Gone are the days when Bangaloreans never felt the need for a wardrobe revamp for seasons like their counterparts in Delhi. But summer is piping hot this time round. Joining hands with Cotton Council International (CCI), couturiers have voted the cotton fabric as the best summer cooler.
After covering Delhi and Chennai, the CCI was in the City early this week to promote the fabric with the 'Cool with Cotton' campaign with City’s top notch designers Raj Shroff and Neetu Gupta (of the Ravage label) and Deepika Govind. They gave a sneak peak into their cotton collections for 2007.
Famous for their texturing and weave, Raj and Neetu employed the same to create interesting innovations — the internationally styled mid-calf tights, tunics, Ravage’s new trademark bouffant skirt and lots of layering — the garments showcased different weaves and prints.
The style that caught the eye was the trendy wrap top over a white mull shirt with a knee-length controlled bouffant skirt. With a dominance of floral motifs, the colour palette had soothing dust pinks, browns, peaches, hints of blues with a domination of white.
Neetu explains, "All the fabrics used were cotton but were taken to a different level through sponge embroidery and texturing. We are so happy that georgette-crazy India is finally taking to cotton. Our Spring Summer collection this time is 99 per cent cotton. Last year it was 50 per cent."
Why does Ravage use cotton extensively? "Mull is a great fabric because it's breathable, absorbs easily and takes textures well. This works for us because Ravage's trademark is texturing and weave. The silhouettes are getting larger and cotton is the best fabric to create volume. Layering becomes easy with different variations in cotton. Our 40-kali mull lehenga sold more than brocade ones. This says it all," smiles Neetu.
Deepika Govind believes that cotton must be made the national textile for India. Talking about the goodwill this fibre brings, she says, “It’s natural, breathes easy and protects the skin from bacterial infection and UV rays. Please say no to synthetics and polyester blends. I wish to get the finest cotton in India and not the Egyptian and Swiss varieties. The government must do something to make fine cotton available to the masses and price it reasonably. Get the techniques of blending cotton to make it crease-free and eradicate polyester.”
Deepika’s breezy cotton dress makes for a great summer cooler. With simple feminine charm, the knee-length dress is apt for this season with its shades of soothing green. She says, “The printed contour dress is from the Chinese theme of five elements. It uses the element Woods, and so the use of green. It’s cotton knit layered with chiffon. Kota cotton and soft mull are great to work with. Little trimmings of brocade, silks and tissue add the richness to the garment. Women can use cotton lycra for a good fit.”
Cotton is usually perceived as a "casual" or merely a spring-summer fabric. But you’ll be surprised to know that almost all garments have cotton. Today there are about 24 varieties in cotton like muslin, organdy, whipcord, flannel, gauze and swiss. Cotton is used in our gym wear, home linens and even the denim we wear is a form of cotton!
Ashish Dhir, representative of CCI for India and Pakistan, says, “Cotton is the most preferred fibre worldwide but it’s usage is decreasing globally by the year. Man-made fabrics have taken over. The problem is that the area for cultivation is limited. Many cotton farmers have replaced it with corn to generate more money. We are here to remind people about cotton’s benefits.
It’s bio-degradable, good for skin, blends with any fabric and absorbs moisture 30 times more than polyester. Cotton blends beautifully with wool. Just like people associate colas with thirst, we want people to think cotton when it comes to clothes.”