Leave aside the top beauty pageant or fashion shows, even if you have attended the fashion show at any college fest, you would notice that they rarely play Bollywood songs when the models are walking down the ramp. The bigger the fashion event, the lesser is the probability that Bollywood music will be played on any Indian fashion runaway. Here we take a look at the reasons…straight from the mouth of the top fashion designers.
Most fashion designers are of the opinion that hindi movie songs tend to ‘distract’ the audience, whereas some feel that they just don’t go along with the mood of the collection (nobody used the word ‘less classy’ but I guess that what’s they probably meant).
But Bollywood songs have been used by designers in the past at fashion galas. Designers like Rohit Bal have used popular Hindi film tracks, much to the audience’s delight, but that trend has been on the decline in recent years.
At the BMW India Bridal Fashion Week, “Jaanisaar'” actress Pernia Qureshi opened ace designer Suneet Varma’s show by walking the ramp to the film’s track “Hamein bhi pyar kar le”, but that was probably done as part of promotion of the film, and its a very rare sight at fashion show nowadays.
Why not use chart-topping Hindi film songs instead for fashion shows?
Designers believe that Bollywood songs are “distracting and take away the attention from the collection”.
Music sets an atmosphere for their collection which they want the audience to absorb. Playing a blockbuster from the movies might disturb that aura. And that is why designers avoid movie songs.
Some fashion designers, on the other hand, are open to using film songs but only for “dramatic” clothes. There too, the Indian songs are fused with Hollywood film soundtracks to create new kind of music.
Why not use chart-topping Hindi film songs instead for fashion shows?
For most designers, whose style are usually feminine and European, western classical music or a similar music genre (and not Bollywood) makes a perfect fit for their fashion shows.
Designers opt for Instrumental music, jazz, original soundtrack, western classical, live and more, and less of Bollywood.
Bollywood stars agree with the trend
The idea of catwalking to the tunes of artists from across the globe gels well with Bollywood stars.
Richa Chadha, a frequent showstopper at fashion weeks, says “Fashion designers are keen on developing the image of the star as a fashion icon, and to try to incorporate the image of the star with the perception of the brand.
“Hence they try not to go the Bollywood way, so that the focus doesn’t shift from fashion. In fact, I prefer that they use no filmy songs so that the experience on the ramp is enhanced.”
