NEW DELHI (AFP) — Organisers of India's leading fashion week said the event would finally open on Thursday 25 March after a missing fire permit forced the cancellation of all shows on the first day.

Photo: AFP

Designers, models, traders and the media waited in vain at the venue until late in the evening on Wednesday 24 March as police conducted a surprise check on the paperwork for the five-day Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi.

"The event will open on Thursday 25 March. We have the fire safety certificate now," said Bhavna Katyal, a member of the organising team.

Katyal said they had failed to obtain a certificate from the fire department showing that all safety arrangements were in place at the venue which led the police to order its closure.

The event, in its 15th edition this year, will feature 130 Indian designers showcasing their collections, and had eight shows planned on the opening day.

Among India's host of fashion events, the biannual India Fashion Week along with the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai are considered the most important events on the calendar.

Katyal said she was unsure how the cancelled shows would be rescheduled at the Okhla exhibition centre in the south of New Delhi.