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the-south-asian.com MARCH 2002 |
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MARCH 2002 Contents Neemrana
- literary storm in a Society & Culture Basant-
the Kite festival without Visual Arts Tagore's 'Geetanjali' on canvas Leadership Know your leaders - Part II Business & Economy Heritage Lutyen's
'dream city' turns into a Environment & Wildlife Forests - Encroached & Poached Viewpoint Lifestyle Sports Shiva Keshavan - India's lone Luger Books 'Knock
at Every Alien Door' Fashion
Books
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The 2002 Fashion Statement – Natural & Understated! by Surabhi Khosla The mood for 2002 is - natural and understated. Anju Modi, Abha Dalmia, Vidhi Singhania, and Pranavi Kapoor endorse it. The rich Indian textile heritage, with stylistic cuts and combinations is poised to become the fashion statement of the coming century. "Khadi deserves to be recognised not just as a dead metaphor but for its living beauty, its comfort and versatility." – Pranavi Kapoor A new energy and a new dynamism seem to be inspiring the new millennium fashions. The main trends, which are surfacing, are simplicity, cross culture, sobriety and an element of reality. Fashion no longer belongs to the overly superfluous elements, which bordered on the absurd. The 2002 collections of four top women designers lay emphasis on neutral silhouettes, desire for simplicity, understated elegance, balanced proportions and minimum details. Anju Modi for instance goes back to nature and offers designs that are in consonance with the environment. Pure fibres, vegetable dyes, kalamakaris and block prints created by artisans of Machilipatam and Rajasthan. Though her collection is an ode to the past it is, at the same time, contemporary and classic. The fabrics she has used are brushed cotton and fine silk with an electrifying effect. Says the designer, " My collection is about evolving, refining and going back to the roots, and then emerging with a whole new look. It’s a culmination of a creative experiment. It's a contemporary look at the past."
Abha Dalmia too goes down memory lane to recreate the look of the femme fatale. Re-living the glory of an era gone by she draws inspiration from the classical Indian beauties of the past to create a collection that is elegant and feminine. Abha's apparel has a unique blend of traditional designs enhanced by newer and trendy colour combinations. Her stunning bridal collection is a palette of sun colours and earthy tones used with different blends of fabrics in silk, organza and tissue. Though not exactly a revivalist, Dalmia's art is a mix of the retro look steeped in modernity. In her new collection the designer retains the formal flowing cuts. Embroidered blouses with layers and form. A sleek and fitted look with a creative display of silhouettes runs through all her garments. Use of crochet lace as lining stands out, adding a glamorous touch. Indianised Look Moving on to the more Indianised look in the same feel, she stylises the cut, presenting trendy sari tops in shades of maroons. Delicately placed machine embroidery in double georgette's and crepes in shades of greens and peaches bring styling once again to the forefront of designing. For the more dressy moment Abha creates a total evening look working around the silhouette of the flowing Indian skirt, merging it with the look of international couture. Delicately worked with zardozi and jute threads, this collection in crinkled cotton is earthy yet elegant. Colours also entice Vidhi Singhania. She is dazzled by the brilliance of the Indian marriage season---especially the bride. It is the essence of the Indian marriage that she captures in her 2002 bridal collection. The hues of the damask rose, flowering hibiscus, flame of the forest, and the deep golden yellow of the marigold have been splashed in all their richness in floral prints. Heavy embroidered fabrics add to the appeal of the collection that is evocative of brilliantly coloured dreams. Pranavi’s Ethnicity When it comes to ethnicity no one can hold a mirror to Pranavi Kapoor. The ace designer’s 2002 collection reinforces what she has believes in and promotes through her work. The emphasis of her new line is rooted in Indian fabric. In fact Pranavi has tried to provide a link between traditional fabric and contemporary style. Says the designer, " I have used non-traditional cuts and innovative combinations to create ensembles that fit seamlessly into the modern woman's life style." Pranavi celebrates khadi in her new line. Says she, " Khadi is the proud and emotive symbol of our freedom struggle. But ever since then it has been left in the domain of tacky emporia and used just to make dowdy kurtas worn by social workers. Khadi deserves to be recognised not just as a dead metaphor but for its living beauty, its comfort and versatility." The designer has used khadi in stylish jackets, skirts and sarongs providing a look that is both formal and softly elegant. She has also used the fall and feel of muslin khadi for classy outfits. For her salwar kameez Pranavi has deployed her favourite bandha of Orissa, which, she says, combines drama with convenience. Her collection also features ikat from Andhra Pradesh, purified into fine counts for a soft, breathing fabric perfect for the Indian summer. Indeed, Pranavi's collection is a tribute to the rich Indian textile heritage, which, with stylistic cuts and combinations is poised to become the fashion statement of the coming century.
For the Calcutta-based duo of Mona Lamba and Pali Sachdev---more popularly known as Mona-Pali---the fashion statement is again the bride in all her resplendence. Their collection mixes many traditional hand embroidery techniques with contemporary cuts to create an aura of the past with the zest of today. The use of kantha in the classic of white-on-white this time in geometric motifs, the interplay of sheer and shine in blue ice colour, the rediscovery of the abha silhouette in hot pink with gold zari embroidery and block printed lining. The collection is indeed a visual treat. And that, in a way, sums up the mood for women for 2002. It is natural and understated. Keeping that in mind any fashion enthusiast can let his or her imagination soar by combining and coordinating to make a bold fashion statement.
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