By Nivedita
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS): David Abraham of brand Abraham & Thakore (A&T), whose designs have been acquired by Victoria & Albert Museum in London for its permanent collection, says he has no qualms if a local shopkeeper imitates his designs as he feels that's how fashion will move on.

Abraham is also happy that the concept of fashion weeks in the country has exploded and moved away from just being restricted to the elite class.

"I feel that the whole fashion week concept has just exploded in India. Initially, it was exotic and very rare... which appealed to few elite people, who bought trousseau and couture. Now, fashion is what everyone wears on streets," he told IANS at the ongoing Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW).

"People are buying clothes online, department stores, social medias. Fashion has become accessible now and touches all young people," he added.

Asked if fashion has become a mass market nowadays, he said: "If we talk about fashion as a mass market, designers and designer stores are creating a sensibility and style which creates impact on commoners. Anywhere in the world the designers who showcase are not easy to buy as they are quite expensive."

Of late, many designers are finding replicas of their designs amongst the local shopkeepers, who make the same designs at a low cost. But Abraham finds nothing wrong in it.

"That happens everywhere in the world and I feel that's how the fashion will move on. I think it's very positive. To be trendier, you have to follow something and I feel imitation is one word and inspiration is another.

"I will be happy if someone imitate what we do. It won't affect business as we as designer brand know how to bring the best. We have the skill and the way we do it is not possible for the mass market. Our collection can't be mass market," said Abraham.

A&T, known for fashion and accessories as well as textile products for the home, was initially established by David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, graduates of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad who were later joined by Kevin Nigli, a design graduate of NIFT New Delhi.

In late 2002, the first A&T shop was opened in New Delhi and since then, there has been no looking back. Their fashion and home textile collections were part of prestigious trade salons in Paris, namely Tranoi and Scenes D'Interieur at Maison & Objet.

The duo don't showcase their lines in every season of fashion weeks.

"For a show, we can only do that once in a year. We can't do it twice a year because we send about four months developing our collection. We do regular and commercial collections, but designing for the stall or for hanger, is a different exercise," he told IANS.

Any message for aspiring designers?

"I think they are fantastic. They are the best thing that has happened to the Indian fashion industry in three to four years," he said, and appreciates designs of Paromita Banerjee and CellDSGN.