GRAND MASTER of Indian FASHION

Sunil Sethi - President of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) speaks to Beauty Launchpad about the changing times in Indian fashion as well as his personal style and more.

- Esha Gakhar

What are your insights on key factors that drive the Indian fashion industry during COVID times?

Adapting to the circumstances is vital, and currently, the circumstances are such that we are unable to organise physical events. There is no other option but to go digital. But sometimes, when there aren’t many options to choose from, it could be a blessing. Frankly, going the digital way is a welcome move. We started doing a stockroom sale online and it became a successful digital B2C event; this gave us a few hints on the way forward. The creativity of Indian fashion designers do not stop; even though they might not be able to open their factories or assign work to their tailors, the design studios haven’t stopped developing new lines. And hence, you’ll be seeing two digital fashion weeks showcasing these new designs being developed. As far as the retail scenario goes, with the physical stores open, consumers are gradually making their way back. Designers are also going the eCommerce way; we also had a helpdesk for this during the stock sales. I feel that, if nothing else, the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have pushed the design community towards digitisation which is the need of the hour; it is preparing them for the future.

What can we look forward to in post-COVID fashion?

Nobody knows what’s going to happen in the post-COVID scenario. But the fashion industry knows two things: 1. Digital is here to stay, and 2. Physical events will never go out of fashion. We are very clear about these. So, for us, the post-COVID period will see a good marriage between these two.

What is the way forward for homegrown talent as well as the country’s traditional crafts?