Watch | India Couture Week 2020 goes virtual this weekend

“Earlier our participation fee was a bit steep. With hotel and massive costs, it was then a Rs 5-10 crore kind of property. This year, we are no longer in that space, and the participation fee is minimal, to cover a few basic costs,” says Sunil Sethi, FDCI chairman

India kickstarted its first digital fashion week last evening with India Couture Week 2020, joining other fashion weeks in Paris and Helsinki that made their debut a few months ago.

Sounding purposeful about driving the first such event in the country, FDCI chief Sunil Sethi says they were “left with no option and it was the need of the hour”.

Initial plans two months ago included CGI models, he reveals, till it became apparent that there was the possibility of having physical shows, as long as Covid-19 safety measures were observed. That said, the showcase will be online-only, with 12 leading designers on board.