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Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Beyond borders From cut to silhouette, from fabric to detail, the world is a ramp

The glocalisation of fashion comes from the interplay of diverse influences. “Design is no longer about drawing from a single reference. It has become multi-referential. Fashion has steam rolled ahead. Global reference no longer means hot pressing Swarovski crystals on lehengas. It now means watching global trends carefully and incorporating them in a subtle way to suit local sensibility. Besides, I feel this whole Glocal trend stems from the desire to look distinct. Designers experiment with styles and clients are too willing to try them out. Everyone has become particular about the ‘look.’ Look at Kate Moss. She can carry off Gucci trousers with a kimono-style top and an African print bag. It’s all about putting together a look,” explains designer Nikasha Tawadey. Just saunter into any of the boutiques. You’ll see wearable versions of international catwalk looks. Fashion, it’s clear, has scaled boundaries and style has broken away from its moorings. Ravi Bajaj, another designer in whose works the Glocal philosophy is apparent, says, “When I design, I try not to think too much about geography, except when it comes to weather-compliant fabrics. Though many Indian designers still do their own thing, when it comes to styling, they try to make it as international as possible. From what I’ve noticed, it’s the senior designers who are adapting global looks into locally viable designs.”

Darlie Koshy, Director, National Institute of Design, who sees an emerging focus on the Glocal sensibility, particularly in the works of Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Raghavendra Rathore and Narendra Kumar Ahmed, says, “Today, fashion is global and local at the same time. International trends have a way of percolating into the local design market. And I’m happy to observe that the Indian flavour is currently hot in the global scene.” Talk about striking a balance between global styles and local sensibilities, and the answer is unanimous — the seasons. Design ace Rina Dhaka elaborates, “Unlike in the West, we don’t have predictable seasons. But we have a wedding season, a festival season and monsoon. So it doesn’t make sense to follow the Western colour palette and show up at an Indian wedding in grey! As designers, we try to bridge the gap and see what works by mixing silhouettes, prints and textures. Creative thrill lies in redefining ideas in a way that’s suitable for the local market.”

So the next time you see a friend in a cropped tank, flared salwar and Chinese silk stole, remember it’s part of fashion latest global-local tour. Don’t worry if you dont like it. Fashion is as fickle as the stock market. What goes up will come down!

T. KRITHIKA REDDY