Saturday, February 22, 2003
F A S H I O N


Be on a khadi kick this season
Sumona Roy

THIS has been a busy season for the fashion fraternity in India. With shows lined back-to-back from London to Cape Town and from Kolkata to Chennai, most top designers have found little time to pause and deliberate on anything original.

Even so, amidst all the repetitions in styles and silhouettes, there have been some significant pointers: casuals turning into formals, revival of colour, embroidery and detailing, new fabric options, blurring of the line between ethnic Indian and western wear....

But the most refreshing development is the new packaging and level of acceptability of khadi. Almost every designer of repute seems intent upon turning Gandhi’s humble handspun from a ‘fabric of the freedom movement’ to a modern, ultra chic fantasy representing the future of Indian fashion.

As designer Rohit Bal puts it: "Khadi is poised to be the next linen in textiles. It is the only fabric that can boast of being spun and woven solely by human hands. It falls well and becomes second skin after two washes. It breathes, it has self texture. It symbolises the soul of India, but we can also have fun with khadi."

 


Sangita Sinh Kathiawada, who has worked with khadi for over a decade, seconds the view: "The fabric is a great leveller. It is worn by the pauper and the prince. In that sense, Gandhi was the greatest of fashion designers. If he were alive, he too would have reinvented khadi and adapted it for today’s youth."

That khadi makes for a "cool and contemporary statement" is evident from the surface ornamentation, layering and embroidery designers like Kathiawada subject it to. Moreover, khadi is no longer just cotton. Wool and silk are similarly hand spun and woven to offer newer textures and designing options.

Furthermore, designs in khadi are not restricted to the traditional churidaar-kurtaas, lehnga-cholis, sarees and salwaar-kameezes any longer. A whole range of western wear and fusion options has added to the spirit of youth. The possibilities are many and varied. But the most significant trend emerging is that western styles would occupy centre-stage in all experiments with khadi. And for those who want to uphold the sanctity of Gandhi’s favourite cloth, there are always designers like Muzaffar Ali and Poonam Bhagat to fall back on. (MF)

Check out these of-the-moment styles

  • The all-so-popular sleeveless white tops, cut like kurtaas, but reaching just around waist level. Teamed with drawstring trousers or baggies, they have emerged as the new unisex ensemble that look cool, sexy and are comfortable to wear. Women can combine them with silver chokers and bracelets for added drama.

  • Sequined butterfly blouses with long three-quarter sleeves in black khadi. Worn with tailored knee-length skirts or formal trousers, the combination makes for an unusual alternative to routine black gowns done to death at parties these days.

  • High-collared sleeveless shirts with block print and combined with textured tight-fitting trousers in either black or white. Flirty and feminine, the dress can be given an added dimension of power play with a belt, hoops and leather boots.

  • Beige peasant blouses with matching beige above-the-ankle trousers and a full-sleeved shirt worn over as a jacket with buttons left open. The no-nonsense look makes this combination ideal for the working woman even as it goes very well as casual, comfort wear.

  • For a sporty (even sexier) look, there’s the khadi racerback top, whose shape is taken from bathing suits. Designers are even using the ‘T’ in their collections, some even replacing its placement from the traditional back to upfront. All very well for the well-endowed, but not easy to carry in Indian conditions.

  • The best thing going for khadi in menswear is the American survival vest that is stitched like a Nehru jacket, but with a zipped front, shoulder flaps and two-plus-two pockets on either side. Can be worn over a normal churidaar-kurtaa in contrasting colours for a cool east-west crossover look.

  • In the trousers segment, khadi is turning out to be the hottest fabric for anything from carpenter pants to leisure cargos and combat trousers, complete with spacious pockets and double stitches. According to some designers, the coarse, rugged look of the fabric could well replace denims in future.