As Dubai Fashion Week undergoes a major transition with a change in management, the new players are determined to set things right.
Last month, Dubai-based media company Capital Marketing purchased the operating rights to Dubai Fashion Week from Concept Group. As expected, there's a lot of confusion among designers, DFW regulars and fashion insiders on how things will shape up during the forthcoming spring-summer season — which is confirmed to go ahead in October.
tabloid! caught up with the key players including the chairman of Capital Marketing Manoj Bhojwani and designers to find out more about the changing fashion landscape.
Bhojwani spoke freely about his major plans, the main one being to stop "Indianising DFW". The fashion extravaganza has often been criticised for being dominated by Indian and Pakistani designers.
"Dubai Fashion Week is a beautiful brand that has been handled wrongly," said Bhojwani.
"And by wrong handling, I mean that there is not adequate representation of different nationalities. In the last season, there were hardly eight different nationalities but my vision is to have at least 18 different nationalities in the coming seasons. I am not saying that Indian designers are not talented, but I think we do need a healthier mix," said the businessman, whose company deals largely with outdoor-indoor media and sports-related events.
This is Capital Marketing's first foray into fashion, but Bhojwani said his lack of experience in the world of fashion has not deterred him.
"There was an important element missing out from DFW — I have learnt that it's not considered as a serious trade event with buyers. But I am eager to change all of that. I also think DFW is a highly lucrative venture and we can turn things around quickly".
Though he declined to talk numbers, Bhojwani revealed that the change in operations was not a result of a bidding war. "As far as I know, we were on board after my negotiations with the Concept Group. I don't know about any bidding war."
It's believed that Concept Group had to sell the rights to DFW operations after it ran into financial hurdles.
Wait-and-watch game
Meanwhile, majority of the designers and store-owners who participate regularly at DFW are playing the wait-and-watch game. DFW regular Rohini Gehani, the owner of Samsaara boutique who stocks creations from prominent Indian couturiers, said her decision to participate in the forthcoming season in October depends largely on the new management. "We have not been approached by the new management, so I don't know any details yet. But our decision to participate next season will depend a lot on whether the new management has experience in handling fashion events. I just hope they are familiar with conducting fashion trade events," said Gehani.
Meanwhile, Dubai-based designer Zaeem Jamal, whose creations Z for Z have lit up DFW ramps for two seasons, says that the change in management does not affect him.
"As far as designers go, the change in management is secondary. What matters is whether they are capable of handling the operations of a fashion week in a professional manner. What we are concerned with is whether their backstage operations like choreography, models, make-up are all in place," Jamal said. The uncertain future of DFW has also triggered a few DFW board members to lash out. Derek Khan, a DFW advisory board member, feels that a major overhaul is due. "None of our board members suggestions were taken into consideration while running the DFW. It's such a shame. I don't want to be involved with DFW unless they bring about some major changes."
But Bhojwani is eager to smooth ruffled feathers.
"It's a bit premature to comment on all these matters. As of now, we have inherited 10 board members from DFW and we will be making a few changes."
