HAUTE TALK
Autumn robes

A pause between monsoon and winter, autumn has a special ambience. Rashmi Kushwaha on the latest in autumn-fashion

THE mellow pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter cheers up nature in its entirety. And with colours all around, fashion is also set for a reincarnation this autumn.

The colour palette is now moving towards bold and dark shades. ‘’This autumn, dark brown and chocolate brown will emerge strongly. As the lounge trend is in, the colours that will be hit are creams, dark blues in silver shiny fabric and self prints,’’ says fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore, who hails from the erstwhile kingdom of Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

The fashion scene will move away from the mundane to the glamorous look too. ‘’It will be high-end fashion of the strong, confident woman. Very drastic look will be back in vogue, as depicted in the film Troy, " he predicts.

The thrust is on draping things and letting them fall, moving away from the constructed, tailored look to a more natural appearance. As for the fabric, thickness has disappeared, but denim in various dark colours is in, says the princeling, who sells his men’s collection under the "Inde Pret" brand.

To contrast the sophisticated clothes, make-up will be primitive with just gloss on lips and may be gypsy hair. "And as leather makes a comeback after monsoon, boots will get a strong look. In terms of accessories, people will use jewellery with logos, insignias and emblems. The Army look is knocking on the door,’’ says Rathore.

Fashion designer Leena Singh of the well-known Ashima-Leena duo, says that the colours this season will not be the typical autumn-winter shades. Very Greek colours like beige and cream, off whites or very shocking ones like fuchsia pink will be the highlight now.

"They will be either very dull or very bright, nothing in between,’’ she says. A post-Athens Olympic flavour perhaps.

Lots of heavy print fabrics, French and Italian, as well as block-printed silks will make the rounds. ‘’They will have heavy work in stones, gems and shells, creating a mosaic. Elaborate embroidery in gold will look very chic,’’ says Leena, whose classic ensembles range from smart casuals to ornate formals.

Cuts and fits are out this autumn. She swears by loose, straight tunics, capris and short pants. ‘’Multi-layering is a strict no-no; very clean silhouettes are being preferred.’’

The designer duo has created a jewellery line for autumn in the Rs 5,500 to Rs 1.5 lakh range. The collection in silver and stone will complement the Greek look, says Leena.

In footwear, a simple, elegant look with not very high heels, like chappals, is happening as people are once again backing comfort and simplicity over glamour. Make-up too is muted with pale ‘n’ natural look, light eye shadows and some blush-on, she says.

Meera Ali, who designs for the label ‘Kotwara’ along with husband Muzaffar Ali, the celebrated film-maker, agrees that the trend is going towards a more minimal, but dramatic look that makes a statement.

"We are now very global and open to the world as our products are also travelling abroad. Dark dramatic colours, lots of black, dark olives, browns, slightly dark purple, deep purple lend themselves well to create a whole new look this autumn.’’

Meera and Muzaffar Ali have evolved on subtle innovations and forms, using the centuries old tradition of hand embroideries such as chikan, kamdani and zardosi. Stonework on fabrics is passe and embroidery is in, as always, because it can be reinvented, especially for eveningwear. Leather is extremely good for trendier outfits and heavy suits are excellent as well, Meera says.

For accessories, Meera prefers one bold piece instead of jewellery all over the body. A dramatic pair of earrings will be enough to accessorise the overall look. An embroidered belt or bag will also add loads of class to the ensemble.

"My suggestion is to go in for few accessories. The loaded look doesn’t work anymore,’’ she adds.

— TWF

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