Major player in the domestic and international market, India is known for export of fabric and accessories. Tradition, culture, colours, raw material have all made Indian Fashion unique. Beadwork, mirrors, pearls, crystals, sequins, chikon, aari, hand crafts create images of sheer elegance.
Over the past several years the face of Indian Fashion has changed tremendously. People want to dress trendy, which has lead to a rising number of fashion designers establishing their labels globally. Kurtis, fittet fishnet bridal, low back cholis, salwaar, sassy sarees to corsets, there is nothing that is not accessible to the cosmopolitan men and women. Designers like Ritu Kumar, Satya Paul, Anju Modi are some renowned labels that have created master piece ensembles and have a strong footage in the U.S. - Indian Fashion industry is expected to reach $187.7 million by 2012 from the present $67.6 million.
The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) is a fine example of the expansion of Indian designs in the foreign market. Matching up with the British Fashion Council in London, the CFDA in New York and the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-a-porter des Couturiers et des Createurs de Mode in Paris, the FDCI has launched individual designers and promoted interest of India and brought fame and recognition to the nation.
Payal Singhal, designer with stores in New York, Vancouver, Mauritius, Kuwait, Dubai, London, Cape Town and Hongkong started to design at a tender age of 15. After studying at Fashion Institute of Technology New York, she is a connoisseur at designing anything from the perfect evening attire, the most desired bridal to dressing a New York style icon. This is what Payal had to say about the metamorphosis in Indian Fashion in India and U.S. in an interview with SAT imes:
1) How is your clientele in US different from that in India? How would you compare and contrast their tastes and choices in clothing?
Payal: The client profile is pretty much the same in terms of age, race and economic and social standing but their tastes vary a lot. My clients in India are more modern and experiment with their Indian clothes whereas the girls here feel safer to wear more traditional clothes. I guess because they wear Indian clothes on fewer occasions they prefer them being more "Indian" and slightly traditional.
2) Explain how Indian fashion changed from early 80s to now?
Payal: Indian fashion has evolved to b become mainstream fashion in the last 20 years ...now everyone knows what a "Tunic" or "Kurta" is and wearing a saree is the ultimate in exotic indulgence. Even amongst the Indian and south Asian population local fashion is something that has evolved to be more practical wearable and fashion forward.
3) Would you call it more open/conservative?
Payal: I think it's just more global and yes in that sense I would say it's more open.
4) Your opinion on this changing face of Indian fashion?
Payal: I think it is a matter of time. The fashion scene in India would become so global in the coming years, since India is so rich in its heritage of costume, textile and the art of embroidery it was inevitable that someone would sit up and take notice and now indeed the world is...
The influence of Indian fashion is not limited to clients of Indian origin. From Bollywood actresses like Katrina Kaif to Hollywood damsels, Indian designs are much preferred. Fashion guru Rohit Bal, designed a sari for Pamela Anderson, the former Baywatch star. Liz Hurley opted for a traditional Indian-style wedding and wore a $7,700 pink silk sari (£4,000) for the ceremony. The sari was designed by Crème de la Crème of the fashion industry Tarun Tahiliani, who is well known for his contemporary takes on conventional Indian fabrics and styles and also designed a pink organza outfit for Priya Sachdev's glam wedding with New York based hotelier Vikram Chatwal.
Embroidery goddess Razia Gandhi, a well known name behind the most renowned labels in the world has dressed the likes of Hillary Clinton, Catherine Zeta Jones, Princess of Wales and Sharon Stone. Designer Ritu Kumar, has presented her couture lines for charity in Times Square, New York. The art of Chikankari, bandhej, block printing and Khadi textile were the highlights of her Tree of Life collection showcased in New York. With ethnic and cosmopolitan Indian designs being such a rage, one can't say only Paris and Milan dictate global fashion.
Undeniably with high end Indian couture strengthening its roots in the United States, there is nothing more that the multi-ethnic, sophisticated, chic women living abroad could want for creating that perfect look.
By Nikki Rattan
No comments:
Post a Comment