Sidharrth Behera is a dynamic entrepreneur recognized as one of Times 40 Under 40, with a leadership role in several ventures. He is the founder of TipsyTale, Director of Operations at Global India Couture Week (GICW), and Founder/Director of BPFH Academy.

He, alongside Managing Director Satyajit Mohanty, Sidharrth has transformed GICW into a global platform, where designers showcase their talents, including our Sri Lankan design stars. The event continues to foster international partnerships. With four successful years, it’s great to see a lineup of Sri Lankan designers making their international debut on a phenomenal stage like this.

1. What first drew you into the fabulous world of fashion—did you get lost in the glitz, or were you just tired of regular clothes?

For me, it was neither.
Neither was I drawn to glitz and glamour nor was I bored of the regular clothes because, for me, both of them have their own space in the market. Instead what drew me to this world was the play of fabrics, prints, embroideries and all the creativity that goes into creating such a variety of garments. I got to see the craftsmanship and learn about the artisans who put their hours of labour and skills passed down through generations which unfortunately is not getting its due respect on a global platform. That was what drew me to this world to create such a platform which would give space to such creators and artisans to showcase their work, which in turn would impact the fashion industry at a very grass root level, and hopefully bring some change in the entire value chain rather than just the end product which a consumer receives in a typical fashion show. 

For almost the past 20 years now, India has had many big designers already showcasing their collections but with GICW we wanted to create a platform to give opportunity to other designers and brands who are looking for a platform to present their creations. 

2. Fashion has this magical way of making the world feel smaller—like a cosy cashmere scarf! What’s it like playing style ping-pong with designers from across the globe?

Every thread, every fabric, every handloom, and every embroidery that appears on a piece of garment has its own value.  Working with designers all across the globe not only gave me an understanding of how this value chain works but also gave me high respect towards the artisans, the craftsmen and the team who work behind the scenes in making a designer's vision come to reality. I got to understand in depth all the hours of hard work that goes into making that one piece of garment that we see on the runway and how the audience gets to admire that artwork. So, yes fashion does have a magical way of presenting things is how I would like to put it but it's not about making the world feel smaller or bigger for that matter.

Working with designers from all across the globe for the past four years has made me see things from both the organizer's perspective and also from the designer's perspective, every collection presented is influenced by the designer's culture, heritage and the craftsmanship of their country and the global world of fashion has yet to explore this. 

3. Sri Lanka’s been strutting down its fashion runway in recent years. How’s it been working with our local talent? And do you think the next big designer could be hiding right here on our island?

We have been working with Sri Lankan designers for the past four years, the amount of raw talent and variety that I have seen coming from Sri Lanka does put me in a very confident position to reinstate my core belief behind starting GICW which is that true genius can come from anywhere and everywhere. So, yes, I do believe talent is not limited to the demography of a location, instead, it is purely based on how free the mindset of the creator is in terms of coming up with the design which could be the next 'it' thing or a viral sensation. 

4. Global India Couture Week is like the Oscars of fashion—how would you describe this dazzling week of glamour and glitter?

Firstly, thank you for comparing GICW to the Oscars of fashion but we have just started our journey. There is this very famous line in the poem, " Miles to go before I sleep", every member of GICW believes in this and works with the same attitude. What the audience gets to experience is the hard work of a minimum of 6 months and a team of around 300 people coming and contributing their bit to make this vision of ours come to life in creating this week of glitz and glamour. For us, it's not just a fashion week but a platform where we want to bring on board Indian and international designers who can experience each other's creations and exchange their views and values. 

5. Small businesses are like the unsung heroes of the fashion world, keeping old-school crafts alive. What’s your advice for them to become the next big thing without losing their roots?

For this season of GICW, the focus was around cultural heritage and sustainability; we wanted to bring forward the forgotten textiles and shift the focus on the variety and selection of handloom fabrics, giving a platform to the brands and designers who are working in keeping the age-old crafts alive and working towards the sustainable future. We totally believe this is the way to go and will continue to keep our focus on such designers and brands. 

6. Have you been keeping an eye on Sri Lankan designers? What’s your take—are we on the cusp of something huge in fashion, or is it all just catwalk chatter? 

As mentioned earlier, we have been working with Sri Lankan designers for the past 4 years and have had the opportunity to witness a variety of designers showcasing their creativity on our platform, I wouldn't say it's on the cusp of becoming something huge in fashion, but, with some push and recognition, the Sri Lankan designers who are already doing their work will get their due recognition. The talent already exists, we just need the world to be aware of them and start recognizing that talent and that is what GICW is all about. 

7. So, what’s cooking for next year’s GICW? Can we expect some jaw-dropping couture moments, or are you keeping us in suspense?

Next year is all about taking things a notch up, that has been our goal since day one of GICW. In terms of sharing, I would like to keep things in suspense for now. 

8. Ever thought about taking the show on the road, beyond India? I mean, why not let the world have a taste of the GICW magic?

As of now, the variety of designers and creators who are looking forward to showcasing their work is so vast that our prime focus is to ensure that we continue to bring those brands and designers forward. But for the future, anything and everything is possible. 

9. Do you think there’s still room on the fashion scene for new brands to break through, or is the catwalk getting a little crowded?

Absolutely not, the very birth of GICW was to give the opportunity to new talent, keywords being talent and creativity. Our core belief revolves around providing opportunities to showcase a collection of designers based on their creativity we are very open to bringing on board upcoming and new designers.

As for the second part of your question, if you think that the ramp is overcrowded, it actually means that there is a market and opportunity. Apart from us (GICW), in the last two years, in India itself many other platforms have come up to give newer designers such opportunities. At the end of the day, it is all about giving designers and brands a value proposition in which they get their due mileage out of a fashion show.