After fighting a pitched battle for a marketshare in the FMCG space, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) and ITC are now vying for a major share in the Rs 10,000-crore fashion industry through their brands Lakme and Wills Lifestyle.

As ITC?s Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week came to an end in Delhi on Sunday, Lakme Lever kickstarted its fashion extravaganza ?Lakme Fashion Week? in Mumbai from Monday.

Last week, ITC Lifestyle had tied up with 10 leading fashion designers including Ashish Soni as part of its marketing strategy, said Atul Chand, divisional chief executive, Lifestyle Retailing Business, ITC Ltd.

?In the last six months, we have grown by 25%. In fact, 15% of our sales have come from these designerwears. We are now selling the special collections created by India?s leading designers at our retail outlets across the country,? said Chand. During the previous WFW, ITC tied up with Anamika Khanna, Rajesh Pratap Singh, among others.

?Lakme Fashion Week Spring Summer 2009? began with a big bang with 75 designers showcasing their work in Mumbai. Anil Chopra, advisor, Lakme, said, ?Lakme Fashion Week has significantly helped the company to build Lakme?s brand equity across the nation. We have learnt this through consumer feedback. Consumers always want to know what?s new in fashion. Our fashion week provides an ideal platform to showcase our new products and their brand prospects effectively.?

According to Chopra, the fashion event has also given the traditional Lakme brand a modern and a fashionable image.

?As you know, beauty and fashion go hand in hand. To suit new fashion trends, we come up with new products. During LFW, our new brands are showcased to catch consumers? attention,? said Chopra.

Echoing similar views, Chand said ITC?s sponsorship of WFW provides the company an ideal opportunity to tie up with leading fashion designers in India. ?With our collaboration, these designers create special collections which are sold at our retail outlets. Consumers now get access to designerwear at affordable prices at all our retail outlets in 30 cities across the nation,? he said.