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Donatella Versace’s tryst with India
19th Mar 2005 19.30 IST
By Aparajita Ghosh

Fashion diva Donatella Versace is in Mumbai to select India’s top young designer in Lakme Fashion House. Besides, she is also getting a taste of Indian fashion, culture, food and hospitality.

It has been four days since Donatella came to India and the couture diva is impressed with the creativity, variety and the Indian ethnicity that reflects in fashion here. According to her, commercial considerations have not smothered the creative process of fashion in India.

Donatella went to shop for fashion items and accessories on her second day in Mumbai and found what she calls “hidden treasures in every corner of the store”. She purchased everything from belts, scarves to other accessories.

She also got a taste of Indian hospitality and food at a dinner hosted by socialite Parmeshwar Godrej. Donatella, who is known to be relatively shy, met and talked with Indian celebrities including fashion designers, filmstars and businessmen. She also expressed her wish to dress up actor Abhishek Bachchan , if given a chance.

The main purpose of Donatella’s visit here is to select a best young designer for Lakme Fashion House, a reality show on the Star One channel. She, along with Indian designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla , will be choosing one lucky winner who will get to display his/her collection at the forthcoming India Fashion Week on April 24, and also win an internship with Versace.

As part of the internship, the winner will get to assist Donatella in her next collection. The winner will also get an opportunity to market his/her designs under the brand name Versus.

Thousands of aspiring young designers applied for the contest, but only 16 were selected. In the episode to be telecast on Saturday-Sunday on Star One channel (9 pm), six designers have been eliminated and the remaining ten are still in the running.

The final episode of the show on April 3 will see more eliminations and the number coming down to six finalists out of which one lucky winner will be chosen.

Donatella has an advice for the contestants. “Don't forget your uniqueness lies in blending your cultural influences in your designs.”

Donatella also has good news for Indian fashion fraternity. Versace will be opening five fashion outlets in India by the end of year 2006.