The haute & happening this season
With the festive and bridal season on in full swing, here’s a low down on the haute and happening
The festive season has already begun and so has the shopping. Not surprising then, the idea is to pick the right trends within the right budget. Falguni Peacock says, “This festive season is all about going easy on the embroidery. The look is a lot more western and the emphasis is on the cuts and fits instead.”
She further adds that while it’s okay to go bling, festive could also be satin dresses or printed tops. “For that matter, even if you pair a simple colourful top with the right accessories, you could call it festive,” explains Falguni, emphasising that the starting range varies, depending on what one is looking for. “If one is looking for customised clothing (especially lehengas and the like), the range would go into lakhs, but a bright kameez with a western cut would start at as low as Rs5000,” she notes.
Designer Tarana Masand – whose collection starts at approximately Rs10,000 – agrees. “The popular silhouette is very reminiscent of the western gown; there’s a lot of flowing strappy dresses, kurtas with interesting drapes and even brooches,” she reveals.
On the other hand, Delhi’s Ritu Beri and Meera and Muzaffar Ali are riding high on the bridal season wave. The designers, who are participating in the ongoing Bridal Asia show in Delhi, have an interesting take on the current festive season. “Be it bridal or festive wear in general, people’s approach and their expectations have undergone a major change over the years. Today, people look for elegant designer substitutes. But I think that the emphasis is still on the lavish use of rich fabrics (silks or brocades), crystal work and silk thread embroidery. Also, I think now is the time to explore colours other than red and maroon, like fuschia, candy floss pink and even jewel tones like gold and silver,” explains Ritu, whose creations understandably run into lakhs.
Meera and Muzaffar Ali too feel that there has been a move away from the traditional ‘bridal’ colours. “Our collection mixes the traditional and the contemporary and we have experimented with colours like deep blue and silver,” they say.
Alka Nishar, who runs the fashion store Aza, comments, “The jewel-toned creations are doing really well right now. The silhouette is not as voluminous as before, but it’s not the mermaid look either. What’s more, the price range is quite wide as it starts from Rs15,000.”
Fashion expert Sabina Chopra has the last word. “I think that it’s better to opt for separates as opposed to buying the whole ensemble. You could always mix embroidered salwars with tops or even team kurtas and jackets. And with the price correction in the retail market, it’s a good time to buy. I say you can easily get something more than decent in around Rs15,000,” she ends.
