Summer styles

The summer of 2010 will see men wearing low waistline boot-cut jeans, and women going in for short kurtis and hot pants, says Lata Patkar

As the season unfolds, faded pastels and white will rule the colour palette. Photo: AFP

This summer will be exciting for the fashionable as the latest ramp styles include newer fabrics, sharper cuts and bolder silhouettes with brilliant colours. Texture fashion designers opine that any fabric that combines the sheen of silk and the feel of cotton should be OK. Bombay designer Harish Desai says that while plain cotton will keep up its place with leading couturiers, dual-shaded linen and cotton lycra are the materials the couturiers want.

In this competition for suitable textiles, khadi cotton is often preferred as per leading designer duo Samaldas Rathi and Vijay Mehra. Sheer organdy patchwork seems to be the favourite embellishment, while the focus is on surface textures and solid colours. This means that denims in various colours, from bleached white to black, peppered with rivet patches and tiers also make the grade.

For example, the white stretch pipe trousers with their low fits and the ubiquitous punky jeans will retain their place in the 2010 style world, says designer Veena Mehta of Bombay, and explains that the "the soft washed denim will reflect a youthful and holiday spirit. Also, animal prints will come in a big way."

When it comes to men’s jeans, the style is to have a low waistline with flared leg/boot cuts, combined with washed looks. For the washed look, raw hems, washed out jersey and linen and cotton crepes are a must.

For college goers, for the boys the accent will be on loose comfort-fit trousers, but narrower and more stylish. Girls will have the option of short skirts as well, with detailing like frills, gathering down the front, and paired with tops with puff sleeves, silver buttons and lace details. "This is a season for long, clean silhouettes," says fashion designer Reena Singh of Mumbai. "For instance, the Chinese coat style will make a comeback in a huge way. Traditional salwar-kameez suits will reflect the Chinese high collar, loose straight sleeves, a clean front and minimal embroidery."

Apart from high collars, the summer would witness a revival of cotton tops paired with straight pants and shorts in affordable Italian polymeric fabric. "We must understand that people are usually in a holiday mood, and not inclined to spend heavily on clothes at this time of the year," a boutique owner pointed out.

Then there are the ever-popular kurtas, both in bright shades and pale white. "Short kurtas with a fusion of eastern styles and western silhouettes are really hot this summer," informs Kiron Mathur, a specialist in women’s wear. "These would most suitably be paired with trouser-cut salwars."

His partner, Chandrika Nanda, points out: "We are working on asymmetrical lines, both on necklines and hemlines, and are introducing micro-short kurtis, which can be worn with sequinned hot pants and stoles."

Other designers point out that flowing chiffons would co-exist with structured linen during the summer. Mathur and Nanda are pitching for chikan-work kurtas, while Nikhil Gohain feels georgette churidar-kurti combos will appeal to women of all age groups.

For a more dressy look, Nikhil advises short dupattas with dye and weaving details. "Short dupattas can always be worn with short kurtas and can also be doubled as stoles," he points out. Besides, there are colourful scarves and, perhaps, simple cotton purses with braided handles that can do the trick.

On the colour front, two distinct palettes would dominate this summer. As Gohain puts it, the colours would be either bright with a tangy edge or soft, with a touch of white. Moreover, for a change, colours would determine designs, rather than the other way around.

Kiron Mathur adds that their forthcoming collections are in all shades of pink, along with sharp lime, turquoise green, light orange and the neutral shades. "There will be no shocking shades, and we will soften our colours with layering in the months ahead," she says.

Store owners point out that as the season unfolds, faded pastels in natural fabrics will make way for pale white and honey by June or July. Then bright shades like lemon yellow, orange and red would become very popular towards the end of July and through August.

In between, bold contrasts like red and yellow would show up, besides polka dots in black and white as well as windowpane checks in white on beige or black base. However, intricate block prints and graphic reproductions would fall from favour, barring stray instances of T-shirts and tops. — MF