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Boby Kurian

BANGALORE, May 30

ARE international designers `misfits' for Indian apparel companies? The query assumes significance after the exit of Mr Stephen King from his Chief Designer's post at the Madura Garments. Mr King moved out as his contract with the leading apparel major was not renewed.

Mr King, now tipped to join Mexx in Sri Lanka, is the third expat designer to leave Madura Garments in recent times. He follows Mr Mark Bell, roped in as design architect for the company's retail plans, and Mr Antonio Pirredu, who worked with the company on the technical side to shape its foray into the suits market.

Mr King stayed on till his three-year contract expired and has had a slightly longer innings than the other two. A year ago, Raymond, the third largest apparel maker, terminated its contract with a Hong Kong-based design consultant and brought in an Indian to head its design studio.

The officials at Madura Garments remain tight-lipped on Mr King's exit and found nothing unusual in his contract not being renewed. The tenure of expat designers not being extended, is a normal practise, they pointed out. However, sources said, Mr King's departure came in the wake of his uneasy ties with key company officials and other designers who on occasions felt "overwhelmed" by him. The company said it has not yet decided on a replacement for Mr King and about future associations with expat designers.

Informed sources said that the communication gap between Mr King and the brand managers could not be bridged. The insinuations that normally plague international designers working in India — that their work was in isolation from what was happening in domestic mills and the local market — affected Mr King as well. Mr King, who once catered to the wardrobes of Elton John, Mick Jagger, Jack Nicholson, U2, Madonna and the Empress of Austria, played his part in the two major launches from Madura Garments in recent times - SF Jeans ad Allen Solly Womenswear.

Besides, there is also the issue of resident expat consultants being considered expensive and a drag on the bottomline just as apparel companies are emerging from back-to-back recessionary quarters due to weak consumer sentiments. "They are expensive, no doubt. But it is for each company - after giving due consideration to the budget - to decide whether foreigners are needed or not," said an industry official.

For instance, Mr Mark Bell was credited with some vigorous work in sprucing up Madura's visual merchandising and it was perhaps the expense of retaining his service that led to his exit from the company.

This may well have prompted Arvind Brands to associate with overseas freelance designers and pick design trends from them. The company, which has a team of nine fairly senior Indian designers, recently announced that it has tied up with Italy-based Renato Grande for Arrow brand. The company has similar association with UK-based Salli Deighton for Wrangler and there could be more in the offing for its other brands. While this works out as a less expensive route, the concerns regarding isolation from the local market psyche remains unanswered. The industry watchers said the companies should also take the blame for unsuccessful associations with expat designers as they bring in the latter without a clearly defined structure and a role for designers.

"The overall experience of Indian companies with international designers has not been very pleasant as they come in with a particular orientation and attitude. The rapport they strike with the Indian company varies with each individual," says an industry official who experimented with expats. For instance, in the late '90s, Madura profited from the work of Mr Sean Chilez who is credited with creating a design infrastructure for the company.

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