A new name in women’s fashion, the Tonga Fashion House, located on St Mark’s Road, was launched in May and the clothes in the store are designed and manufactured in the USA. Says Priya Desai, the director and brand head of Tonga, “Until recently, affordable Western wear was something Bangalore girls would go to Mumbai and Delhi for. This was true especially in the case of dresses. The last decade has seen urban Indian women move to being as comfortable in dresses, skirts and shorts as they were in jeans and tops.”
Tonga’s Summer/Autumn 2011 Collection has a whole lot of lace, in styles that are wearable and chic at the same time. “We also have a range of florals that are always hot in the summer, and some funky printed tops in unique cuts such as the one-shoulder spaghetti strap T-shirt with a metallic silver psychedelic design (sported by one of the models). Also there are some fabulous dresses, again offering daring designs that you won’t find anywhere in Bangalore,” quips Priya.
Ask her about the inspiration behind the latest collection and she says, “This collection was inspired by the global comeback of lace, embodied by Kate Middleton's timeless wedding dress. Tonga’s focus on tops in this collection was a response to feedback from our already growing band of loyal customers, who wanted tops they could wear during the day and at night. This inspired us to put together a collection of tops that would suit every taste and body type, yet keeping the factor of exclusivity in just six sizes per design.”
The floral range in the new collection is perfect for the monsoon, adding colour to what can be a gloomy time of the year. “Our range of lace includes tops and shrugs in cool summery colours like lilac and bold stripes as well, giving women the chance to show off the elegance of lace with even a pair of jeans. Tonga’s tops in the Summer/Autumn 2011 Collection are mostly sleeveless or cap-sleeved, ideal for this time of year in Bangalore when the cool evening breeze is just right,” explains Priya.
According to Priya, the USP of the collection is that it consists of affordable chic Western clothing for women. “Our clothes are also designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, ensuring that you won’t find our styles anywhere else,” she assures.
Tonga hopes to evolve into a Western wear brand that any woman in Bangalore would come to for a new outfit. “Our tunics are perfect for curvy women. Our long floral tunics are slimming and sexy, and can be worn with jeans or leggings. For the more petite Indian woman, now is the time of the year to show off some skin, for which Tonga has loads of little dresses available in Small and XS sizes, and a few mini skirts left from our launch collection,” informs Priya. “Capris also make you look taller especially when worn with heels — so check out our hot pink take on capris and a selection of pin-striped capris in three colours — peach, green and black,” she adds.
Speaking of some more style tips, Priya says, “Take some risks with your wardrobe choices. If it looks good in the mirror but you’ve never bought anything like it before, trust your first instinct and be adventurous. And keeping that in mind, look out for some animal prints and bold colours in autumn and winter trends from Tonga.”
The flagship store is located on BF2, Sophia’s Choice (next to Clarins Skin Spa), St Mark’s Road. It is open from 11 am to 8.30 pm throughout the week. For details, call 40988117.
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