At Lakmé Fashion Week this year there was a surprising new trend that overshadowed the creations of participating designers. Unlike previous years, where the mandatory show-stopper at the end of the show was mostly an A-list movie star or former star who still had the ‘cool’ quotient, this year you saw the whole range — from A-listers to Z. TV actor Amit Sadh, former child actor Kunal Khemu, actress Amyra Dastur, actor
Ayushman Khurana’s wife Tahira Kashyap, actor Rhea Chakraborty and actor Malavika Mohanan were a few who participated as show-stoppers along with popular fashion week choices like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz ....
A celeb is a celeb
What is the logic behind not opting for a safe choice? Well, the answer, according to designers participating in fashion weeks, is that any celebrity A or Z, is the right choice.
They may not have big-budget hits but do have a million-plus followers on Instagram and social media accounts. Eyeballs are a given. It’s mandatory to inform Lakmé that you have a celeb walking for you, and the organisers ensure you get media at your event and proper press coverage. This definitely gives you the edge, as every celebrity has their own fan following and these convert into potential buyers of your collection.
Everyone has a budget while planning a show, and it doesn’t make sense to bankrupt yourself. The main runway at Lakmé costs around '5,00,000. The junior runway is around '2,50,000. Show-stopper rates start from '5,00,000 and go up to '25,00,000. You spend an extra lakh on hair and make-up, and you also need to pay for the celeb’s hotel room and a fancy car too if they are flying in for you. By making a sensible choice you, save yourself a lot of money and get the coverage you need.
Worth every penny!
Taking part in these shows is great for business because you are forced to design those 20-odd new outfits, so your collection for the next season is set, and people are aware of your work. The show-stopper will also do a one-minute video promoting you, they will have images of themselves walking the ramp splashed on their social media pages, and fans aspire to look like them. So, while it is an expensive investment, a celebrity show-stopper is a great marking tool for your brand. Luckily, you have a great range to choose from.
