Chiffon, georgette, semi-crepe may not seem like the best fabrics for fall, but they actually serve a great counterpoint to the heavier knits that are considered wintry. And at the just concluded WLIFW 2011, the runway was abuzz with fluid silhouettes in feather light fabrics, which gave a tough competition to silk, jacquard, jersey and cashmere. The catwalk also rejoiced in bright colours and bold prints.
If Tarun Tahiliani did what he does best with his elegant sari drapes, Niki Mahajan brought the freshness of spring with her flowy maxis. Gaurav Gupta captured the vivacity and frivolity of satin and lycra-based jersey while Hemant & Nandita’s winter collection extensively used soft chiffons, slippery satins, silk velvets and crepe de chine.
So is the line between Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter blurring? “Definitely,” says designer Kavita Bhartia, who founded Ogaan, one of India’s multi-designer stores and adds, “Till some years back the summer and winter collections used to be different, but the distinction is surely and slowly blurring. Winter in India is very brief and you would want to invest in clothes which you can wear for a longer period. Our international buyers are also from countries which are warmer. When I order for my store, I ensure the stuff can be worn throughout the year.”
Seconds designer Tanvi Kedia, “These fabrics are so beautiful that you can’t not use them. They can be both worn in summer as well as in winter. One just needs to layer it right and team it up well to create the right look and feel warm. Top the dress or a tunic with similar attributes, with a knee-length cardigan, or layer a pair of sweater tights underneath and loop a scarf around your neck.”
A lot depends on the market you cater to, construction and treatment of the garment. Designer Leena Singh has cleverly constructed chiffon kaftans and layered it with a heavy inner to provide enough warmth. “My 80 per cent business comes from Gulf and European countries. The buyers ask for georgette and chiffon. So we use thick georgette in dark shades for fall and use its lighter variant in summer in colourful prints,” she says.
Sharad Diwan, who buys for Valleydez Boutique in Dubai, says that his market’s demands are light and cheerful clothes. People there spend like crazy for Eid, reveals Sharad. “If I need to buy sharpely-tailored jackets, I wouldn’t come to India. I would buy a Zara and be happy. But it is the use of colour and fabrics that is in demand globally,” he says.