ByAditi Roy

May 3, 2020 (IANSlife) With each passing day and yet another extension of the lockdown, one wonders how some of best creative minds in the fashion industry are dealing with ongoing situation.

The business of fashion entails everything from ideation, procurement, production, along with sales and distribution. With a grim global outlook, it is important to be resilient and productive, so that when we look back, most of us can feel we spent our days fruitfully.

Here is what some of the leading designers had to say at the recently FDCI webinar.

"Initially I was taken aback when the lockdown was announced. Everybody has gone through their times of feeling bored, thinking where and what we're heading towards, thinking about the losses, the stress that comes along because you want to support your team but cant help as the stores are shut. There are salaries and rents to be paid, it is a huge loss to the business. But given the current situation it is a lot of quality time with family. I think I have adapted well to the situation", states Bollywood's most-loved couturier Manish Malhotra. 

Adding, "I have concentrated on working on my weight loss, which is something I have been wanting to do for the past three years. And also a lot of introspection... 30 years of working in the movies, 15 years of label, non-stop work non-stop travel. I have been thinking of what things I am yet to, or want to, or must done now."

The designer who is home-sheltering in Mumbai states, "I have continued working towards that, and keeping myself occupied. I continue to be disciplined, I wake up very early and get ready. I have converted a small space at home into an office, prominsing myself of doing little bit of work and skimming through the phone on breaks. It is all about clearing the clutter from mind." 

Besides coping with personal aspects of the lockdown, it is also important o take care of the mental well-being of the karigars, artisans and design teams in the office, workshops and at the grassroot level to mobilise their skills and to boost moral, say industry experts.

"At times it easy to cope with our own stress because we know our highs and lows but to communicate with your team is as important as went through these times. I realised that the design team and merchandisers, along with us are on the same page as we share ideas, at times we are doing it through technology, calls, etc. At that juncture you get to know them as colleagues, but in the current situation you get to know them as individuals, that is, on personal level. Now in the current scenario, we get know our likes, dislikes, preferences on a different level," says designer Anjana Bhargav.

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