What Vivienne Westwood's India show did not get right

It was all of this minus the extraordinary-ness. On Tuesday, while hundreds of attendees sat through an hour of summer heat and rain, with the front-row occupied by celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Janhvi Kapoor, over 60 looks were presented on a 166ft long runway with a scaffolding-clad Gateway of India as the backdrop. Creative head Andreas Kronthaler had stitched Khadi cotton, handwoven Chanderi silk, raw silk, sand Muga silk and wool into flowing dresses, power-shouldered coats, puff-sleeved kurtas and ghagras accentuated with Victorian era-esque hoop skirts. All ideas that celebrated the fluidity of Indian textiles and the late Westwood’s love for history and punk gestures, but only on paper. The delivery was mediocre.

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A striped beige-grey Khadi dress came with puff sleeves, an angrakha-style tie-up detailing near the thigh and a pallu-like trail. A mishmash of too many thoughts, making the look seem ill-fitted, confused and hasty. Another difficult-to-describe ensemble, which combined a corset with a floor-length kurta—or was it a kaftan?—lacked the level of craftsmanship one would expect from an independent brand known to produce edgy fashion since 1971. There were some garments that stood out, like a purple-pink ikat skirt (it was shown at the Paris show last year) and a white silk dress reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw’s famous bridal gown in Sex & The City, but they were overshadowed by mediocre styling. It all made one wonder: what was the idea behind the show that was a collaboration between Vivienne Westwood, Maharashtra government’s textile department and Pune-based Vivz Fashion School? “We want to test the market," Carlo D’Amario, Vivienne Westwood CEO, told Lounge before the show. “This is the first time we have taken Khadi from here (from Khadi India and Aaranya, the textile initiative by Gwalior’s Priyadarshini Scindia) to our atelier in London. We plan to open a store soon (in Mumbai)."

At present, Vivienne Westwood clothes, jewellery and accessories are only available at four outlets of The Collective, a multi-designer store that has presence in over 10 cities. The Westwood brand was launched in autumn-winter 2024, says Amit Pande, business head of The Collective and international brands at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. “Over 14% of Vivienne sales are online," he says. “There’s, of course, a demand for international brands in India. Brands are also eyeing us, given how young and bright this market is. And a fashion show helps them put their word out." Or, help create viral moments, which seems to be the demand of the day in the world of fashion.

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The 1 April show fell flat in that aspect as well. What it excelled at was offering an idea of what international brands should not do to make their presence felt.

For starters, location is crucial. The Gateway was also the venue for Dior’s first-ever collection showcase in 2023. While the Dior clothes, created in collaboration with Mumbai’s Chanakya School of Craft, didn’t push the envelope in terms of shape and style, they did bring attention to the Indian artisan. Tuesday’s show talked about celebrating the Indian artisan in the show notes but it reflected neither in the clothes nor the silhouettes.

D’Amario told Lounge that the reason for choosing Khadi was that it was a “fabric related to freedom and we are an independent brand, and we had to present it here (at the Gateway) because I have fond memories of this place when I first came here decades ago".

Second, India is a fast-developing market where the consumer wants unique garments that acknowledge, if not elevate, cultural nuances, tastes and sensibilities—something the Vivienne Westwood collection fell short of.

Asked what people should take away from the show, D’Amario said: “Fashion is no longer dictated by the Vogues of the world or famous photographers, celebrities and stylists. That power has shifted to the consumer, especially after social media. The consumer decides what works and what doesn’t—and we will always listen to that very carefully."

Going by the first showcase, they might have to put their ear a little closer to the ground in India.

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