The report of Bangalore-based Bidappa being held in Dubai for allegedly carrying marijuana comes as no surprise to the fashion world, with many saying that he was just plain unlucky to have been caught in the Middle East which has very stringent anti-drugs rules.

Several prominent designers and models that IANS spoke to said, on condition of anonymity, that drug use is such an integral part of the fashion industry that it is synonymous with high power glamour lifestyle.

"Fashion is like rock-n-roll," said a veteran fashion designer, who sells a lot of his clothes in the Middle East. "Can you imagine rock-n-roll without drugs? Fashion is a bit like that. A lot of the creative industries thrive on drugs because of their power to give a surreal dimension to things.

"A lot of people believe creativity comes from there," said the designer who laughingly suggested that the fashion fraternity took its cues from Howard Marks, the Oxford-educated, one-time major drug baron-turned-bestseller author and promoter of drug use.

In his books "Mr. Nice" and "The Howard Marks Book of Dope Stories", Marks fervently pushes the theory that drug use should be legalized like alcohol.

Many in the Indian, and international, fashion fraternity would certainly agree. It is well known that many models, both here and abroad, need a 'fix' to give them a high that they believe pushes their performance level.

"Drugs have been used by fashion designers and models right from day one," said an international stylist, who divides her time between India and the US. "Usually, everyone in the fraternity knows who is doing what. I know exactly which Indian fashion designer likes what and vice-versa, there is nothing hidden.

"Yes, many times drug-induced hallucinations have brought about alternative viewpoints and fuels creativity. Also certain drugs help people drop inhibitions and bring forth a new kind of attitude on the runway and in their work.

"I've heard some designers claim that they spoke up when they need to come up with something brilliantly original."

Many models use drugs to overcome runway fear. The stress of walking down into the glaring light and pounding music can be quite intimidating and there are claims that drugs soothe the senses and help models do their high stress jobs better. There is one renowned woman model in India who almost never walks the runway without a sniff or two.

And then there are drugs in the glorious fashion parties where doping is almost synonymous to having a wild time and ecstasy is not just great happiness. In fact, the idea of using currency notes to sniff began at such parties.

"Fashion, being all about the lavish, luxurious and often the risqué, will always be associated with drugs, which are also all of the above," said one major designer. "As part of that business, drugs are and will be a part of our lives."

But others say that the connection between drugs and the fashion world is rather overplayed. "I disagree with the thought that all fashion designers do drugs," said designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh. "There are many who just concentrate on their work, run their households and stay as far away from drugs as anybody else."