Fashion experts react to Bollywood celebrities starting their own fashion lines
Hrithik Roshan.
Hyderabad: It has been common place for stars to walk the ramp for designers. But now the actors are taking their association with fashion a step further by turning into designers.
From Alia Bhatt designing a range with Jabong, Hrithik Roshan launching his own line with Myntra or Deepika Padukone joining hands with Van Heusen, Bollywood stars, like their counterparts in the West, are increasingly investing in brands of their own.
These one-off collaborations are a huge hit in the West and celebs like Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez and even Pharrel Williams have tied-up with retail stores for their own line. These work well for both parties building a brand image for the star and a brilliant business proposition for the store as along with the “power” association come fans willing to spend on the products. Yet the common thread of the involvement of retail stores makes one think: Is this a marketing gimmick or a genuine effort at fashion design?
Designer Narresh, part of Shivan & Narresh says: “Actors are the face of fashion but designers are the soul of fashion. And if you ask me whether designers are threatened by these ventures, that’s not the case at all. For an actor to be actually termed as a designer, it can’t be just a one-off show. They need to put together collections season after season.”
Inspiration was the main root of Hrithik’s HRX brand launch. From sitting down with designers of Myntra to sending his own inputs, Hrithik is actually the “head designer” for his brand.
“His consent is needed for everything. When we were approached to retail the brand for Hrithik, we thought it was a great opportunity for both sides. He wanted something fun and quirky and that’s what was put together by the team. But Hrithik actually sat down for many meetings to finalise the look,” says Gautam Kotamraju, the creative operations officer at Myntra.
“If actors are actually turning designers it’s a good thing. But they also need to study for it,” says Nabonil from the Dev R Nil brand. He adds, “It definitely becomes a second career option for them as they are closely associated with the industry. Also, with their power status, it’s easier to reach out to people too as in the end, everyone wants to dress up like a star.”
( Source : dc )
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