Rivets and rhinestones, biker jackets, and hand-braided baggage — The Leather Fashion Show 2019 on the ITC Grand Chola has become a showcase of what’s trending inside the world of leather.
The event, part of the India International Leather Fair, had stylish models taking walks on the ramp; however, the real stars were the hand-made bags, footwear, and accessories from domestic-grown industries and a few global players.
According to Invest India, a funding promoting and facilitation employer, “The Indian leather-based industry money owed for 12.9% of the arena’s manufacturing of concealing, with a big three billion square foot of leather-based produced yearly.”
The leather fashion enterprise, even though it remains taking infant steps. Big gamers are slowly moving from the export space into the home retail market. “We have leaped from simply being superior uncooked fabric suppliers to catering to market tendencies. It is still in its infancy, but Indian leather fashion is coming of age, even though we require plenty more capital and focus on building brand identities,” explains Yavar Dhala, dealing with the director of Chennai-primarily based Forward Shoes India.
An exceptional marketplace
Adrian D’Souza, coping with director of Bengaluru-primarily based Deccan Leather Fashions, agrees, “Creating your emblem calls for deep pockets and the endurance to establish yourself. We create high-give-up leather jackets for Armani and Versace, but breaking into the Indian market is hard. Here, clients are searching for leather-based as a sensible purchase, not a luxury. So herbal leather-based jackets with an antique, distressed appearance aren’t a smooth sell.”
The leather garment industry still seeks to make its foray into fashion, even as leather-based luggage and footwear fly faster off the shelves. “It’s an opportune second to hook up with the patron simultaneously. We provide better alternatives than China, and are focussing on soft capabilities and increasing the price so that we can market our merchandise underneath our very own logo identity,” provides Israr Mecca, vice-chairman, Indian Finished Leather Manufacturers and Exporters Association ( IFMA)
The India International Leather Fair that takes location yearly (this 12 months it changed into February 1 and 3 at the Chennai Trade Center) has been showcasing natural leather-based products for over 34 years; now, synthetic options, like leatherette and vegan leather-based, are slowly turning into a part of the collection. “We need to dabble with alternatives now, seeing that they provide better avenues for customization,” adds Dhala.
“We use linen, canvas, and different materials and provide exclusive charge points as properly. Earlier inside the West, leather-based became a necessity to keep the heat at some stage in winter with human-made alternatives, they’ve changed the game’s rules,” adds D’Souza. This is an opportunity for nearby manufacturers to place their first-rate foot forward. KR Vijayan, president of the Indian Shoe Federation and owner of the handcrafted leather-based logo Kevin, says, “The Government supports us as we strive to carve a spot for our manufacturers. I suppose purchasers are willing to pay for leather-based goods if we keep up with the developments.”
Smriti Sain, who runs Chiaroscuro in New Delhi, says it’s thrilling to be in the purse enterprise. “We are an unmarried-artisan, made-in-India brand, and we discover it’s a superb numerous market out there. People are inclined to spend on true leather-based products made well.”
Dilip Kapur, founder-director of Hidesign, says we return to our roots most virtually to springboard into the future. “Indian vegetable tanned leather from South India called ‘East India leather’ became considered the greatest leather-based within the world. We must construct on our background, slowly transferring from being an agreement producer to having an emblem identity in leather-based items.”
