When past shapes the present
Anjana Sarin

THE simplest and, apparently, the most popular method designers have adopted in combining tradition with contemporary chic is to create what is understood as "fusion garments". Effectively, this translates into marrying design elements of patently Indian clothes with those of western fashion.

But how many designers have been able to take ethnic Indian wear a step forward and create an idiom that is at once modern and traditional?

Very few, indeed. For the biggest problem lies in reinterpreting the timeless appeal of a classical piece of clothing with a refreshing and somewhat, unconventional look. Merely re-running old pieces with a dash of embroidery here or an embellishment there does not necessarily do the trick.

Madhu Jain works on the fabric, be it Kota handlooms or Benares weaves. Her repertoire of sarees, salwar-kameezes, trousers and shirts also celebrates some of India’s oldest craft traditions such as Chikan work, block printing, painting, styles of Warli tribes and nakshi kantha.

"I refuse to identify with the world of halters and bustiers," says the Delhi-based designer. "I enjoy working with weavers, juxtaposing motifs and images from different regions of the country. The greatest thrill comes from re-working ancient textiles in a modern way."

Last year, Jain showcased a "modern narrative" of Assamese handloom — commonly used for mekhala chador, the ceremonial drape of local tribal women — woven under her supervision, for present-day clothes such as salwar-kameezes, long skirts and sarees.

The silk fortified by tussar misses the crispy crackle of new moonga, but runs over contours more easily. With rainbow colours in red relief, geometric angles and white expanses of silk occasionally speckled with little diamente-like motifs, Jain could cover traditional grou without overtly seeming so.

To her credit, she has also been able to embellish the classic Baluchari sarees of west Bengal with ancient mesopotamian motifs, as also incorporate Madhubani patterns (from Bihar) into the ikat weaves of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Jain’s fans insist that such unusual blends lend a timeless quality to her outfits.

Another so-called "radical traditionalist" is Rajesh Pratap who takes the route of minimalism to create what he describes "sophisticated simplicity". So there are pure, straight lines and body-buffing cuts, a good deal of monochrome (particularly black) and an eclectic range of cargo pants and cashmere T-shirts.

"The shirts just take care of themselves," he says, suggesting that they need not have to be coordinated or combined with a particular matching garment. "I am only saying that let’s stick to the pre-millennial code of monochromatic minimalism."

Like Jain, the designer draws heavily on the weaving traditions of the North-East — mainly Assam, Naga and Mizoram. So there are new interpretations of the muted moonga beige and fiery red of tribal skirts, hints of green, ochre and maroon, not to mention dresses in blocks of black and white.

Unlike Jain though, Pratap, loves working on bustiers, shift tops with bell sleeves, leather biker jackets and asymmetrical skirts punched with holes. Beads are almost everywhere — little white rivulets fallings off a white jacket or like totem decorations on the edges of a pair of jeans.

"The motifs are taken from traditional fabric and freshly adopted," he informs. "So on a long grey skirt, I am able to achieve a pop up for a more textured classical look, while the cheesy rose cut-outs on black velvet are given a conservative treatment."

There’s yet another set of enterprising designers like Lascelles Symmons, Manish Malhotra and Krishna Mehta, hooked on to the common objective of "restoration of romance". For them, an abundance of ruffles, frills, tulle, tassels and lace serve as an expression of homage to the past.

So Symmons concentrates on custom-made corsets, embellished with beads and diamentes for an "extra flash" in party wear. Of late, he has got into embroidering jeans and jackets in keeping with western trends set by Oscar de la Renta, Yves Saint-Laurent and Chloe.

In contrast, Mehta works on men’s kurtas in sheer fabrics. "I can see young men have started wearing kurtas for occasions other than weddings," she observes. "The visibility of skin through the fabric appeals to their sense of romance and pride!" (MF)