B-Town on red alert!

A few weeks ago, Alia Bhatt cut a cutesy figure in a hot pink pantsuit. This wasn’t just a flash in the pan! Anushka Sharma showed up in a racy red Nikhil Thampi twin set along with her arm candy Virat Kohli at an event. The Bhatt beauty teamed her pantsuit with open-toe nude footwear, Sharma opted for a wine-tinted pout and multi-strand necklace for this outing. Which brings us to the puzzle. What is it about the allure of the colour red, which makes it the coolest hue irrespective of what’s in and what’s out?

Red and its tones have also been the major runway story. Designer Manish Malhotra at the couture week had sent out a burgundy off-shoulder velvet gown with a red cape and Givenchy’s fall line-up screams head-to-toe sharp red like nothing else. Internationally, the likes of Prabal Gurung, Valentino and Alexander McQueen have toyed with it in their vocabularies. We ask the experts about red’s arresting and all-pervading allure... 

Alia’s stylist Ami Patel hails hot pink as the go-to hue for the party months. She says, “Hot pink is major for fall winter and everyone’s wearing it. One even sees red boots everywhere. Needless to add that red is a classic and can never go off the style radar.” 

Designer Nadine Dhody hails red as a classic and strong hue. “It’s powerful and its deeper tones work well. The red jumpsuit was a strong attire and makes quite a statement. Just opt for red lips and you’re ready to go out. If you are not having a good day, just add a dash of red and it’ll enhance your mood,” quips Dhody.

Reflection of the feminist wave

Designer Aniket Satam seconds that. He says, “Red reflects aggression and also a sense of danger and makes a person feel more active. Alternatively, it’s considered rather mysterious and deeply romantic as well. For fall winter, it’s in trend because of the ongoing feminist movement which has been happening around the world.”

Designer Arpita Mehta opines that as one steers towards festive months, one naturally gravitates towards deeper strong tones like scarlet, pink, burgundy. “The colour signifies party zone,” says she. 

Combine hot pink with jewel tones 

Red and pink’s appeal is timeless and also helps one amp up one’s party attire. Designer Nishka Lulla is all for hot pink accented with jewel tones. “This tone helps in colour blocking and also in tonal layering. Besides, it gives you a very graphic look as well,” says she. 

Major for coming seasons too

A lot of designers see these classic hues making their presence felt like never before in the coming spring summer season too. Designer Rina Dhaka predicts, “Coming spring, one will see a lot of pink and red will continue to be a major colour.”