The India Fashion Week, in its fourth year, has succeeded in luring almost 350 buyers. ‘‘I’m looking for dreams and poetry. And I’m looking to be surprised and charmed by the talent of Indian designers,’’ says Armand Hadida, who runs the Paris boutique L’Eclaireur.

Hadida and his wife and business partner Martine are in the city, like many other foreign buyers, for the India Fashion Week.

In its fourth year, the India Fashion Week has lured in 350 buyers, (50 to 60 of whom are foreign). Most of them are already in Mumbai or will come in during the course of the week, hopefully bringing with them business opportunities for Indian designers.

Ammar Belal is the charming young guy behind the stylish ABCD, the label that has injected new life into the stodgy old Sarah’s retail empire. That’s quite an achievement for someone who majored in management, and whose only qualification in fashion is a short stint as an intern at Selfridges in London. But what Ammar lacks in professional training, he makes up for with his natural talent, intelligence, enthusiasm, and inherent love of clothes. These have helped ABCD become one of the most sought-after casualwear labels around. Walk into his outlet and check out the clothes: whether it’s the cut, the fit, or the styling, we dare you to not convert to ABCD-ism!

The fourth Lakme India Fashion Week in association with Liberty started here on Friday with great pomp and show but there were only a few catwalks — the fashion industry is focusing on how to get corporatised.

Fifty-eight designers showcased their work to 350 Indian and foreign buyers at the industry’s annual trade fair.

International buyers such as Selfridges, Celine, Marks and Spencers, Shoppers Stop and BE are watching the show from the sidelines.

This year, deals have been struck for an estimated Rs 25 crore, 25 per cent more than last year’s Rs 20 crore