WIFW widens horizon - fuses fashion with social cause (IANS Preview)

New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) From business opportunities to introducing new faces, from focusing on social causes to collaborating with Japanese designers, the autumn-winter edition of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) 2012, starting Wednesday, will be a melange of activities that will boast of fun, entertainment and business.

"WIFW has always been known for creating landmarks in the fashion world and this season won't be any different. Apart from giving the best of fun and entertainment to the patrons, business will also grow in leaps and bounds. We have added buyers from different regions to explore Indian talent this edition," Sunil Sethi, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) president, told IANS.

For the first time, FDCI has invited three designers from Japan to showcase their collections at a segment called Tokyo Fashion Week, which is being supported by the Japan's ministry of economic trade and industry.

"Through Tokyo fashion week Indian designers will get a chance to interact with Japanese delegates. Also, this will be an opportunity for Indian designers to show their best design aesthetics as some of them will be selected to participate at the Japan Fashion Week," Sethi added.

The event will also highlight some social causes like human trafficking and Fashion for Freedom - an initiative to boycott zoo.

Bollywood actors Gulshan Grover, Mahima Chaudhary and Monica Dogra will join FDCI and PETA India chief functionary Poorva Joshipura to announce a new partnership between FDCI and PETA India during WIFW.

"Human trafficking show is a part of CSR activity (Corporate Social Responsibility) of FDCI. Wherein PETA activity is our step to create awareness amongst masses.

"We will have many celebrities who will be the part of these activities. These celebrities are not only restricted to Bollywood but from different walks of life including artists and sports personalities. There will be Leander Paes, some top-notch cricketers, Gulshan Grover, Vivek Obeori, Mahima Chaudhary, Monica Dongre and many more," Sethi said.

Not only buyers from Japan, Europe, Middle-East and the US, but also from Pakistan will participate in the five-day fashion extravaganza.

As many as 138 designers will showcase their collection and of them some of the established names are Anju Modi, Meera and Muzaffar Ali, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Rocky S, Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani, Wendell Rodricks, James Ferreira and Gauri and Nainika.

Payal Jain and Sanchita Ajjampur are the Fiama Di Wills designers this time.

Designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil will open the edition, while JJ Valaya will bring the curtain down.

"This year we have a list of outstanding designers with representation across geographies who will display their creative excellence on the runway," said Sethi.

The list also includes 14 new entrants.

"The aspiring designers are talented and we are giving them an opportunity to explore their creativity... all the 14 emerging designers will get a chance to showcase their best creative side in front of buyers from different parts of the world," he added.

Dia Mirza and Sameera Reddy will grace the front row for Shantanu-Nikhil.