It's time Asia rebranded itself

I WAS passing through New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport when the thought struck me that it would be fun - and impishly prudent - to steer well away from all that Hong Kong mall designer brand glitz to pick up something local, authentic, Indian and, above all, cheap. Not that I was being a skinflint.

After all (Mohandas Karamchand) Gandhi (the pre-eminent leader of the Indian independence movement) had shown the way to true thrift 50 years before - not that any Indian was listening - opting for simple homespun cotton over anything Harrods or Saks might trot out. The very same cotton and silk have returned to bite us with astronomically priced labels from Dior to Gucci.

But why pander to nouveau riche measures of friendship by the carat? That feeble preoccupation is a stupendous burden to both pride and pocket. I suddenly recalled, perhaps even fondly, how decrepit uncles and aunts would gather round at Christmas, having dug deep into their savings, to produce a pair of socks or a brace of handkerchiefs. "Santa sent this?" we'd chorus in dismay, trooping off sadly holding aloft our prizes as our parents thwacked our heads demanding a smile.