Bright side of life

Knowing what to wear and being trend specific is a blessing for fashionistas. With every new year, comes new trends and fashion statements that take the fashion connoisseurs by storm. Enthusiasts eagerly wait to declutter their wardrobe and stack them with the latest of the styles. While some make a comeback in different variants, a few others are like a breath of fresh air.

This year, too, will see many  unique concepts coming up  and innovation taking the front seat, with many designers looking forward to a year of experimentation with fabric and colours.

The clothing market is going through a period of transition at this point in time. Prmod Bafna, Creative Director of Warp & Weft and founder of Suitfullstop.com,  says that this year will see a rise of the rental. “Renting clothes is a thing now, and it is going to be big this year. Renting and wearing rented clothes was not considered socially acceptable a couple of years back, but today many fashion rental startups and online sites have changed that perception,” says Prmod.

Apart from the rental culture, he says, themed prints, like the Persian inspired ones, are becoming popular in menswear. He says, “Geometrical prints and bold coloured checks are making their way to the ramp. Presently, people are looking for easy care fabrics which are travel-friendly.”

Saris are making a comeback this year, says designer Divya Gupta. “There is a lot of versatility that one can see in Indian wear. Skirts and blouse, ‘shararas’, bell sleeves, raglan sleeves and light multi-layering are a few statements that one can look forward to.” 

This time it is about muted and not super bright colours. Bling is back but a lot more sober. The same goes for the floral prints and gold hue. “Stripes are going to be extremely popular. The one shoulder cutout is also going to amaze the fashion world,” says Divya.
  
Of the opinion that ripped denim, crop tops and festive colours are making a comeback is designer Govind Kumar Singh. He says that a look reminiscent of the 80s is on the cards this year. “Fashion has become quick, people now like to wear outfits like jogger pants in denim or slip into a tapered denim mix with the lycra fabric. The highlight of this year is the extensive use of handloom fabrics and linen, especially during the summer season,” opines Govind, adding “Colours like navy blue remain a classic for men but black is being replaced by the charcoal hue. They can also look for maroon and jungle green to pep up their wardrobe. Whereas, women can go green, add a punch of baby pink or look for bright colours like yellow.”

Working primarily with Indian outfits is designer Madhu Jain, who believes that Indian silhouettes are making a huge comeback and with different variations. She points out that ‘bandhani’, ‘tie and dye’ and ‘ajrakh’ are going to make it big as well.   
 
“Many are playing around with the bottoms of the ‘kurtas’; there are different styles of trousers that one can see during the year. Bell bottoms are back and are thoroughly worked upon. Apart from which, fashionistas are also  choosing to dress in oversized clothes,” says Madhu.

Saying that consumers today are becoming more fashion conscious but at the same time responsible towards the environment, designer Jayati Goenka adds that ‘sustainable fashion’ is a buzz word currently. “Many fashion designers, icons and enthusiasts are trying to keep up with the concept of sustainability. They have become more socially responsible and put in a conscious effort to reduce their impact on the environment. This year, tropical, floral and even geometric prints, to an extent, are gaining popularity,” she says.