Despite news that the Bangalore Fashion Week may not be able to take place, the show started on Thursday as planned.
It had been reported that Dream Merchants, the organisers of the week, hadn’t bought ‘adequate licenses’ for playing music during the fashion shows.
Consequently, the Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL), the apex music licensing arm of the Indian music industry, obtained an injunction by the Delhi High Court against them and the Interncontinental Hotel Group.
The injunction meant that during the fashion week, which will go on till February 5, no music administered by the PPL can be played since that would amount to music copyright infringement.
Sowmya Chowdhury, country head for PPL, told us, “The Bangalore Fashion Week is a habitual offender. They’ve now told us that they’ll not play our music, but how can you have a fashion show or a fashion week party without popular songs like “Kolaveri Di” or “Ooh La La”? We will monitor their shows closely to see if they are defying the injunction. We’ll not do anything during the event, but will only decide our course of action post February 5.”
However, Feroz Khan, creative director, Dream Merchants, told us, “They can’t take action against us. They’ve been speaking to our designers and telling them stories, but we know we are not in the wrong. PPL has about 200 labels under their ambit, but it’s not mandatory for me to play only the music they have. I’ve paid the licence fee to a company named Novex Communication Pvt Ltd, which has 5-6 labels under it. Our DJs are also creating their own music. Why should I pay lakhs for the PPL license when I don’t need their music? My requirement’s limited and that’s what I’ll pay for. Also, the order from the Delhi High Court clearly says that we’ll not use music administered by the PPL, which we’ll abide by, and they in turn will not derive mileage out of this issue. Why are they still forcing us to pay the license fee?”
Among others, Delhi designer Ritu Beri is participating at the fashion week, doing the grand finale.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> Collections> Life & Style> Fashion / by Garima Sharma / TNN / February 03rd, 2012