Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss India, Miss Maharashtra, Miss Mumbai -- talent hunts for the glib and the gorgeous have elbowed those who dress up these globe-conquering supermodels into the shadows.

Finally, it's here -- an all-India talent hunt for aspiring fashion designers, which turns the focus on those who create the designs that rule the ramp. Presenting this first-of-a-kind fray are Fashion TV, Wigan & Leigh College, and Femina Girl magazine.

Announced in April, the talent hunt accepts entries until May 14 at Wigan & Leigh centres in New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Indore and Bangalore. The winners will be announced on May 30 at Chimera 2003, the annual fashion show hosted by W&L College in Mumbai. Fashion TV will telecast the event.

"We are interested in investing in the future of fashion in India," says Anita Horam, head of creative and programming services, FTV. "In India fashion is seen as entertainment at best. We are working to change that through this talent search. Fashion can be a serious career option."

The contest reaches out to aspiring fashion designers aged 18 to 22, with a minimum eligibility of higher secondary education. Interested contestants should have no formal background in fashion design. 

"This talent hunt will prove to be an ideal platform for identifying and promoting young talent," says Vinay Pasricha, director, Wigan & Leigh College, India. "Wigan & Leigh College will enable them with the requisite skills to find their place in the dynamic and shimmering fashion industry."

Candidates are required to apply to a governing board at the institute, submitting personal details and a statement of their desire to pursue a career in fashion technology. They should also submit a theme-based design incorporating the FTV logo, as well as outline a business plan to promote their design in the fashion market.

Shortlisted contestants will have to appear for an interview and aptitude test at W&L centres, where a panel of eminent fashion professionals, W&L faculty, and FTV personnel will judge them on the basis of creativity and commercial viability.

"This is not a competition, but a scholarship," asserts Nutan Kajabaje, senior faculty of fashion technology at W&L's Mumbai campus. She adds that each centre expects to receive more than 200 entries by May 14.

Winners will be eligible for a scholarship to study fashion technology at any of the five W&L institutes. In all, 50 scholarships are on offer -- 100 per cent scholarships worth Rs 252,000 each for the five toppers, 50 per cent scholarships worth Rs 126,000 each for 10 selected candidates, and 25 per cent scholarships worth Rs 63,000 each for the remaining 35 selected candidates.

"We will track each student's progress and growth," insists Horam, adding that Fashion TV will provide limited publicity to the winning creations. Winners will go on to join the W&L family.

Wigan & Leigh College, a 150-year-old government-funded further education institution in the United Kingdom, also offers courses in management studies, advertising, graphic design, marketing communications and media studies to 2,000 students at its five centres in India.

Fashion awareness in India appears to augur well for the market, feels Horam. "Since its launch in India in December 2001, Fashion TV has grown as a brand," she says, adding that in Paris, where the channel is headquartered, fashion has "already evolved into a strong industry". She says her channel will work with the fashion fraternity in India and provide Indian designers with access to international markets.

While Horam believes the talent search will allow FTV to test the waters in a fledgling industry, Kajabaje is optimistic that it has the potential to be an annual affair. Meanwhile, budding designers have something to dream about.