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If
you thought summer was a time to go pastel and pristine white, then
think again. This summer the colours are in and ‘just white’ is
out. The look this time is essentially fresh and a lot of greens seem to be doing the rounds in the fashion circuit. Though one cannot just think of summers minus the plain white shirt and blue denims, yet those are not the only options now. A black trouser teamed with a pleasing green top in the evenings could make an equally ‘cool’ statement in summers. This season the emphasis is on fabric, denim, tailoring, patterns and the fashion is all about getting colourful, looking relaxed and going out in style. Says designer Neeta Kapoor: "The colours to go for this summer are light and airy. I have used a lot of lime greens, pale yellows, and lemons in my collection. It has a fresh look about it which is inspired by nature." The same holds true for designer Achira Basu who also vouchsafes that this is a colourful summer. "Pastels are not in this time. My collections, some really bright and summery, are lime green, ferozi, azure blue among others." The trick this summer seems to be to keep the colours warm yet muted. Black, burgundy, olive and plum seem to be the top colours in the Indian fashion palette. The other must-have colours include turquoise, lavender, fuchsia, lemon and pastel pink. As far as the cut is concerned, flare is out and international lean and long lines in silhouettes, like skinny pants and drainpipe trousers are happening at the moment. Says designer Agnimitra Paul: "The current trend is for short jeans, capris and short skirts. Voluminous straight line cuts are the happening ones this season." Agrees designer Jyoti Khaitan:" A trendy short dress in light coffee or biscuit colour would be my idea choice for this season." The ethnic look of course is much in demand. Though it is not the white this time, yet khadi is definitely still a very hip fashion statement this summer. Says Kapoor: "Khadi is being extensively used in western wear now to create a fusion look that is international yet with a typical Indian touch." Apart from khadi, typical Indian fabrics like Kota are also increasingly becoming favourite of designers. That is because they are comfortable and yet when used innovatively can make a complete fashion statement, believes the designers. For most of the designers, apart from ‘fashionability,’ the focus is on comfort. "That is because the customers want it. Who would want to be uncomfortable when the mercury is blazing, " asks designer Minakshi Daddo. "Therefore, this season it is essential to keep the comfort factor in mind. It is a season where cottons, linens and khadis are in and the dresses are more casual than formal," she adds. Though traditional white is not happening this time, there are, however, a lot of experiments going on with it giving it a more fashionable look. For instance, Minakshi is using a lot of black detailing on white in her summer collection to give it a new look this season. White teemed with silver zari work also seems to be a very in-look this season. "White is the eternal favourite in summers. The only reason we are avoiding it now is because just white has become terribly stale and so the focus now is to create something new out of white," Rita Sharma, an aspiring fashion designer says. However, emphasis is also on to infuse natural fabrics in Indian fashion. A fashion show in Kolkata recently showcased only pristine cotton creations — a strong endorsement for the natural fabric as a cool choice for making a style statement in the scorching Indian summer. With a reported decrease in the use of cotton for clothing worldwide, the show with leading models Tapur and Tupur Chatterjee sporting Mona-Pali and Kiran Uttam Ghosh collections was organised to re-emphasise that cotton is anything but ‘uncool’. "There is a marked decrease in the use of cotton. In the western world, synthetic fabric has already scored over natural fabrics like cotton and we expect the same to happen in India by 2020. So its high time that we take a grip on the scenario to prevent this natural fabric from total extinction," says Ashish Dhir, India representative of the Cotton Council International, which organised the fashion event. Designer Pali Sachdeva of Mona-Pali fame says: "Cotton is the most suitable and favoured fabric for summers and it is not only worn for causal gatherings but also at sophisticated formal parties." While Mona-Pali’s outfit was an ivory coloured long skirt with a matted scarf, Kiran Uttam Ghosh’s collection was a sneak preview to her autumn line and sought to explore the use of cottons in winter too. As far as the
accessories are concerned, they will continue to be big and chunky —
and one can wear as many as they want. Belts are very much in use this
summer. Both low-waist and high-waist belts are dominating this season
and can essentially add that Bohemian element to your personality. —
TWF
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