Stop the freebies

Designer Shahab Durazi stirred a hornet’s nest a couple of days ago on a social media site by suggesting that celebrities should pay for their clothes rather than picking them up free from designers as endorsements. The post was shared by Rohit Bal. As it set off a talking point, Saimi Sattar chats with other designers who had also condoned a similar line of thinking

Shahab Durazi

We are not fashionable because Bollywood wears our clothes, Bollywood is fashionable because it wears our clothes. That is the crux,” says designer Shahab Durazi, known for understated elegance and subtle glamour in his work, a quiet artiste who rarely speaks up with such gusto. But he has challenged the ubiquitous cultural iconicism that Bollywood has appropriated for itself rather forcefully.

The designer, whose brand defines a sophisticated aura that is unmistakably distinctive, was appalled at the deteriorating quality of fashion being shown and gave vent to it in a Facebook post.  Clearly the guns are out and it is celebrity-designer relationships that might just be the fatality. Durazi fired the salvo about 20 days back when he commented on the incestuous relationship between designers and celebrities. He had objected to the way designers are expected to provide clothes to celebs. He was supported by the likes of Ana Singh, Diandra Soares, Madhu Jain and Prasad Bidappa as well as Rohit Bal who shared the post recently. “I have maintained my silence for very long in the hope that things would change for the better but it’s getting worse. I shared this on my personal account and Rohit, who is a dear friend, said he agreed with it and wanted to share it. He also told me that everyone in the fraternity agrees and they are appalled and aggrieved by it,” Durazi told us. He agreed to share it as he felt that there was a need to reach out to more people so that there is a certain awareness and people understand what is going on. “The  majority of the people are so awestruck by Bollywood that they don’t see beyond that. At any fashion event, the search for Bollywood stars on the red carpet is dismaying. From the time that I started, when everything was scrutinised for quality and credibility, everything has been whittled down to Bollywood,” he says. He is appalled at the idea that anything that is Bollywood is lapped up and  not only internalised as being good but attributed to the style sensibility of the star concerned. 

Durazi is categorical in spelling out that this just does not concern him but the industry. “It is what the industry loses. We need to look at the larger picture. Where is the credibility of Indian fashion compared to all the fashion fora or international arena? There is great disparity in terms of quality and in terms of mood boards, schemes and research which has been overtaken by Bollywood and bling.”

The designer is also critical of fashion weeks. “Fashion weeks are just entertainment platforms where you put up a couple of Bollywood celebrities to make the crowds come in. My question is what kind of crowd? Are they fashion-savvy? Or are they just there to look at the film stars?”

He clarifies though that he is not against Bollywood per se but just their overwhelming presence and intrusion in a creative space where it doesn't have the expertise. “Bollywood is doing great work. But it should confine itself to what it does. When the spillover comes to another industry,  which they do not know much about, there is a blurring of objectivity and purpose.  When they start endorsing, they should  be responsible for it. If they do not have an understanding  or are not even able to define good from bad, then they should refrain from it.”

He feels that often Bollywood endorses and patronises work that is very shoddy. “When we look at something we know exactly what is good and what is bad and the sad part is that the lines are so blurred now. It is literally like they have hijacked the industry because a handful of designers use their good offices and their equations with celebs. The masses believe that they are doing great work because a Sonam Kapoor or a Priyanka Chopra support it.”

He argues for the designers by saying, “They need to realise that our style quotient supersedes that of a Bollywood star and they don’t really need endorsement or publicity that their clients and media anyway give them. You do good work, stay focussed and your work  will be applauded for what it is. Concentrate on the craft and don’t concentrate on  the public relations. These are distractions and they are taking away from what fashion really stands for in this country.”

Durazi wrote in his post: “We have the incestuous story of Bollywood stylists and their celebrated clients adding to the dilemma. Designers (with turnovers less than half the daily fee of these celebrities) are expected to provide their creations for red carpet appearances in exchange for publicity. My question is… why can’t these celebrities pay for what they wear like everyone else and why are designers succumbing to this for momentary mileage? Surely the designer can sell her/his creation and garner some goodwill for her/his creativity. S/he need not piggy-back to fame riding on the credentials of Bollywood.

“Fashion and film are two distinct industries that can complement each other without diluting their inherent DNA. Often the designer hardly gets noticed for his work and it is the celebrity and stylist who walk away with accolades. If the style is not well received, the designer is ridiculed. Why is the apex designer body in this country allowing this exploitation and why aren’t there stringent rules in place protecting designers from such partiality? No film personality would do favours for free. Why do they expect others to do favors for free, more so when their earnings from films and endorsements is exponential? The stylist is paid for her/his services but the designer often gets nothing. Designers should deny sourcing requests and film stars and stylists should purchase looks for events. Not only would this enhance business for the industry but also structure celebrity styling. Unfortunately, like most other things, we have borrowed this model from the west where aggressive public relations teams source for celebrities for free. Surely, we can set an example and establish a structure that can benefit the celebrity, stylist and designer equally.

“Lastly, an unhealthy trend one notices is the tendency Bollywood stars have in favouring specific designers. Why does their personal relationship with designers have to be the criteria in choosing their wardrobes or putting together their looks? Their style choices should not be based on personal equations. If purchasing designs was the norm, then film stars would look beyond their designer friends for their wardrobes. Often, Bollywood weddings have most guests wearing the same two/three designers creating a uniform look. It is imperative in this context to understand that Indian couture is not synonymous with Indian bridal wear and that couture is comprehensive and not confined to such celebrations or events.

“Unless there is change, we will continue to see a steady decline in the aesthetic of Indian fashion and a path to irreversible mediocrity. I know my sentiments resonate with many within the industry. I hope to see change. Thank you.”

The above post was endorsed and shared by Rohit Bal, gathering more traction.

Madhu Jain

Why should celebrities not pay for what they wear? Shahab Durazi wrote this a month ago and this was further posted by Jasmeen Dugal, the blogger. Stylists make all the money and designers get no recognition out of it. It is a completely professional thing to pay for what you show up in. This issue needs to be brought up.

ZUBAIR KIRMANI

The moment you start giving clothes for free, there is always the possibility of people crossing the line. People should not use the contact unnecessarily. If there is a garments’ promotion, it is fine but demanding clothes for a personal event is not done. There has to be some kind of a boundary but this is being increasingly crossed as clothes are being demanded for parties, red carpets and every kind of appearance. It should be done in a manner where it is acceptable to both. Stylists make extra use of these opportunities. However, it is a personal choice and till the time it is within friendly limits, it is fine. However, the newer designers are not in a position to bargain and at another level they might want their things to be displayed.

Jenjum Gadi

There is no clear-cut grammar about the trade-off. During the film promotions, it is the producers who fork out money for the clothes. The stylists do get paid for the look, it is only the designer who is not getting paid. I agree that designers get a certain mileage too but s/he is not dependent on it. The celebrities do have a lot of money and must pay up. The push has to come from the top as when senior designers make a serious point, they are heard.

From the business perspective, a designer gets traction for only some days after  celebrity has worn his/her creation. But if someone did a ratio calculation as to how much business it generated, it is very less. Designers cannot live on publicity. The market is dirty. It is high time someone took a stand.