Nidhi Taparia

Fashion pundits are fickle. While they balked at the mention of dotcoms a year ago, they're launching them with as much enthusiasm as a new fashion trend today. Take Styletantra.com, for example -- just-launched, with 800 pages devoted to fashion, style, beauty, and sections on fashion advice, designer speak, make up tricks, new faces, and more.

The difference, here, is in the credentials. Styletantra's backed by the man with the Midas touch, Dhiren Shah of Sheetal. On the panel are the who's who from the beauty, fashion and makeup industry, headed by Wendell Rodricks, who is Chief Organising Officer, with designers Hemant Trivedi, Manish Malhotra, Suneet Verma, Image Consultant Prasad Bidapa, Photographer Atul Kasbekar, Make Up expert Mickey Contracter, Jamuna Pai, and Ramma Bans.

Talking about the site at its glitzy launch, Wendell Rodricks, the Chief Organising Officer, said, "What makes this site different is that, for the first time, we have such a professional team from the industry backing it up. Unlike other sites, which just have mini sections on fashion, beauty or make-up, we are completely devoted to spreading style and fashion throughout the country. Besides, with Indian fashion and models exploding on the International scene, this is the perfect time to provide a universal platform. We want anybody who would like to showcase any talent -- whether it is in modelling, fashion or photography, to be provided an opportunity through our site."

The accent is as much offline, as it is online, continues Rodricks. "We are adding brick to the click. In the pipeline are seminars, workshops, and eight online courses covering various subjects conducted for those looking for a breakthrough in any of these fields. Ecommerce activity will begin early next year with exclusive merchandise designed by the panel of experts, whether it is Hemant Trivedi's pert-a-porter line or Jamuna Pai's skin care products. Also, new faces will be groomed, taught, photographed and given the push on to the stage." To this, Atul Kasbekar added, "We are the different George Bernard Shaws who will script Pygmalion!"

Each one on the panel seems excited by the role they will play. Says Mickey Contractor, the makeup expert who is looking forward to teaching and sharing his skills, "I am a part because I want the make-up profession to be recognised. This is my way of doing something for it, and reaching out to all who may be interested in making it their profession. It is a tough project because there is a lot of fragmentation, egos and creative issues that divide, but one wouldn't get anywhere without ambition, right?"

For Atul Kasbekar, who is a part of three other dotcoms and also has his own site, he climbed on to the bandwagon because he enjoys working with the set of people behind the site. "We may be ahead of our time, but that is good. The fashion industry is very fragmented but this is a good attempt to bring it together. The reinvention of the wheel had to begin sometime, so why not with us?" Manish Malhotra, who has his own section on fashion and Bollywood with exclusive footage on lifestyles of the stars, agrees. "Also, it is essential to chronicle fashion down the years. Influence on cinema."

The last word goes to Prasad Bidapa, fashion impresario, who says, "As an Image consultant, not only do I take care of the image of models I groom, but also mine. And being associated with StyleTantra is definitely good for mine!"

The venture is ambitious, to say the least; the targets, high, with the site looking to break even by next year. Tushar Shah, the Chief Financial Officer, says, "We are looking forward to making money through the site right from day one. It's a revenue based model, not a valuation based one." He is also quick to point out though, that it is not an extension of the Sheetal brand name. "We are just extending our domain of expertise into this area. Besides, having been a part of the business, we know how difficult it is for newcomers to break in, so we are just using this medium to provide a platform and easy approachability for the masses."

The panel of experts are equity holders in StyleTantra.com, which, according to Shah, "increases their level of participation and interest." He refuses to reveal the amount pumped in, but adds, "Its been internally funded, and adequately at that. We are not looking at getting funds from outside. In fact, within six to eight months, we are also looking forward to getting all the big names aligned with the portal."

Isn't it a little late in the day to make an entry online? Apparently not. "When there is a bad patch, it's actually a good time to enter the industry."

For all the hype, StyleTantra.com does have its share of ragged edges. Most of the panel experts admit that they are not really computer savvy. Ask them about online courses they will offer, course content, and financial implications, and the answers are vague. Whether the experts will have the time to manage updating the site twice a week, as promised, also remains to be seen.

Industry watchers take it all with a healthy mix of excitement and cynicism. Sonia Singh, Marketing Manager, Lakme Products said, "I think it's different from the rest. It's not flippant. But I think ecommerce, as far as beauty products where there is such a strong issue of touch and feel involved, still has a long way to go!"

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