Some styles never die. Just as long skirts and jeans have survived all changing fashion trends in the USA and the kimono and scarves in Japan, sarees and salwar-kameez would thrive for all times to come in India, writes Anjana Sarin.

TROUSERS and shirts, for men, have clearly outlasted any other combination — dhoti-kurta, churidaar-kurta, sherwani-pants, even salwar-kameez. Comfort, convenience, versatility and a smart, western look have accounted for the staying power of the basic trouser-shirt combo.

What, however, keeps changing from time to time is the way designers have emphasised or underplayed certain elements like flares, pockets, collars and sleeves. Newer fabrics have emerged as have prints and textures, but the basic design and silhouettes remain unchanged.

Of the eternal classics, the white shirt with regular collars (as distinct from the botton-down and mandarin versions) has been a perennial favourite with the urban Indian male, followed by those in neutral shades — beige, stone, moss, grey with yellow tinge and tranquil blues.

Likewise for trousers, black and brown remain market leaders, though greys and blues are fast catching up. Here the fabric, more than the design, has determined trends as poly-wool, viscose and poly-lycra are fast finding favour for their look and feel, not to mention, durability.

As for accessories, Indian men have never been keen on cuff-links, ties, socks, belts, suspenders and handkerchiefs. Attitudes are changing, however. Shoes do demand attention as options range from slip-ons to the laced and buckled varieties.

For women, the search for a ‘classic look’ has led to many experiments with the cut, fall and embellishments for various outfits. Even the basic salwar-kameez has undergone many transformations and yet, remains the staple for the Indian fashion industry.

If one designer uses antique embroidery on crepe, another could work on stretch velvet and brocade. A third might experiment with chamois satin or georgette while a fourth could stick to plain cotton or silk with zari, ari, resham or tilla embroidery. And still, every ensemble makes a strong fashion statement.

Deconstruction of the salwar-kameez has never worked in the Indian fashion industry. For that matter, experiments like combining the kameez with, say, bootleg pants or teaming the salwar with long tops can, at best, turn out to be passing fads and not really a decisive fashion trend.

What really works is retaining the basic silhouette of the salwar-kameez and experimenting with the yoke, side-slits (high or low), short or long sleeves and hems of the tunic. There is not much that can be done with the salwar, except substituting it for churidaars, or else lachhas.

Designers are also experimenting with different prints, even hand-painting the kameez, instead of going in for routine embroidery. Tonal beadwork on the neck and cuffs as well as embellishments in stone, plastic, bamboo, seashells and metal can also work wonders. But the basic silhouette must remain the same.

Similarly, sarees have been subjected to various experiments, but what has survived is the plain drape with its focus on the pallav and borders. The three-piece stitched version, elastic-waist tailored styles and the so-called "butterfly sarees" could never measure up to the appeal of the six-yard stretch.

Of late, some designers are combining sarees with side-slit tunics, brocade waistcoats and even plain long shirts. The pallav is wrapped around the shoulders in imaginative ways — often as a stole with a bejewelled turban to match!

Then there are designers anxious to give a "touch of exclusivity", who transform the saree into an artist’s canvas. Apart from hand-painted motifs and reproductions of tribal art, the saree now serves as a surface for printing totemic symbols, scriptural calligraphy and the ever-popular personal signatures.

Lehnga-cholis are also regarded as classics in fashion circles, but somehow, hold limited appeal. They are associated with either festive or ceremonial wear, or else as costumes of north Indians (particularly Rajasthanis and Gujaratis). South Indians and Bengalis have only recently taken to lehnga-cholis.

Probably this explains why these heavy long skirts and embroidered blouses have become part of every designer’s wedding trousseau collection. It might help in delinking the lehnga-cholis from its ethnic roots. But then, it could as well be segmented as bridal (and again, in effect, ceremonial) wear! — MF