Couture loses its grand opening

The BIG Bang sizzled down to Big Ban with fashion designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla pulling out of the HDIL India Couture Week (ICW), 48 hours prior to their opening show that promised to bring the Bachchan family on the ramp.

The BIG Bang sizzled down to Big Ban with fashion designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla pulling out of the HDIL India Couture Week (ICW), 48 hours prior to their opening show that promised to bring the Bachchan family on the ramp.

Designers Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla with Usha Mittal, wife of billionaire LN Mittal

Within divided speculations, the official reason cited by the designer duo blames Matrix, the media management company, for the decision. "Matrix wasn't allotting us seat numbers for our esteemed guests. This is Couture Week, not any other fashion week. We didn't want to risk our guests being offended due to unorganised seating. HDIL, the sponsors of the event have been good, but Matrix needs to learn a thing or two about celebs like Abu and Sandeep," explained Abu Jani.

While Jani pointed out that despite repeated requests, Matrix didn't revert with any workable solution to this date and time, the media management company had a different story to tell. "If Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla don't want to be part of the haute couture event, it is their decision. To back out a day before their show, is most unprofessional and regrettable. More so, because every demand and special request was met."

Sources tell MiD DAY that the designers were permitted a U-shaped ramp, rather than standard narrow runway to accommodate more seating space, and were even assured 280 out of 460 seats (when the customary rule allows only 150 seats to designer). But the designers were keen on numbered seating, which would have helped in ironing out mammoth chaos that unfolds during a high-profile fashion show.

"Even if there's a small window to make a change, we won't. It's too late now. We never deter from our decisions," a stern Jani had told us on Friday evening.

Reportedly, Sunny Dewan of HDIL was in closeted talks with the designers till 1 am on Saturday morning, and news that the show would go on as scheduled on Sunday evening, was shared with this newspaper. But, things went back to ground zero, with the two designers opting out for good.

"It's been a nightmare. The media management company won over two professionals (HDIL and FDCI). They thought we were joking when we informed them we'd walk out if our demands weren't fulfilled. After being in the industry for 23 years, it'd be a shame if we didn't care for our faithful clients.

Apart from changes, we also wanted a written apology from Matrix for the embarrassment they caused us. But they didn't oblige. Our name has been tarnished, along with reputation of HDIL and FDCI. Nobody really cares about Matrix, who are they?" said Khosla in a telephonic chat on Saturday.

The designers now plan to organise a private show over lunch to showcase their garments in coming weeks.

HDIL India Couture Week will now start on October 12 with Couture Jewellery show by Devaunshi Mehta, Maheep Kapoor, Queenie Dhody, Farah Khan.

Unlike other ready-to-wear Fashion Weeks, ICW actually pays its participating designers a sum of Rs 20 lakh to put up a spectacular show akin to ones witnessed in Paris and Milan. According to Khosla, no expense was spared to create a mirror palace set, only to be dismantled today afternoon.

Word was out that Bollywood A-listers Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan along with Shweta, Hrithik Roshan, Tabu and Vidya Balan, were slated to add starry swagger on the ramp on Sunday evening at Grand Hyatt.

Seventy garments were created for the show, and 10 specially for the celebs. With so much hype banking on the veteran designers, the news about their withdrawal is unfortunate, if not unrequired.

"The Week will be weaker without them. I don't think the organisers should have let talented designers go," said participating Mumbai-based designer Monisha Jaising.

Fellow designer Varun Bahl isn't too pleased with the development either. "Since their show was meant to kick-start the event, it'll affect it to an extent. They are, after all, very big names. But then the show goes on."