2021 many companies are investing in designers for a significant interest in the company, how do the top fashion bodies feel about that and what does it mean?

Sethi: FDCI has always been formed with the aim of focusing on the fashion business, and that has been our goal for more than two decades. With this development we have been vindicated, and we can see our hard work paying off. It all happened, and hats off to the corporates who believe in Indian fashion designers and support them completely. We are reaping the benefits of the hard work put in by the FDCI and the designers. While the spotlight may be on Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani, Ritu Kumar and Anamika Khanna, over the years there has been corporate investment in brands like Anita Dongre or Raghavendra Rathore. So we are very pleased that many companies have invested in many young designers and labels in 2021, these are all new relationships and will take time to develop. I hope that 2022 will see more such investment efforts.

Q: Will this also add new news from the FDCI and a new direction?

Sethi: With my years of experience be it fashion weeks, handloom and government collaborations, or even fashion collective events and corporate fashion tours, my conclusion is that this is a joint and collective effort; and the FDCI continues to be responsible for focusing on creating and driving these efforts, and combining the strengths of various sectors and players to continue to strengthen the industry and provide the direction and stimulation it needs. So without a better word, FDCI as a peak fashion ‘body’ will also play the role of an industry body, say like FICCI or ASSOCHAM, to take care of more things and investigate current needs. . The board and FDCI remain true to the fashion business with the goal of sustainability and industry longevity.