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With the meltdown out of the way, the rags revolution is happening at a frenetic pace. There is already a festive spirit in the fashion world.If the ongoing winter fashion collections are a barometer of things to come, it would appear that leading designers are reacting to the charge that a certain gloominess had set into the haute couture scene in 2009. The gloom and doom scenario of global financial markets had impacted the way people dressed. Sales plummeted as buyers vanished and fashion withered.
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But the New Year has heralded hope and revival and designers appear to be looking forward to getting back to the happy days again. Ho! Ho! Ho! They are busy re inventing the way people dress, in a very slick and contemporary way. The celebratory mood is apparent with the reincarnation of patchwork paisley, crochet, beads, loose shirts, tweeds and floral dresses.
2010 will see designers back to techniques like quilting on silk, exquisite embroideries in satin mix, plaited borders and metallic sequins. Crumpled trousers, quilted jackets, multi panelled skirts, crop tops and long flouncy vests will be in again. The wardrobe essentials for the year are plaid shirts, patched jeans, oversized sweaters, floral dresses, long john vests and grandpa's shirts. For women, it is about being bold yet simple, and individually on high. For men, well, tuxedoes in vibrant cuts and styles will be the favourite.
Creative Spirit
"In 2010, creative spirit would be at the top after being buffeted by a recession for one full year. There is going to be a surge of inventiveness in designs," says leading designer Anupama Dayal. The Czarina of fashions Ritu Kumar too, is upbeat. "I see a lot happening in the coming months," she promises, "many designers will go for the western look though the colours and fabrics will be completely Indian. Designs will combine aesthetic elements with a hint of classic. They will be in sync with the free flowing and freethinking attitude. We are going to see old techniques re-emerging. Tie dye, abstract and patola weaves are going to be back. Fabrics like washed silks, sophisticated cottons, nets and hand woven patterns will be the flavour."
Designer Suneet Varma says that in the coming months he would be doing a lot of experimentation with vivid hues like yellow, blue, citrus green and deep red. Cuts and styles too will come in for a complete makeover. "For women, the year will be about showing up in embroidered tunics over denim jeans," predicts Suneet. "The sensuous energy will be apparent in flared skirts delicately balanced with floral prints and short dresses in amazing shapes and sizes. The qualitative feel has to be explored by designers through decorative trimmings and exquisite textures," he imagines, before pausing to offer the rationale, "that's because the sombre mood has given way to cheer and joy."
Anupama Dayal too feels 2010 is the year for experimentation. Brighter colours like neon will dominate her designs. "Women's fashions will witness the most exciting changes with varying hemlines going aboveknee, mid-thigh or even hiphigh done in the most elegant manner. Accessories too will be to the fore with scarves, necklaces and bracelets in sharp focus."
Man the Fashion, Fashion the Man
When there is such an air of exhilaration in women's designs can men's fashions be far behind? Here too, there is a festive mood with calf trousers, cropped pants, layered coats juxtaposed with hats and caps. Upcoming designer Brij Waghela makes a sporty statement and his leisure includes five pocket suede jeans, frilled shirts, knits and belted jackets. Says the designer, "My emphasis this year is on underplayed comfort with elegance."
For the club generation, Waghela has created eyecatching formals. His jackets are in bold colours, shirts in solid silks and trousers come in comfortable pleatless. His semi formals are also a statement in colour. Shirts in electric blues, cobalt, deep turquoise go with ties in knits and neutral colour jackets. The scene gets formal with deeper colours, longer slits and formal fusing, making evenings a special affair.
No-Rules Rule
Designer Neeta Suri too presents a fusion of clothes. Her sarees, skirts, sarongs, kimonos, and wraps have been fused together in a modern eclectic mix, using neutral pale tones to emphasise their modernity. Her designs maintain the Indianness of fashion, while innovating with fabrics and prints. There is a subtle confluence of the east and the west, taking the best from both. "Undoubtedly, the focus will be on fine flow and drape with a shimmering effect. There will be emphasis on detailing and texture using a spiral of layering. My preferred colours are maroons, beiges, khakis and brighter hues. My designs are spirited and feisty," smiles Neeta.
Don't mind the contradiction, but the rule seems to be that there are no rules. Even Suneet Varma, the designer who makes his dresses for people who have fashion on their mind, echoes it, "Fashions are happening at a frenetic pace and all fashion conscious people would have to keep pace or be left behind." And in these consumptive times, no clotheshorse wants to be left behind. |
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