For those who turned up at Phoenix MarketCity on Saturday, it wasn’t just another weekend at the mall. Visitors were surprised by the action on the first floor, where one portion was taken up to feature a fashion show showcasing the Autumn Winter collection by brands like Brooks Brothers, Steve Madden, Promod, Kenneth Cole, Guess, Aldo and more.
Choreographed by Marc Robinson, the show was unique in that the escalators were used as ramps for models. The fashion world veteran said, “Since we are focussing on high street fashion, I wanted it to be trendy and busy, with a zing that would make it feel good and glamorous. We set out to have a good time!” The models walked to popular tunes such as ‘Rude’ by Magic! and ‘Titanium’ by David Guetta ft. Sia, which Marc said was aimed at creating an instant connect with the audience. “Music is very important to me, so I tried and used different genres for each of the sequences.”
Cardigans, short skirts, palazzos and dresses were paired with funky accessories and boots for women. The men had more layered looks, featuring scarves, coats and sweaters. The make-up was minimal — straight, slicked-back hair, ponytails and red lips. The models included Aanchal Kumar, Candice Pinto, Meenakshi Rathore, Elena Roxana Maria Fernandes, Andzela Bosheska, Edna Gonzalez, Namit Khanna, Lakshya Lather, Vaibhav Anand and Narendra Kumar Mahala.
Talking about the fashion scene in Chennai, Marc said that it needed to permeate more, especially among the men. “When compared to Bangalore and Kolkata, men here have a lot of catching up to do. As with most places, the women are far better in terms of fashion and styling themselves,” he said, adding that fashion in public spaces will help make people more aware of what’s available in stores and what looks good when put together. “But it has to be a constant reminder; one fashion show will not change perceptions so easily,” he said.
While this was not the first fashion show hosted by the mall, it was the first one held inside the mall, even as stores went about business as usual. Noel Vessaoker, centre director, Phoenix MarketCity, Chennai, said, “We showcase only brands that are present here. September is when the new merchandise comes in after the July-August sales, so it was a good way to showcase the trends that are currently available, while focussing on clothes that will work for Chennai. We plan to host a show for every season; so the Spring Summer show will be held in February or March next year.”
