It won India’s heart on August 19, its first day, as the opening event hosted by the Gitanjali Group, the integrated diamond manufacturer, jewelry manufacturer and retailer that owns a whole raft of Indian and international brands, came out strongly in support of the Beti campaign.

 

Beti is an initiative run by Anu Ranjan and Gr8 magazine that is aimed at eradicating the horrific practice of female foeticide and countering violence against women in general.The campaign has embarked on a drive to generate all the funding necessary for Sonali Mukherjee, the victim of a terrible acid attack in Jharkhand, to have the reconstructive and plastic surgery that will enable her to lead a normal life.

 

Gitanjali has not only donated to the cause, but it dedicated its IIJW opening event to it. With a staggeringly long line-up of film and television personalities walking the ramp to showcase Gitanjali’s Envi and Nizaam jewelry lines, the event grabbed countrywide media attention. Adding to the draw was the fact that Hema Malini was the chief guest.

 

Following the high-intensity opening show, the IIJW then continued to deliver show after show of extremely high quality events, many featuring well-known names from films, television and fashion. The event went on over five days, climaxing as the official after-show event on the first day of the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS).

 

The IIJW came about as the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) realized first of all that despite huge advances in the way it designed and developed jewelry from scratch, the world still didn’t accept India as anything more than a production outsourcing centre for jewelry. The “Made in India” label carried no value in global markets.

 

Something had to be done to change that. India had to be recognized as a one-stop destination that not only cut and polished diamonds and gemstones and then set them into well-manufactured jewelry, it also was capable of driving global trends with innovative design and product development.

 

The GJEPC also realized that despite the resounding success of the IIJS, all that was happening was that the middle section of the gems and jewelry pipeline was being stimulated. There nothing being done to excite the end consumer about jewelry and create a strong build-up of demand that would ensure a healthy flow through the pipeline.

 

The IIJW, a fashion week type of concept, featuring a series of ramp walks displaying product, was seen as the answer to both problems. By ensuring foreign buyer and media presence, the GJEPC was able to begin getting the message out to the international industry that India is a formidable design talent and is capable of driving global market trends. The IIJW adds value to the “Made in India” label.

 

Through the involvement of film, television and fashion celebrities, the show caught the imagination of the Indian consumer and like all fashion week concepts, created a buzz about the products that were worn and paraded by them.

 

The adoption by Gitanjali of a social cause has served to enhance the emotional draw of the event. Gitanjali Chairman Mehul Choksi observed, “As a socially concerned corporate citizen, Gitanjali has taken up different initiatives for the empowerment and uplift of socially underprivileged sections of society.”

 

He went on to say, “We are now extending our support and involvement to a new sector by espousing the cause of women who have been discriminated against. Through Beti, Gitanjali will identify causes in need of a voice and assistance, and will conduct events throughout the year across cities to raise funds for them.”

 

Sonali Bendre with Anand and Kanti Shah

 

Adding some more institutional weight was the Jaipur Jewllery Show (JJS) that took part as an umbrella group that presented a group of jewelry design and manufacturing talent from Jaipur. Further, it being the 60th anniversary of Indo-Japanese trade relations, Infiniti Creations showcased some remarkable Japanese jewelry design and fabrication talent.
 

Having run at high energy through the week, event climaxed in a grand finale on August 23. The grand finale featured a “Best of the Best” fashion parade that showcased the best piece from every designer and jewelry manufacturer that participated in the IIJW.

 

The wrap-up show delivered a high-voltage performance featuring Bollywood stars and playback singers that was aimed at the Indian consumer. The heavy press and television coverage of the event ensured that the GJEPC got a great deal of mileage in its attempt to step outside its customary business-to-business promotions and directly target the consumer.

 

Ever since De Beers stopped its umbrella diamond promotion campaigns worldwide – its efforts in India created an appetite for diamonds where previously there was almost no penetration – the GJEPC has been concerned that jewelry as a product category is steadily having its market share eaten into by a whole slew of other heavily promoted products, particularly consumer electronics. The IIJW helped rekindle that lost spark within the country while also engendering the idea internationally that the “Made in India” jewelry label is something that delivers lasting value.

 

In all, the IIJW featured 50 designers and 33 shows. There were 20 new names among the participants and the event turned out to be a great platform for the gem and jewelry industry’s emerging talent.

 

Among the Bollywood stars walking the ramp at the grand finale was Sonam Kapoor, who is the GJEPC’s brand ambassador for jewelry and had also opened the event alongside Hema Malini. As it wrapped up, it became clear that the IIJW is now an annual event that is way up on the Indian fashion calendar with the likes of the Lakme Fashion Week.

 

A measure of the event’s success, the GJEPC said, was that an extremely high percentage of the participants had already said they wanted to sign up for next year – as did many big-ticket jewelry brands that had hitherto stayed away.