The ideal ‘millinery look’

By Sarosh Medhora

DURING the year gone by, if there was one fashion development Indians could be proud of it has been in the area of originality. For once, designers were looking "inwards" for inspiration and are now, increasingly moving away from what amounted to mere cataloguing of western designs.

The only explanation for this outburst of creativity was the invasion of major international brands. With Pierre Cardin and Versace within arm’s reach, there was no way they could get away with strenuous imitations.

So if Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla are reinventing zardosi on Banarasi silks, Rohit Bal has turned his attention on flamboyant gowns and headgear for 1999. Similarly, Wendell Rodricks has stopped flirting with East-West fusion wear and is now at home with salwars and kurtas.

Popular Bombay boutiques like Melange and Ensemble are reporting an unprecedented demand for boot-cut trousers, cigarette pants, embroidered nets and chiffon. Madonna seems to have reintroduced mehndi in the Indian psyche as both genders are sporting serpent and sun designs.

Antique and silver ornaments are making an impact in the form of oxidised chokers, armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings and anklets. Also in casual and party wear, minis and double-layered outfits are fast replacing hipsters.

A significant trend in women’s wear is the rising popularity of the sheer white shirt with contrasting undergarment showing through. For men, the showing of underwear labels has become the norm.

On a formal level though, clothes are turning out to be simple, classy and understated. Grey, navy, brown dark burgundy, olive and the quintessential black should dominate the scene in 1999. Designers like Bhairavi Jaikishen and Azeem Khan are recommending long flowing linen gowns with a "bohemian look". This amounts to combining with light pistachio or ivory French lace shirts with caviar beads and swarovski crystals.

The latest to hit the market is Morroccan boat neck with cowl back gowns and red French lace short dresses with crystal and wooden bead work. Khan is projecting these as ideal evening wear in Indian conditions. There are also one-piece gowns in velvet and lycra, besides suede tops, while for men, double-breasted blazers and trousers in peach twill are indicative of the times to come. For once, nobody is talking about ethnic wear for men.

For women’s wear however, ethnicity is finding expression in the revival of embroidery and painting crafts, the latest being katav kam — a reverse reverse hand applique, hand block printing and hand embroidery form popular in Ahmedabad. This is usually done on a hand-woven tussar silk outfit and embellished with phul butis and mukaish work. Quite often, the embellishments are interspersed with kantha quilting thereby presenting a rich canvas for Indian crafts.

Funnily though, in western outfits this obsession with the traditional crafts has disappeared altogether. Even basic embroidery, which was used to transform standard western clothes into fusion wear, is being spurned. Instead, factors like headgear (including hats) collar shapes and hemline levels have become prime concerns of designers. According to them, experimentation with these variables is the only way to lure Indian women into buying new clothes every season.

So from micro-minis and hot pants that leave nothing to imagination, there are knee-length skirts that are quite sedate or sporty, depending upon the garment they are teamed with. Calf-length skirts are also a rage, but at the floor level, the hemline is rated at its regal best.

As for headgear, the latest and most popular is the baseball cap teenagers sport. But there are also designer plumage added to hats, as also ribbons and Nehru caps teamed with sarees and salwar kameezes.

Some designers like Tarun Tahiliani and Suneet Varma have adopted what is described as "art deco headgear" that ranges from a sophisticated and definitely feminine look with slender twirls and artistic foliage to slightly wacky creations like skullcaps, berets and squashed velvet top hats.

However, at the end of the day, nothing can quite beat the appeal of a light perm that keeps a good hairstyle in place without much professional help. With a well-scrubbed face and very little make-up, designers are seeking to project the ideal "millinery look" of 1999. — MF