Are you a slave to fashion trends?
By Sumona Roy

DO you judge people by what they wear? While watching a movie, do you keep track of the dress changes? Left to yourself, would you be changing your wardrobe with every passing season? Do you keep a personal file of the latest in cuts, silhouette, embroidery, colour and fabric trends?

Being trendy is one thing. But being a slave to fashion trends is quite another. For no matter how hard you try to update yourself, there would come a point when you would feel left out. You cannot possibly draw upon everything from everywhere. And even if you try, you would end up looking utterly silly.

Fashion ultimately is not about following, but of making a personal statement. Already designers are abandoning the idea of "revolutionising" the way people in general dress. They are now more focused and personalised in their approach — bringing out the individuality of a person in the clothes he or she wears.

"In a free world, it is the free spirit and free style that reigns," remarks the Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla duo, best known for designing the wardrobes of film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Dimple Kapadia. Even after a decade in the business, they do not have a retail outlet, and they have not even gone into mass production.

Likewise, Hemant Trivedi did not have a label till he started retailing with Sheetal recently. Having dressed almost all the Miss Indias at international beauty pageants, he is probably the most expensive couturier and is known for his exclusive designs. But for the pret-a-porter line in his show room, he has no takers.

"Ready-mades do not make sense any longer as everybody wants a one-of-a-kind outfit," observes Meena Advani, a design consultant. "But few can actually afford it. The best way out is to mix and match from what is available, according to what suits you best and makes you most comfortable."

Designers are also most obliging when it comes to offering clues on integrating style elements for making a fashion statement. As Narendra Ahmed advises: "When you are buying, imagine you are a brand. So buy yourself an image, not just clothes."

"Trends change, but style is timeless," opines Jani-Khosla. "And the only style that stays is the classic. One classic we recommend for every woman’s wardrobe is a blood red saree. For the Indian man, it’s at least one traditional ensemble. We do not believe in predicting colours."

Krishna Mehta believes that the best way to stay in style is with bold, body-hugging clothes: "You need to be opulent, in bright colours like red, purple, electric blue and gold with plenty of shimmer and sheer and embellishments... For men, it could be a purple kurta with a black sherwani."

Ahmed, however, insists that the "New Age man must look masculine" but with a soft edge. "There has to be a bit of glamour, of flash. The material must be lightweight, even transparent, with a layered look and with embroidery for evening wear."

Unlike Jani and Khosla, Ahmed is quite specific about colours — grey, khaki, blue, charcoal and black. "Black is perennial as it adds an air of mystery to the wearer," he says. "The more adventurous can move to fuschia, violet and green. Women could try asymmetric dresses with a clean, uncluttered look."

Striking a different note, Azeem Khan recommends a "flamboyant look" for the new millennium. "Be generous with the glitter and the embellishments," he suggests. "For evenings, embroidery is a must as lot of interplay between colour and glitter would add to the feel-good factor."

Khan points out that as people increasingly become fitness freaks, it is only appropriate that fashion should turn just as sporty and adventurous. "Hence tights, shorts and fitted tops would become big-time hits," he explains. "There’s a lot of emphasis on natural fabrics, in keeping with the green syndrome."

As for Indian ethnic wear, Shaina NC agrees that a "lot of sheer and translucent fabric" would reflect the spirit of the new millennium. "Everything is turning more vibrant, be it embroidery, mirrorwork or colour," she observes. (MF)