Bright colours to rule this season
Saloni Kaul

FASHION pundits might keep speculating on whether black is beautiful, or if red is the hottest colour of the season, or if blue is perennially cool... and so on. At times, beige or rust might gain prominence. But never has the Indian fashion industry projected a single dominant colour for too long.

This year, as a war raged between black, white and beige, the nation’s leading designers came up with a surprising array of shades to enhance, what would otherwise have been simple, traditional designs. While the accent is on a rather relaxed and minimalist look, it is colour that adds the element of drama.

So yellow, green, peach, white and apricot are brightening the season, followed closely (in terms of popularity) by bold flowery prints. Newer fabric options like gossamer terry voiles and cotton knits create the much-desired, muted, yet coordinated, effect.

For instance, J.J. Valaya’s recent summer line has been inspired by nature with light peach, lemon and green being offset with cream and minimal embroidery. The emphasis is on the layering of fabrics — mainly linen, organza and chiffon — to lend a romantic feel to the look.

In Mumbai, Shreela Debi is displaying shades of rust, maroon, red and lots of brocade in blue, orange and yellow. Unlike Valaya, she uses contrast tones like green and purple for her organza blouses with a good deal of mirror-work and bold embroidery.

Then there is Anamika Khanna who is experimenting with dashes of wine, turquoise, yellow and orange for her mini kurtas and scarves while Wendell Rodricks tries to recreate the sun-washed beaches of his native Goa with bright blouses, gowns, trousers and tops with touches of ice-cool blue.

In her ‘Tempest’ collection, Krishna Mehta has come up with a set of sexy tops, dresses and jackets in vermilion red. Anita Dongre goes a step further with a seductive ‘Club Wear’ line ("stylish western outfits for the modern Indian woman") that includes backless tops and matching skirts.

Almost on the same theme, there’s Arjun Khanna of Designer Studio displaying his tiny cocktail dresses and kurtas in sheer fabrics like chiffon and voile with lots of embroidery. The cuts are basic and forms, simple. But the colours are so brilliant that they more than make up for the minimalist silhouette.

Even Kiran Uttam Ghosh, who has always been exaggerated and ostentatious is her designs, goes back to the basics this summer with her multi-coloured mini kurtas that are teamed with body-fitting churidaars and gossamer-thin dupattas. It is the glitter of silver and gold embroidery that livens up these garments.

A new label in town in Azuli, which introduces a variety of hand-woven cotton and silk dresses in colours ranging from tangerine to deep fuchsia, brilliant leaf green, slate and teal, with strong accents of antique silver and burnished gold.

The Azuli menswear range has multi-hued shirts in textures that are at once subtle as well as flattering. For instance, silk and cotton yarns are woven into a charcoal warp to give a unique three-dimensional effect to the fabric.

Such innovations are significantly more evident in men’s shirts and trousers, than in women’s outfits. For instance, Pooja Singhal is teaming loose linen pants with Robin Hood shirts in cotton flax to create a soft, relaxed and comfortable look for the Indian male.

Likewise, Jatin Kochar is keeping to classic cuts and impeccable finish in his collection of body hugging outfits while Leena Singh and Ashima are displaying their penchant for rich fabrics and attention to detail. The colours here range from white and cream to green and black.

Colour is also visible in make-up this season, in the form of gold and silver for lipsticks, eye shadow and nail polish. Glitter sticks have suddenly become very popular with those wanting to give their face an instant shine in a shade matching the colour of their clothes.

Ultimately, the look is a fusion of the east and west with a mix of the traditional and the modern. In the process, net has taken a backseat, while fabrics like stretch velvet have become popular together with organza, georgette and chiffon. These seem to be the fabrics of the future. MF