http://www.indianexpress.com/news/week-and-worn/377126/ 26th Oct 2008 - Indian Express ------
WEEK AND WORN By Wendell Rodricks There's a snowstorm before my eyes. Between me and the green room. Must stop doing those parties. I mean, really. Like my mouth feels like an entire Kabootar Khanna of pigeons shat in it. Foul! But green rooms are wonderous places. Packed with form driven beauties. Ripples of nerves and egoes playing tennis. Nubile excitement high on some intoxicant. It's intoxicating this energy! That Indrani Dasgupta is so distractingly beautiful. I always feel my dress is unworthy of her. And Diana Penty. So utterly angelic. Like Audrey Hepbum. Maybe I need to change her gown and give her another more appropriate neckline. I love this season. So many weeks. So many cities. So much fun. So many clothes. So I get on with the fitting on hand. Difficult to do this Lakme fitting while our Emporio show is rolling out tomorrow. "Er Sir", my assistant Sheryl whines. "This is not Lakme. Not even Emporio. This is Chivas Sir!" Really? In any case the clothes are the same. We just add the celebrities. Anyway that's all the media and janta want. "But Sir the press will notice….." Don't be silly. You think Anaita is going to cut herself up in four and attend all four weeks. Even if they do, their editors will show the stars on head ramp. Learn from Shantanu and Nikhil dahling. They opened with Diya closed with Neha and put Bhappi in the middle for flavour. "Not Bhappi Sir…" Whoever. Who cares? Now call Madhur Bhandarkar and tell him we want him to walk Wills. "But Sir…. he won't. He will be busy with his film". Just do what I say. Where will he get so much much publicity for his film Fashion? And I will ask him to make Priyanka, Kangana and Mugdha walk too. "But Sir they are walking for Lux at Lakme!" Are they? Well then let's add Kitu Gidwani. And Achala and Lubna who worked on the film. And to ensure the wow factor, let's get Rita Dhody and Nari to walk too. Nice! Nice!! Now let's finish this fitting and rush to Delhi for the Wills fitting. The snowstorm before my eyes is turning to a blizzard. But that clears at Mumbai airport when I see Vikram Phadnis posing with some fans. They take multiple shots on three cellphones. Then ask for an autograph. He sweetly obliges. Then the girl reads the autograph and shrieks. "You are not Manish Malhotra?" Vikram passes out as she stomps off in a huff. See! That's Indian fashion. The media doesn't know what they are seeing. The public doesn't know who's who. How many times do people mistake me for Rocky S (we are both insulted!) Ok now let's get on with this check in. Its 5.30 am and the vodka is doing a trance jerk with last night's party. Must stop all this one day. "Did you pack your bags yourself, Sir? Eh? I want to tell her eight people of various religions packed the four suitcases. But I nod a "yes" numbly. "You have any sharp instruments or guns?" Now I want to stab her with one of my four tailoring scissors in the cases. Will terrorists admit to guns? I give up and walk away while she is muttering to her colleagues "These designers are all drama queens". Anyway, now we are in Delhi. No one is talking about the clothes or the shows. They are all plotting Sumeet Nair's murder. Kill him! Kill him, they clant like the mob before Pilate ready to crucifix Jesus. But here Pilate is Anil Chopra from Lakme. What does Chopra care? He is smiling since Lakme is rolling smoothly far away from this capital mess. Not that Sumeet cares either. He has such a stellar designer list that Emporio is a success. Savio Jon tells me that there are lots of Buyers. That's all that matters. Business! In this recession hit time. Why did I agree to do all these weeks? Couture Week was so much drama. Held in a tent on the outskirts of the Hyatt, even God was against the poor organizers. The tent opened up, rained on the socialite B-Blunt hairdos and got their Jimmy Choo feathered heels like wet chickens. But I liked Ashish and Varun. Though nobody came for our show. It was so spooky to walk out to empty seats. I mean this is fashion. If you breathe the word, a mob turns up. I'll tell you why we are doing all weeks. We gotta learn from Gudda and Tarun (Tahiliani). They get so much press because they are like serial showers. So we will follow suit and just do it. Do them all!! All seven weeks a year. Plus Chivas and whatever else turns up like Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen. This fitting room is so small, someone actually is pouring a drink on my head. Am I back getting rained out at Couture Week? Please stop. Stop! I scream as it continues to pour. "Wendell. Wendell wake up". It's Jerome pouring water mischievously on my sun deck bed. I open my eyes in wonder. We are at Bogmalo beach. Nice sun. Great sky. So peaceful. Our boat ready to go for a spin. I was dreaming……. What a nightmare! Thank God I am not taking part in any fashion week this season. ==========