Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tabu and others opt for handwoven heritage weaves marking a return to age-old elegance
Is B-Town slowly ditching sequinned party dresses and appliqued gowns in favour of homegrown, handwoven labels this party season? If you think organic and craft-based pieces don’t fit into the entertainment space, then you must look at our B-Town beauties, who have opted for organic ensembles that are not only handcrafted and super light but also radiate sparkle. Recently, Kareena Kapoor Khan was seen in a green mashru sari from Raw Mango, which she teamed with emerald jewellery. Vidya Balan has been partial to designer Anavila Misra’s statement-making stripes.
“There’s a return to embracing handloom and it’s been seen as ‘luxury’. Hope we can go beyond the handwoven discourse and see an innovative mix of zari with other materials. On the one hand, the Kardashians have become popular, and side by side, there’s a return to a certain time in history thanks to labels like Raw Mango and Akaaro,” observes Maithili Ahluwalia, founder, Bungalow 8, whose concept store has evolved to become a luxury fashion retailer. It creates and curates ready-to-wear artisanal fashion for mature cosmopolitan women looking for an understated modern and global Indian aesthetic.
COMFORT MEETS SHEEN
Neha Dhupia, Dia Mirza and Sonali Bendre Behl have often been seen in Anavila’s luxurious weaves. And perhaps it’s got a lot to do with a sensibility, which combines style, comfort and intellect. “The underlying emotion is that of comfort. A fabric that is comfortable against your skin is what makes organic sheen much sought-after today,” says Anavila.
TEXTILES SHOULD SERVE A PURPOSE
Designer Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango in his latest collection titled Heer, explores embroidery as well as old vintage archives that still make sense in today’s day and age.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s about swapping out one for the other — there is a taboo attached to the idea that one needs to wear heavyweight outfits and weigh yourself down, which is something I can’t comprehend. Whether that is through embroidery or brocades, textile should serve a purpose, either towards the silhouette or any ornamentation,” says Sanjay. He doesn’t see embroidery as separate to textiles given that weaving and embroidery are both important to the development of textiles.
A MATURE MARKET ENSURES SOPHISTICATED PRODUCTS
Bollywood and the bridal markets have been the key drivers in setting trends, which trickle down across the board. Maithili shares, “As the market becomes mature, people demand a sophisticated product. In Bollywood, there are a few risk takers with Radhika Apte leading the way — be it with her movies or clothing choices.”
NOT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD
Designer Gaurav Jai Gupta of Akaaro observes that people now understand the importance and impact of understated beauty. “You don’t need value addition in the form of sequins or heavy embroideries, and probably, not even sparkle. As long as the fabric is nicely woven and well made, it will always shine. Not all that glitters is gold,” says Gaurav.
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