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India's top fashion designers may not yet have worldwide name recognition, but their fresh ideas -- and the country's booming economy -- are turning the heads of seasoned foreign buyers.

Display at a Louis Vuitton store in New Delhi
© AFP/File Manan Vatsyayana

"It's an exciting time to be here. There's a serious buzz about India. The wealth here is growing. It's the same for fashion," said Patrick Hanly, commercial director for British style emporium Harvey Nichols.

Hanly is one of dozens of buyers from the world's top department stores in New Delhi for the Indian capital's seventh fashion week, at which some 80 designers are unveiling their autumn-winter 2006-07 ready-to-wear collections.

While some buyers were placing orders, others admitted the country's giant economic leap, coupled with eight percent growth, was the real reason that brought them to Asia's third-largest economy this week.

"India is a big buzz right now. It needs to be investigated," said Chantal Rousseau, who works for US chain Bloomingdales.

A model for Manish Arora
© AFP/File John D McHugh

Rousseau named Ritu Kumar, who showcases traditional Indian handicrafts in clothes with a decidedly modern flair, as one of the week's most exciting talents, along with Manish Arora, who also showed in London and New York.

Kumar, who was launching her line, said she had designed her clothes with people from around the world in mind.

"There's no Indian or Western market. We're crossing boundaries today. My clothes are for you and me," she told AFP ahead of her show.

Other buyers were also upbeat about Arora, whose in-your-face use of colour and mix of wild motifs has earned him a reputation as a bit of a fashion maverick.

"If you want young fashion, there's no one else in the country to compete with him," said Sunil Sethi, a buying agent for several overseas stores including Britain's Selfridges.

Only a handful of the designers showing at the five-day New Delhi event, which ends on Sunday, manage to generate international buzz and business, sending fashionistas scrambling to get coveted catwalk show tickets.

Model for Manish Arora
© AFP/File Carl De Souza

Beyond Kumar and Arora, two others making waves are Rina Dhaka -- known for her barely-there numbers, including metal underwear -- and Tarun Tahiliani, whose signature drape dresses are favourites during India's wedding season.

Tahiliani said while foreign clients are sought after, the domestic market also offered huge potential at a time when global brands such as Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton were setting up shop in India, with an eye on its estimated 300-billion-dollar retail market.

"(Giorgio) Armani did not become a global name by saying, 'Let me design for the Japanese'. Indian designers should build their brands in India first," he said.

India's fledgling fashion design business, estimated to be worth 50 million dollars, is miniscule by world standards, and has often been dismissed as being high on hype and low on talent.

But maybe not for long, say some industry professionals.

"Indian designers are making it big abroad now," said Rathi Vinay Jha, who heads the Fashion Design Council of India.

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