haute line
Lycra’s lasting appeal
Anjana Sarin

Some time back natural fibres were in and synthetics out. Today, it is a blend of both. And with durability being as much a subject of concern for the fashionably inclined as comfort is, the spotlight is once again turning towards that wonder fabric, lycra.

In a layman’s terms, this is an elastic stretch fibre, interwoven into the yarn of say, handloom cotton or silk to give the garment the necessary strength to withstand repeat washes and rough use, as in the case of sportswear or lingerie.

"The fibre is like adding spice to food," explains Girija Jain of DuPont, the multi-national to introduce lycra in India. "You end up using a very tiny amount, sometimes as little as two per cent in a garment, but it makes all the difference."

Its unique properties of stretch and recovery, besides shape retention and being crease proof, have extended the use of lycra beyond that of conventional swimming trunks, sportswear and under-clothing.

Right from the sturdy denim to fluid jersey and gossamer crepe de chine, lycra is adding elasticity to trousers and jeans, blouses and tops, kurtas and kameezes, mini-skirts and hot pants.... It is the feel-good fabric for anybody who is body proud.

As Shirish Joshi, a dealer in sportswear, points out: "Lycra has made a difference to all those anxious to project their individuality. After all, clothes are an expression of attitude and values. They build self-confidence. Youngsters say that they dress for success..."

Another reason for the popularity of lycra is the tendency among the upwardly mobile towards turning fitness freaks. Frequenting the gym is considered not only good for health, but also imperative for one to be part of the ‘in crowd’.

Body-fitting tops and tights are being translated into seamless, long sheath dresses, especially for evening-outs and party wear.

Observes Joshi: "Lycra is the commercial variant of grey velour or stretch velvet. The clothes are functional and they stay with you. The strength of today’s designers lies not in their cuts or styles, but in the choice of fabric."

Thus Savio Gonsalves has been combining his trademark rust brown blouses with wrap-around trousers, tiered asymmetrical tunics, crushed tie-up lungis and skirts with hemlines that plunge in different directions.

Vibha Shah’s lycra shirts are unisex and very sheer, despite a lavish sprinkling of subtle tonal embroidery. She also has kurtas — in two pieces with halter chiffon tie-ups or crossover fastenings — that go with fluid skirts.

Some designers are even working on ghagra-choli ensembles in lycra, though without much success. The best they have achieved so far is in creating two-part wrap-around skirts that are more western in appearance than Indian.

Then there are designers like Sonali Mansingh and Neha Kapoor who have moved away from their customary georgette prints, chiffon and feminine flounces and turned to jade green and turquoise lycra for unisex wear. — MF

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