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But this year, with the various fashion weeks, fashion maestros seem to have decided to strike mid way between ethnic wear and the so-called western wear. As a result you find quite a number of couture attempts to concentrate on colours/ silhouettes and styles, noticeably western. As such colours like pastels and greys seem to be more frequent on the fashion ramps, than the traditional reds and bright oranges. Dresses are more often in sunny yellows/ pinks/pale blues with a misty shade. Naturally, these colours appear better on fabrics that have corresponding visual attributes. Luckily for this, we have techno fibres, ranging from deluxe velvet/rough cotton/ spandex and even jute. But the attempts are to keep the prints essentially eastern, like shantung silk showing flower motifs of India, the classical bandhini/ mehndi/ paisley patterns and the repeated use of saree border designs. One good example is the suit designed by Shyam Phadnis. It attempts to re-invent the classic with single-button body contoured jacket with black flat front and trousers of woollen material coming down to the ankles. Wear this with a spread collar shirt and you are with the mob. Another fashion designer who has chosen the same path is Radha Warrier, who makes her coat of cobalt blue shantung silk decorated with gold floral designs. She has opted out for a middle-length skirt, which skims the knees with a side slit. The top is a sort of wrapover kept with two buttons. With most of the festivals in the winter season, several designers are also emphasising on light weight textured knits with stress on handwoven sweaters fitted with finger-tip length sleeves. One favourite sweater design is a textured pullover in maize gold colour with mix and match grey trousers.. But some fashion maestros like Malini Mehta also try to combine skirts that were so fashionable in the 90s for party wear. If you want still earlier versions of western wear for festivals, you have Sulabha Tambe specialising in the grandma styles of the 50s, with the emphasis on lace and ribbon. Incidentally, swimsuits are also making a big splash in the festival season with matching wrapover skirts and Hawaiian print bikinis. Matching round-neck short-sleeve shirts with flattering princess line numbers are also in the couture market. One supposes that these are to cater to persons taking advantage of festival holidays for a vacation at the beach, so much in vogue nowadays. With narrow bands/decorative details around the necks/shoulders/ legs with additional contrast waistbands/belts, these outfits are sober as the beachwear. In all these the embroidery used is of a subtle and intricate nature, irrespective of the use of beads/ crystals/pearls or glass. Another decorative factor is the use of pin tucks, appliqu`E9 work, pleats, lining the sheer fabrics with tissues and over stitching lace on the stretch nets. Attention is paid to the fact that the designer collections are complete only with correct accessories. Baseball caps/coloured scarves and even headgears with metallic flowers are used for the final effect. The kaleeras (ornaments) usually tied to the bridal bangles on the wedding day are also being used as headgear by some of the fashion maestros. A sparkling embroidered jooti is the accessory going with casual wear while high-heeled shoes are giving formals the right base. MF
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THE
festival season is here and the fashion industry normally changes its
tracks and goes for variations in churidar-achkans and ghagra-cholis.
It adapts the traditional saris to suit the religious undertones of
all our festivals.