Chennai: No longer can Mumbai and Delhi claim to be the home for fashion designers and fashion shows. Increasingly southern cities like Bangalore and Chennai dot India’s fashion show map. And the South India Fashion Weekend 2003, to be held at Le Royal Meridian Hotel here on 25 and 26 January 2003, is one such show.

The two-day fashion show will showcase the creativity of 12 South-based designers, and is directed by Hemant Trevedi, the hottest name in fashion industry today. Trevedi, a fashion stylist, choreographer and a design professor, was the one who designed the winning wardrobes of beauty queens like Aishwarya Rai (Miss World 1995), Diana Hayden (Miss World 1998). For the past nine years he is part and parcel of Miss India contests.

On the South India Fashion Weekend’s ramps will be some of the country’s top models like Sheetal Mallar, Shweta Jaishankar, Netra Raghuraman, Maheswari, donning the southern creations and walking down the ramps.

“The idea was incredible — showcasing the creativity of southern designers — and I immediately agreed,” says Trevedi. Though the event is to showcase the designs of southern designers, on display will be a cross-section of styles, Indian and western.

“The even will showcase the best designs from this part of the country,” says M Krishnatmaa, a designer and the co-promoter of Ideas Unlimited, which organises the event.

When asked about the opposition to fashion shows from feminist organisations on the grounds of exploiting the female body, Trevedi argues that there are different levels of modesty and trends change. “Once upon a time swimsuits fully covered the body, but today it is bikini. The only way to please everyone is to wrap the models on the ramp in blankets.”

“To take care of the designers’ business interests, there will be stalls exhibiting their creations,” says R Sunil, co-promoter, Ideas Unlimited. Apart from entry tickets (Rs 3,000 which includes buffet dinner), stall rent and sponsorship are the other routes the company is taking to recover the event cost of Rs 26 lakh. “FTV, the fashion channel, is expected to cover the show in detail.”