As another season of WIFW wraps up, the success of the week is being judged by the business designers have been able to generate at this trade event (with a big dollop of glamour of course!)
In this piece we talk about the guys who can really elevate any designer garment to a new level altogether. Accessory designers of course! There are over 10 such designers exhibiting at WIFW SS 2013 and the one feeling common amongst all is that the effect of buyer interaction at this event lingers long after the event is over.
Shelina and Camelia from Art, Apparel and accessories say, There are always follow up orders from the buyers we meet at WIFW. The orders may not get finalised here but the interactions at the event lead to orders and re-orders long after we pack up the booth here.
Felix Bendish agrees. This is the best networking platforms for us and the best place to generate business in the country, he says.
Now about the actual business! For Felix this season has been good, if not spectacular. Hes had his repeat buyers showing interest and while domestic buying is good, orders for exports are on the upswing. Felix hopes that next season he can interact with new buyers from more countries.
Shalini Ahuja from Shalini Arts tells a different story. I have confirmed orders from a massive retail store that has over 80 outlets across India. Its been a fantastic season for me, she says.
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Radhika Gupta of 5 Elements is also happy with the response of the domestic buyers. 80% of my sales at WIFW are with domestic buyers. Interestingly, my continued presence at WIFW and good business with buyers has led to higher volumes from them. I am also able to command higher price points because Ive been able to build my brand.
For Pinky Saraf too, this season has been about the domestic buyer. While international orders have been mostly repeats in lower volumes, I am very happy with the orders coming from within India. Old buyers have repeated orders and I have enquiries from 2-3 new domestic buyers, says Pinky.
The accessory debutante at WIFW this season- Nitya Arora says she has nothing to complain about. Compared to other events she has been part of, she feels WIFW is the most serious about the business of fashion and it is here that most international buyers choose to do their shopping.
Like Radhika Gupta, Nitya also feels that the negotiating point with domestic buyers is usually the tussle between outright payments and products being taken on on a consignment basis.
The reason for the increase in orders from domestic buyers is simple. With the number of boutique designer stores opening in tier one and two cities, the demand within the country for fashion is higher. And since accessories are usually faster moving, almost all accessory designers producing India inspired collections are gaining from this expansion of fashion beyond the metros. So as the industry grows, there is no doubt that the pie of business for accessory designers will also keep getting bigger!