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Go for the ghagra
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Ghagra rules the current NRI and wedding season with newer silhouettes, tones and embellishments
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MAYURI, A second generation Indian currently pursuing her engineering in California, opts for a tie and dye ghagra and jacquard bustier, a firoza-and-pink ensemble, teamed with a matching woven dupatta. "Ghagra is a very popular ethnic option abroad. The girls opt for it for college dances, wedding receptions and the TANA meets," says her mother Hema.
Nilu, a resident of New Delhi goes for a saffron and green flared ghagra as also a deep blue and green piece. "I have come with my niece to help her on her wedding shopping," she explains.
Come July, this is a season of homecoming for NRIs as well as the time when preparations for ensuing wedding season in the twin cities start. And of newer trends in the ethnic wear. Unlike seasonal forecasts in the West, ethnic lines here follow a different diktat — NRI visits, wedding seasons and festivals. And one ensemble that has maintained its timeless appeal is the ghagra.
"It is popular with Indians and foreigners alike. For the Hyderabadi, the ensemble remains the most popular dress for bigger occasion while embellished trousers, and heavy skirts are restricted to smaller ones. The reason for its popularity is probably that it keeps evolving with lots of variations across time," says Vivek Khurana of Origins that retails ghagras by Nahid Merchant, Seema Gujral and Prateek Dubey.
Newer silhouettes such as the fitted mermaid and fish cuts for the skirt with blouses that range from an off shoulder or backless choli to a corset are seen on the mannequins. Fabrics lightweight jacquard and shaded georgettes are just right for crafting those sheer drapes. Nets are no more lined with crushed tissue but with subtle yet imperial jacquard.
"Today people here have become fashion conscious. They no more want to dress up like an X-Mas tree," says Sushee Jethwani, designer Meena Bazaar who has been designing ghagras for over two decades including a few no repeat masterpieces for the who's who in the twin cities. "They would like the ensemble to be artfully more appreciable," she says, on the occasion of the ongoing Ghagra festival, till July 17.
A mixture of surface detailing is seen here as in other ensembles in the twin cities. Unlike the traditional Moghul motifs with heavy usage of salma, dhanak and other local sequins, today there is a fusion--a Lucknowi chikankari and dabka work from Kolkata can be seen on sheer fabrics. Antique work is passé, so also silver and golden zardosi— enter multi coloured zardosi, kundan and newer stones that are oval, hexagonal and in vibrant hues. Ditto for new tones for the fabric--turquoise blues, fresh greens and purples.
"Colours get darker as you move from summer to winter. Fuschia is doing well as also medium pastels," says Shailaja Rao, manager textile, Kalanjali. One finds here haute black and red ghagra with mirror work, just right for the soiree, blue and green do for the farewell party, and subtle stoles that resemble veils, to go with the ghagra preferred by the NRIs.
Much like the detailing on the dupatta, from subtle to heavy, "draping the dupatta is very important. There are various styles. The look of the ghagra changes with the drape," says Rekha Lahoti of Sarang Studio.
Priced between 3,000 and Rs. 60,000, ghagras in the stores in twin cities represent seasons' flavours sans any filmy jhinchak dose. The Bollywood influence rife with NRIs and resident Hyderabadis alike sometimes is a problem, observe shopkeepers. "Woh jo Karishma Kapoor ne pehna tha (the one that Karishma Kapoor had worn) is the mindset that people come here with to buy a ghagra. But they feel awed with the variety they find. Unlike online shopping, the look and feel element is an experience," says Harish of Neeru's. And that's what folks in the city are exactly doing at the moment. Going for the ghagra.
SYEDA FARIDA
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