It's cool, yet hot

CALL IT millennium madness or chic disarray. Fusion is causing a flutter in fashiondom. Yes...today's fashion is about mutation - of the ethnic East and the wild West. Travel, television, and of course, the relentless creative pursuits of showmen-designers have resulted in a froth of styles that fuse trends or bring together traditional fabrics and modern designs.

Naturally, the conventional salwar kameez that saw a renaissance in the late 1980s and 1990s has now become passe. For kurtas are getting shorter and easy-fit trousers are replacing the salwar and churidhar.

"These Indo-Western styles are stylish, comfortable and just right for today's upwardly mobile woman", says teenaged model Asharita, as she displays a kurti at Ffolio.

Anuja Vikram and Prabha Raman, students of a city college, while chilling it out at a coffee pub, too reiterate that the salwar kameez is way past its expiration date. With sunny smiles that match their vibrant cropped kurtas and lycra trousers, the fiercely stylish duo say that by synthesising trends, designers are able to offer a curious mix of boyish preppiness and feminine grace. "That's what we want", say the two. If you thought these kurti-trousers were for young girls with hour glass figures, you're mistaken. "Avid travellers prefer them as well. They don't feel out of place in foreign destinations. Particularly, when complemented with suitable stoles," says Asha Mohan, shop manager, Ffolio, as she displays a trendy collection by Kimono, Onkara, Scheraz and Linarika.

"I've become a tad tired of the salwar kameez. Short kurtas are smart and don't look slouchy for the workplace", says software analyst M. Parnitha, as she makes her choice at Studio Saks. Chipping in, Sabitha and Upasana Asrani of the fashion house add, "Kurtis are in. They are attitude-driven and meet the need of a fast paced and constantly evolving society." The designers to watch out for here are Anand Kabra, Byzantic, Priya Wadhaw and Salim Ghauri.

Even boutiques like Seams Natural, which are trying to gain a toe-hold in the fashion firmament are now flush with kurta- trousers-skirts-sarongs.

"These clothes are reflective of the dynamic intermingling of cultures. The look is truly global. Youngsters have a penchant for clothes with an international flavour. But Indianness is retained in terms of fabrics used and traditional embellishments", says Binu Jha, a NIFT product who runs the boutique. "Indo-Westerns are indeed a comfortable and sensible option for the travelling executive. She no longer has to squirm in power jackets that she is not used to," Binu adds.

The kurti-trouser combination is unmistakably a case of two classics coming together to create a new look for today's headstrong, personality-projecting woman. Though the close-fit stretch or lycra is said to be West-inspired, avid Hindi film buffs could take you on a nostalgic spin to the Asha Parekh or Sharmila Tagore era when female fashion meant squeezing themselves in tights.

What's more about the Western edge? Well, it is the concept of dressing down - with a sexy slant that is. So most kurtas (do you hear someone calling them tunics?) are now minimalistic with scooped necklines, saucy spaghetti straps and body-skimming cuts. The no-fuss trousers are loose or tight - some with mid-calf hems, others with boot-cuts or simple regulars. And as the kurtas get shorter, the slits seem to get longer. Some of them come in belly-baring cutaways too, thanks to the clutch of Hindi cine/pop stars and starlets who don't think twice about showing skin. "Oh, yes...skin is in," asserts D. Vimala, a student of fashion technology. "There is nothing wrong in showing a bit of the midriff, provided the crowd is not hyper-prudish to make you feel self-conscious. Some of these Indo-Westerns are sensual in a subtle way."

True, coming in whispering colours, wispy fabrics and supple shapes, they are made to contour the body. So you can hardly camouflage figure flaws with kurtis. In Ffloio for instance, the short kurta-trousers come in finer-than-fine fabrics such as organza, chiffon, crepe, georgette, jute and lycra. Dusted with sequins or finely touched with embroidery and crystals, they seem to denote that there is serious art in couture. From cool to cutting edge, the designers have plenty to offer when it comes to fashion's happening kurti. By mixing varied trends in their designs, they seem to have arrived at a potent cocktail to lure the fashion-conscious. Never mind the infamous price tags!

Store watch

IF YOU happen to go on a buying binge, you could perhaps check out the collections at Ffolio and the host of signature stores at Khader Nawaz Khan Road. Ritu Kumar's, Taj Khazana, Studio Saks, Fab India or Kalpa Druma (where you get mix-and-match pieces), Seams Natural and Gurlz are other options. For those who love going on a mall cruise, the shopping arcades dotting the city too offer a wide choice. But remember to have bulging purses!

If you are not too keen on the signature that comes with the clothes, it is better you pick up those wondrous fabrics and have them tailored - to suit your taste and pocket.

T.KRITHIKA REDDY

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