While jewellery was in focus at the second season of the five-day India International Jewellery Week (IIJW), the Bollywood quotient grabbed more eyeballs for the event.
Conceptualised by the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) in 2010, IIJW - that had actress Sonam Kapoor as its brand ambassador this year - had a strong Bollywood influence.
Each day witnessed at least three celebrities gracing the ramp, showcasing fine and opulent jewellery pieces.
From Hema Malini to Zeenat Aman, Bipasha Basu to Kangana Ranaut, many from Bollywood strutted down the ramp along with models.
Before the event concluded, it showcased designs of 35 jewellery designers and design houses that included Gitanjali, Amrapali, Tanishq, Rosily Paul, Agni and Lakshmi Jewellers, among others.
It was better organized this year with minimum delays in the beginning of the shows, better presentation, more glamour and better and more exquisite designs.
"We are happy by the way the event turned out to be. By and large, what we thought, we have achieved it because our participants are happy and our audiences are happy," said GJEPC chairman Rajiv Jain.
"This year we were more organized because last year was our first year and we had only three months to organize the show. This year we had the full year and secondly we were more experienced," he said.
"We worked on our shortcomings. Even the designers and all participants were totally geared up and on the whole we delivered what we thought," he added.
The aim of the event was to showcase India’s finest in jewellery, be it design, innovation, craftsmanship, technology or quality to the customers. The organizers are happy that they achieved what they set out to do.
Sonam’s name attached to the event gave it more publicity and attention.
"She added value to our event. She is a symbol of today’s youth, she is beautiful and charming. When she talks about jewellery, she talks like a jeweller. So we took the right decision by getting her on board as the brand ambassador," said Jain.
Since IIJW is not a business event, the amount of monetary benefits to participants cannot be calculated, but the platform gave them an opportunity to showcase their designs to a larger audience.
"This event is not for business. This was just for showcasing the collections. If a customer likes anyone’s collection, they can contact them and buy the pieces," Jain said.
The event saw delegates from different parts of the world, including from France, America, Italy, Hungry and Britain.
Actress Reese Witherspoon has been roped in as the new face of Swedish clothing company, Lindex. Witherspoon will front the fashion chain’s autumn advertising campaign to promote the label’s launch of the California Denim collection. "I have always loved denim and knitted garments which can be mixed and matched. The collection fits my lifestyle because I think it’s sophisticated enough to go to a business meeting but also casual enough to be at home with your family," said Witherspoon.
