Paul Smith, according to Vir Sanghvi, is that rare designer who appeals to all age groups. He opened his first London shop in the early 1980s. He is very popular in Japan. His designs have a surprise element — his cotton fabric shirts were given buttons from small steel charms. He mixes the rough with the smooth, classic with kitsch. It gives the clothes an edge. He innovated with French cuffs, which had patterns and pictures on the inside of each cuff — either plain pics or risque. He was best known for his signature multi-coloured stripes. He has now given up stripes, which is a brave decision. He diversified into shoes design for Lobb. Paul Smith is to Britain what Hermes is to France. He sets up a shop at Emporio. Delhi, and proposes one more at Palladium Mall, Mumbai.

Jawaharlal Nehru was looked up to for his sense of dressing in post-Independent India. Calico Museum of Textile was set up in 1949. Ritu Kumar emerged as a major fashion designer by 1975. It was in this period that the first fashion show at Kolkata was organised. It was an era of saris with borders and when bootis and pallus were introduced. Asha Sarabhai in 1975 fights for Indian textiles. Issey Miyaka- Asha Sarabhai launched their joint label in 1984. NIFT was set up in 1986. It was in 1987 that Tarun Tahilani- Rohit Khosla launched Ensemble. Pierre Cardin experimented with Indian handlooms in 1989. In 1990, Tarun Tahilani launched pre-constructed sari. In 1992 Rohit Bal introduced the bronzed antique look. It was in the early 1990s that Ramp was introduced. Asheema-Leena brought fusion wear tunics and introduced variety in lowers. Madhu Sapre and Milind Soman posed bare for Tuff shoes ad in 1995. In 1998, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) was set up. Ritu Beri was the first Indian designer to show in Paris.She was the first to head Schrrer by 2000.It was in this period that the first Lakme India Fashion Week was initiated.In 2002, Tarun Tahilani putT-shirts with jewel trompe in international market.In 2003, Madhu Jain introduced bamboo as alternative fibre. Kimaya, a store was set up in Dubai in 2004. Life Style India Fashion Week was launched by FDCI in 2005.Judit Leiber- Sumeet Varma tied up in 2009.Manish Arora was the first Indian designer to be made creative director of Pacco Rabanne in 2011.

Fashion technology does not end with the stitching of outfits. These outfits must reach the target audience appropriately. Fashion communication plays a role here. Fashion communication includes graphic design,Fashion journalism, visual communication and sales, styling, photography, advertising, public relations, space design and so on. We do need fashion communicators in the show case layouts where outfits are displayed in malls and boutiques, fashion shows, advertising of outfits in print media etc.

This 39-years old ( 2014 ) designer from Kolkata started with a Rs.20000 loan he took from his sister Payal in 2002. Sabyasachi, the label, has grown into a business employing 600 craftspeople, 32 assistants and revenue of Rs52 crore plus in 2011. He is talented , and has sharp business acumen. He sees himself as a commercial designer. He is at his workshop in Kolkata from 9.00 AM to 10 PM every day, except when he travels. He earns and reinvests the money into his business. His family is intimately involved in the business. His sister Payal is the bedrock. His father is a chemical engineer who manages finances, and his mother an artist has now been asked to remain in the background. He is of the opinion that style icons must be consistent in the outfits they wear  — they cannot do different outfits.

Sarees are described as elegant, proper, eternal or timeless and classic garments which are 3000 years old and sell more than any other garment in India — a market of Rs 54000 crore, showing a growth rate of 8.8 per cent between 1998 –2006. It is a six-yard of unstitched fabric that adapts itself to the personality and anatomy of one who wears it.

According to Shobha De, a saree reveals the mid-riff, the neck, the back and still remains proper. These days sarees are stitched and they become pre-pleated skirts. They are attached to petticoat and their waist is adjusted to the buyer’s size. Sarees are worn with blouses. Blouse per se did not exist before the 19th century. Prior to that, a kanchuki was wrapped around the chest. It was a single piece of cloth. Many did not wear even kanchukis and remained bare-breasted. The saree-blouse combination since then has come a long way. In the 1940s and 1950s, there were puffed sleeves. In the 1960s, the tight blouses went sleeveless or had cap sleeves. In the 1970s, there were 3/4th sleeves. In the 1980s and 1990s, the saree-blouse combination made fashion statements. Blouses have different neck-cuts. Thhey could be backless or nearly backless. They could be collaredThey can be full-sleeved or 3/4th-sleeved.Deeply scooped necklines are trndy. Pallus are draped in such a way that they cover the right breast but leaves the left choli-covered breast as it is. Blouse has the potential to become a coutre garment. A blouse is a highly customised garment and so ready-made blouses have no market in India.

Suneet Varma, Ravi Bajaj, Madhu Jain, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla have completed 25 years in this industry in 2012. Ashish Soni, J .J .Valaya, Abraham-Thakore, Leena-Ashima and Rina Dhaka have completed 20 years. NIFT commemorated its silver jubilee in 2011. The industry is expanding, with new designer emerging on the scene every year. The fashion  education is expanding too. The retail market is growing. Fashion Weeks have become regular features. More than 200 designers participated in the two fashion weeks in Delhi and Mumbai every season with 100 of them actually presenting shows twice a years. Top designers retail out of their own stores in the high end malls, and multi-designer stores. Still the international market has not been dented. There should be out-of-box thinking. The real estate cost affects the designers adversely. There are many designer schools –almost 1000 across A/B/C towns. NIFT has 15 branches. In India, the business model adopted expects the designer to design and produce and sell. It is a flop model. A designer may not have the marketing expertise and the financial muscle. He should tie up with others to compensate this. He should focus on creating. He may need corporate backing. The heritage design is not supported enough. A whole world is dying out. The indigenous textiles must be used. The industry must build on its strengths. It should borrow from the successful models elsewhere.