Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
Global fashion's HERE!
|
Ethnic chic was in at the 17th IKF, which focussed on basic designs. But, the buyers came looking in for experimentation, writes SUBHA J RAO.
|
IT MIGHT have been sweltering outside, but at the India Knit Fair complex, autumn had already set in and winter was not far away.
A melange of colours at the nearly 60-odd stalls wooed visitors to the 17th India Knit Fair at Tirupur. The fabrics used ranged from knitted to lycra to polar fleece to micro fleece to sequined and value-added materials, keeping in mind the collection's target seasons - autumn/winter and mid-summer.
Many of the designs had a Western feel to them. A few, however, boasted local flavour. So, firms like Ancient Kraft from Jaipur had tried out typical Rajasthani prints and handwork on knitted fabric. Their bright-coloured garments, which banked on "ethnic" chic, earned many wows.
At the fashion show, held twice a day on all three days of the expo, models walked the ramp dressed in the best designer wear, sporting a range of garments like party wear, casual wear and night wear. For a change, they did not look stone-faced. They smiled and looked real.
Was it because of the comfortable clothes? Quite possible. For, besides being flexible, soft knitted fabrics have the ability to cling on to the skin. Who better can vouch for the wearability of the clothes than the boys and girls who model for them? Aman and Purushottam, models who formed part of the fashion shows choreographed by Sunil Menon of HFO Entertainment, Chennai, said: "The fabric was very comfortable on the skin. It was a pleasure wearing the garments."
There was nothing to rave about when it came to the men's wear showcased. Basic trousers, T-shirts and night dresses were all they got to sport. It was a different story for the girls. You had it all there. Spaghetti straps, tank tops, low hemlines and sensuous cuts showed off the models' chiselled bodies to perfection.
Most of the designs were wearable, barring a few that were there merely to generate a buzz among the audience.
And, the designs seem to be improving with every show. "Earlier, the clothes would hang on us. Now, they fit better," said a model.
Medha, former hostess of Thillana Thillana on Sun TV, got to wear some of the best creations. Beaming after the World Miss University contest, where she came third in a field of 60, she set the ramp on fire. "We concentrated on basic make-up. Normally, during changes, we re-do our make up or change our footwear. Here, we kept away from that routine and focussed on getting the drape and look right."
The choreography also had a minimalist touch to it. Without too much make-up and hair-do to distract attention, all the focus was on the clothes. "The show was structured in such a way as to let the buyers see the cut and finish. It was pure fashion without any distraction," said Sunil. "It was a privilege doing a show where the people came to see the garments and not the girls," he remarked.
The petite Kanta, a student of the NIFD, Jaipur, was the brain behind Ancient Kraft's collection. "People like value additions like sequins. So, we used them and patchwork in knitted garments. The reception has been good," she said.
Value-addition was the buzzword at the fair. Knitted fabric had been used in a myriad weaves and embellished with beads, appliqué work and the like. So, many of the stalls had collections that did not look like regular Tirupur ware. The glitter also served a dual purpose. Suresh Mansharamani of Rahul Global said that value-added clothes were bound to do well, what with Christmas and the festive season coming up.
However, when it came to kids wear, the beads gave way to child-friendly fabrics and designs.
Steenken, a buyer for the German firm Buddelei, felt the collections were "interesting for the German market, for sequins were the trend there too."
Other buyers were not so impressed. "The fashion show was quite interesting, but the clothes were very basic. There is need for more external input," said a foreign buyer who had come looking for nightwear.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
|
