In the arts, being talented doesn’t guarantee success; without some form of marketing, the most brilliant of fashions, books, or paintings will end up in a drawer or closet gathering dust unless the public gets the chance to see them. Fashion shows are the most common way for fashion designers to show off their wares, and in these cases the invited audience usually filled with the rich and famous—virtually guaranteeing that the fashions presented will become well-known.

But one marketer in Bangalore, India, is bringing fashion to the people through a venture called Spoilt, which encourages designers from all across the country to exhibit their latest fashions in a variety of unexpected venues called pop-up stores. In late November, for example, the locale was an Italian restaurant and pub called Spiga in Bangalore, which showcased garments, purses, jewelry, shoes, and menswear brought by designers from Delhi, Bombay, Kolkata (Calcutta), and Bangalore.

Spoilt co-founder Anshu Juneja explains that a pop-up store brings the best designer goods to places consumers least expect it. “We usually keep our stores at malls or restaurants. People here carry their alcohol and browse…we are bringing the shops to them.”

One of the participating designers, Diksha is enthusiastic about the marketing concept, believing it is good for consumers and an excellent way for young, up and coming designers to showcase their talents by bringing in a sample of styles. Customers who place order will have the design custom made for them.

In addition to styles inspired by Indian culture, American and western European influenced fashions are also presented. According to designer Seema Boyd, interest level in the pop-up store idea was high, and a significant number of younger consumers were just as interested in more traditional Indian styles as they were in western designs.

That observation is indicative of the growing Indian fashion industry in places like Bangalore and Kolkata. The very first fashion week in India occurred in 2000. Since then, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has worked to put the country on the haute couture map. Now, New Delhi hosts two fashion weeks, one each in the spring and fall. The autumn 2001 event featured more than 175 designers. There are also regional events in Kolkata and Bangalore, making India one of the fashion industry’s more vibrant markets.