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Nine
of India's biggest fashion houses have come together under a common
umbrella to accelerate the growth of the fashion, lifestyle and luxury
retail industry, a move the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has
backed. "This
is a very important step in the right direction for the Indian fashion
industry," FDCI director general Rathi Vinay Jha said at a press
conference here Friday to announce the formation of the Indiluxe Retail
Council of India.
The initiative brings together Sailja
Tahiliani of Ensemble, Sanjay Kapoor of Saamsara, Sangita Kathiwada of
Melange, Sanjay Shroff of Ffolio, Amit Dholakia of Amara, Gayatri Ruia
of Mogra, Kavita Bhartia of Ogaan, Sushil Jhaveri of Fuel, and Pradeep
Hirani of Kimaya.
Together, they make up 90 percent of the buyers of Indian fashion designers' products.
"Retailers
need to come together on a common platform to address their common
concerns and leverage their strengths. FDCI shall, therefore, help the
industry establish and maintain close links with their community," Jha
added.
Hirani pointed out that globally, retail councils are
forums that work towards the acceleration of the fashion industry's
growth.
Toward this end, the Indian council will address
issues of critical concern like plagiarism and the poaching of trained
and qualified staff of fashion houses. It will also lay down guidelines
and policies on the quality and prices of designer goods and work
toward lowering the tax burden on the fashion industry.
It will
also work toward generating corporate sponsorships for events like the
FDCI-organised Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW).
"Indian
fashion is now globally recognised. Its high time fashion houses joined
hands and address their common concerns for the betterment of the
industry as a whole," Hirani said.
"Fashion designers and
fashion houses share a symbiotic relationship. We have to work for
common goal of betterment of the fashion and lifestyle industry. I
realised the need hence took the initiative to form such a
collaboration," he explained.
Membership of the council is by
invitation and it has categories for fashion designers, lifestyle and
furniture stores, luxury leather goods, and Indian and international
luxury brands.
Indo-Asian News Service
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