What does it take?

The QUESTION THAT undoubtedly tickles the minds of almost everybody across the social spectra from the socialite to the journalist, from the fashion conscious to the upcoming struggling designer, from the bored housewife to the top brass CEO, is: What does it take to be a success in Indian fashion?

What is that super right combination, what's the "IT" formula, the oomph factor that makes one succeed in this constantly changing world of style and stamina?

What ratios of brains, talent, luck and wheeling dealing does it take to make a mark in the industry and create a product that people think is meaningful enough to buy into and a brand that they feel is worth their while to invest in.

The first sign is the taste and design experience that is reflected in one's work. Taste no doubt varies from person to person but there is no denying that good taste, when presented creatively, will never remain hidden.

Every designer has a story to tell about how some great chance led them to prominence. Timing, it is said, is everything in life, and this stands true for fashion too. Luck has ideally been the unofficial sponsor for a lot of fashion designers over the last decade.

When luck and good timing cross paths, the wind beneath the wings picks up and one begins to rise effortlessly. This phenomenon creates visibility and opportunity, and no other profession prides itself of this luxury.

Timing and luck aside, there are other high-powered catalysts that can play a "silently vocal" role in propelling a designer to prominence "" a stylist, photographer, a fashion editor who chooses the outfit for a cover shot, a prominent muse working magic in your creation, or even the major-domos who have a say as to what is in, hot and upcoming.

Talent is critical, and the only way to really find out who is talented, is to look at the track record and see the level of consistency the individual has maintained as a whole, more importantly from your perspective.

The more original and commercially viable one's work, the more talented the designer is. In essence, creativity coupled with a keen business sense is a great card to have. Talent is an inborn virtue and is of prime value, it cannot be bought or sold, but business sense can no doubt be harnessed and the combo can easily be translated into revenue.

Innovation is a tool that is used by the designer to add a sense of freshness in their output, giving a new meaning to something that has intermittently been created a million times.

Personal traits that give an edge to one over the other no doubt include attitude which unconsciously waters down to the brand and what it stands for.

Personal vision and the desire to grow consistently while maintaining quality and value of work give the strength to carry on in a battlefield of competition while being a good orator definitely helps build goodwill and open doors to new opportunities.

Hand and brain coordination translates into big business as the ability to transform 2D ideas into 3D, from blueprint to tangibility, allows mere sketches and concepts to turn into revenue.

There is no doubt that behind a successful designer there is a thriving team without which he or she is just an island.

Truly speaking, it's a bit tough to put your finger on the correct button and expect a revelation in terms of "this is the prescription to success" "" it's a bit like the Coke formula "" you have to keep guessing but no doubt once you taste it, you're just that little step closer to getting it right!