The glitz and glamour of fashion extravaganzas in the city have dimmed a bit due to slimmer budgets in the wake of the economic downturn, according to industry experts.

Ramp shows are "still happening" but are being held "on tighter budgets" now, with all clients going in for cost-cutting measures.

Noted choreographer Prasad Bidapa, who does a minimum of two to three shows a week in the city, says the impact of the slowdown has been "minimal".

"Frankly speaking, the impact hasn't been much. I am still doing the same number of shows in city as well as outside Bangalore. However, the clients are definitely budget conscious and careful about the adspend", he said.

Prasad, in midst of rehearsals for his show in San Franciso next month denies any cuts in the modelling fees or the amount charged by choreographers as a result of the slump.

"I am still charging the same for my shows and also paying my models the same", he says.

Prasad says the fashion scene in the city is "buoyant and vibrant".

"Bangalore designers are doing quite well. They have a presence in not only more than six cities, their collections are picked up in large numbers not just by creme-de-la-crème but also the upper middle class," Prasad said.

Rahul Dev Shetty, a protege of Prasad who moved on from being one of the city's top models to choreography 12 years ago, says "the number of ramp shows has come down. We were doing four to five shows a month, it has scaled down to one, as far as high-end shows are concerned".

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