Rarely is one quizzed about the business that he or she is supposed to be the master of. Sure, some of them acquit themselves rather well. But when they fail to answer some simple questions, the audience can prove to be more knowledgeable and smart.
Fashion galvanised the ambience of the hall at The Renaissance, Mumbai, as India Fashion Forum (IFF) 2008 became occasion for a clash between teams from their respective brands, as the mind-sport challenged their limits of knowledge about the business.
With showman quizmaster Derek O’ Brien testing the depth and extent of fashion knowledge of representatives of the fashion industry (though he accepted being an untaught in this sector), the quiz promised to be “all about fashion and a little bit of fun.”
Teams of two each from various brands – among them, Pantaloons, Benetton, Forbes Group, Brand House Retail, Provogue and Triumph – fought each other out through six rounds.
The first round was called S (small), the reason being the questions carried five marks (considered to be small).
THROUGH THE WRINGER
Question: Find the connections between: Goa state traffic police, Vasco Sports Club of Goa, and Goa Tourism Development Corporation.
Answer: Wendell Rodrigues designed the uniforms for all three organisations.
Question: The popular name of the apparel worn three inches above the knees in Somers Isles.
Answer: Bermudas.
Question: Why bandanas are called bandanas?
Answer: Because they are dyed in the colour called bandhni or bandana in Hindi. (None of the teams could answer the question. The answer came from the audience.)
Question: What is usually measured in LIGNE’S?
Answer: The size of buttons. (This, again, came from the audience. The person who answered, quipped Derek, must have felt the effect of corporate politics as he was left out of the Pantaloons team!)
Question: Due to a darker shade of gold and a lighter shade of silver, the butidar sari of Banaras is traditionally known as?
Answer: Ganga Jamuna sari. (According to Derek, actor Jaya Prada is seen in this sari when she hangs around Amar Singh.)
Question: According to legend, which tailless jacket is named after a village in New York?
Answer: Tuxedo.
ROUND SECOND (now it’s time for medium-size marking with ten marks for every correct answer)
A brand name is broken into two visual clips, and the teams have to decipher the brand name. A clip showing a ‘tie’ on one part and girls showing ‘ten’ on the other side were shown. The brand name Titan came out from the two visuals.
Team Pantaloons were the only ones who could crack the puzzles.
ROUND THREE (15 points for each correct answer)
Question: The new logo of Jet Airways is inspired by an accessory. What is that?
Answer: A dupatta.
Question: Which was the first accessory to have a Ralph Lauren brand name?
Answer: Tie.
Question: One word for a lightweight fabric made of silk and synthetic filament with a pink texture used for womenswear.
Answer: Chiffon.
Question: Who in 1994 initiated the fashion of wearing the Madiba shirt in parliament in an African country?
Answer: Nelson Mandela.
Question: The officials of which organisation are often credited with coining the term ‘United Colors of Benetton’?
Answer: United Nations.
Question: Which famous expression was coined by singer Justin Timberlake after an incident during the Super Bowl in 2004?
Answer: Wardrobe malfunction.
ROUND FOUR was a visual round wherein the contestants were asked questions on the visuals that were shown.
ROUND FIVE was a video and audio round wherein the teams were asked each question in two parts.
ROUND SIX, the last round, was a buzzer round; this round offered +10 marks for the correct answer and -10 for an incorrect one.
Question: Mary F Jacob was the first to patent which item of clothing named from the old French word for ‘upper arm’?
Answer: The bra.
Question: In Rig Vedic times, which four-letter thread was known to adorn the clothes of the gods?
Answer: Zari.
Question: Domenico and Stefano are the first names of which fashion brand.
Answer: Dolce and Gabbana.
Question: In which Asian country are 60 per cent of the world’s buttons made?
Answer: China.
Question: Which was the first social labelling scheme in India?
Answer: Rugmark.
Question: The only Asian to head a French fashion label?
Answer: Ritu Beri.
Question: Which two-word French phrase is protected by law and defined by the Chambers of Commerce, Paris?
Answer: Haute couture
Question: Which scarf-like clothing was previously worn by priests and bishops?
Answer: Stole
Question: In Bareilly district, which type of embroidery is manufactured by about 25,000 families?
Answer: Zardozi.
The winner was team Pantaloon, who scored 140 points, while the runners-up title was achieved by team Benetton.
However, as mentioned earlier, it is an interesting insight that most of the answers came from the audience. An acknowledgement of their knowledge and enthusiasm is, hence, duly deserved.
