Starpower scorches the styles

Bollywood stars have now become an indispensable part of the fashion weeks being held across the country.
Does the real purpose of the shows get pushed to the background when B-town stars become show-stoppers?
Fashion designer Neeta Lulla says it���s about the relationship certain designers have with Bollywood stars because of which the stars are happy to showcase their collections.���The stars only add an extra touch to these shows and it���s perfectly acceptable,��� she says.
According to fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla, Bollywood stars are roped in to the fashion weeks purely for publicity. ���The stars are brought in to attract people and get more mileage out of the show,��� he says. Manoviraj feels it���s an indication of a designer���s insecurity about his show and his collections.
���A designer would want to add glamour to the show by bringing in Bollywood stars only when he or she is not confident about the collection. But I don���t see the point. By featuring the stars, the whole point of showcasing the clothes is pushed to the background. The audience will be focusing only on the stars and not the collections,��� he points out.
���Designers bring in the stars they share a good rapport with to walk the ramp and showcase their clothes and add glamour,��� says model Priya Nayak. ���Stars help highlight the shows and the audience gets to admire the designs as well as see their favourite stars. But often the main purpose of showcasing the clothes is lost. The models have also accepted the trend of stars taking away the spotlight on the ramp,��� she adds.
Fashion guru Prasad Bidapa feels the primary reason the stars are brought in to walk the ramp is to attract media attention. ���It���s the media that���s propelled the trend by only covering fashion events that boast of big Bollywood stars. Otherwise the shows seem to have no relevance,��� says Prasad. ���The designers do it to garner attention. But when a star is featured, the collections get sidelined. I feel designers should be more confident and not resort to using stars to sell their shows. It���s unfair to the models who are sidelined and found applauding when the stars appear at the end of the show. Some of the models are way better on the ramp compared to the stars. If a renowned Bollywood fashion designer like Manish Malhotra can refuse to feature stars on his shows, other designers should also take a cue from him,��� Prasad points out.