The going gets easy

In an age when corporate sponsorship seems to have become a major concern for designers who keep vying to get a brand's backing for better growth, the Winter/Festive 2016 (W/F 16) edition of the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW), beginning Wednesday, will see a new high.

To be held at St. Regis in Mumbai, the gala will see the participation of 92 designers, with 15 sponsors backing some of the major shows that will feature the works of established as well as emerging names.

Corporate sponsorship is a form of advertising in which companies pay to be associated with certain events.

After all, who wouldn't want to be associated with shows by Manish Malhotra or Tarun Tahiliani, two popular designers who always garner maximum attendance at Indian fashion weeks?

Tahiliani's show will be presented by LYF, a phone brand, while Malhotra will set the stage to present a bespoke collection that will transform the grandeur of the runway into a Virtual Reality show in association with Etihad Airways.

Malhotra says the partnership with the airline is not just limited to the LFW show.

"The partnership with Etihad will extend beyond the show, where we will shoot the clothes on the runway using cutting-edge technology. This will then be used to create a simulated virtual reality viewing experience for travellers flying with Etihad," Malhotra said.

Another known designer, Ashish Soni, will unveil his line at a show backed by TRESemmÃ. —IANS