If there were one thing that you could change about your body, what would it be? There are actually a large number of us out there who would like to change more than just one thing.
There are many who say that they are too skinny, others who claim that they are too large, some claim that their cleavage is too big or too small, and others who would change the size of their butts. However, not everyone has the money or inclination to get cosmetic surgery and not everyone has the time needed to devote to an exercise plan. That is what results in many feeling hopeless, like things are never going to change. However, there is good news, while you may not necessarily be able to change the way that your body is, you may be able to "change," the way that it looks. You can do this with fashion.
There are many people who believe that fashion and fashion tends are only for those who have a "perfect" supermodel body. But the truth is that nobody is perfect. What you may not necessarily realize is that fashion comes in all different sizes, shapes, and styles. There are fashion trends that exist for individuals of all different sizes and shapes. A few of those fashions are briefly touched on below.
If you are small in size, height wise, you may be considered petite. When it comes to petite clothing, there is a whole line of clothing that is designed for those with petite body frames. The clothes are often designed so that pants to do not drag on the floor and so forth. Petite clothing comes in all different formats from swimwear to work wear. The most important reason to choose a designated petite piece, is that the styles are appropriate, unlike what you will find in the children's department
If you are athletic or active, you may have an athletic body frame or appearance. This is often one that is muscular in nature or toned and fit. Unfortunately, not all women's clothing is designed for individuals like you. That is why there are clothing lines that are designed especially for active women and women built like you. In addition to traditional exercise clothing and casual clothing, it is more than possible to find elegant evening wear that is designed to complement your fit and athletic body frame.
If you are considered a plus sized individual, you will also find a line of clothing designed just for you. The great thing about plus sized fashions is that they have changed for the better over the years. Designers are starting to recognise the value in designing clothes to suit all sizes. It used to be that plus sized clothing was designed more for comfort than appearance. While many plus size clothing pieces still have comfort in mind, you may be surprised at the beautiful clothing pieces and accessories that are now available for plus sized women, as well as men.
The above mentioned fashions for petite, athletic, and plus sized women are just a few of the many that exist. No matter what your size or your body build, you should be able to find beautiful and attractive clothing to fit you and your needs. If you are looking for more than just beautiful and attractive clothing, but clothing that is considered trendy at the moment, you may want take some time to check out your local shopping malls. Window shopping is one of the best ways to review the latest trends in fashions, for all different body types. Another approach that you may want to take is buying fashion magazines or using the internet to help you research new, popular fashion trends for those with your body frame or body size.
To sum up, no matter what size you are, you have the right to dress, look, and feel amazing. Fashion isn't just for skinny models anymore; it is for men and women of all different sizes and shapes.
Want to end shopping frustration once and for all? The e-Portfolio has revolutionised the way individuals can gain personalised image information. Now anyone, anywhere, anytime, can access a custom-made style program in minutes!
Susan Lockhart is a qualified Image Consultant in Brisbane, Australia and owner of Synergy Image Consulting. Learn how to make the most of your appearance and dress for success, no matter what size, age or shape you are. Get professional advice on colour, dressing for your body shape, bridal wear, grooming and more. Consultations for men and women. Online resources include free ebooks and image articles.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Men's Fashion - Developing Your Own Individual Style
Mens fashion and style interests men more today than ever, as they realize that looking good is an asset in every aspect of their lives: Business, personal or, social.
The fact is, a well groomed man will get a second look, your personality may be great but first impressions count.
If you are serious about making the right impression you need to check out men’s fashion and adapt it to your own personalized style.
Get a stylish look your comfortable with
Some men feel confident enough to do this for themselves, for those who are less confident an image consultant can be employed, to give help and advice.
Fashion & Style
In today's world, to stay one step ahead, it's important to look your best. That means developing your own sense of style and this does not simply mean following fashions and trends for the sake of it.
There is a big difference between being stylish and just following the latest men’s fashion trends for the sake of them.
A fashion victim is someone who wants follow all the latest men’s fashion trends regardless of whether they suit their body shape looks or, age and is someone who can't put his look together.
Looking your best does require a certain amount of effort, but ultimately, your clothes have to fit right, and suit your style, image and personality.
Keep in mind, it's not about the clothes you wear -- it's about how you wear them.
The most important aspect of developing your own style is remaining true to yourself. Just because something looked great on a model doesn't necessarily mean it's for you!
There are enough styles out there, so that everyone can be comfortable finding their own.
Be yourself
Wear what you think looks good, not what others believe is trendy.
You should always feel comfortable with what you're wearing, so stick to items that suit your personality and style, while keeping the occasion and setting in mind.
David Beckham may be able to get away with wearing a sarong but this probably is not be the best look for you!
The key with men’s fashion is always to match it to your personality, age and personal features.
Don’t Overdo It
Don’t try and make to much of an effort to look fashionable that you end up overdoing it.
You don't have to wear every single trendy item you own, all at once.
By all means buy fashionable pieces, if they suit you and mix and match them with the basics in your wardrobe.
Maintain balance
Keep a good balance of basic and fashionable clothes in your wardrobe.
As a rule of thumb, not more than half of your wardrobe should not consist of trendy clothes, or worse, clothes that are out of style.
Don't Be A Slave To The Media & Brands
Don't base your look solely on what you see in magazines and on TV.
Celebrities and models often overdo trends for attention and media exposure, and their look will not necessarily work well in the real world or for you.
Finally, don’t be influenced by brand names just because a brand has a great reputation, doesn’t mean it will look good on you.
More information & FREE men’s fashion & style guides
For further information on men’s fashion and style, as well as FREE fashion guides on how to look your best contact:
The fact is, a well groomed man will get a second look, your personality may be great but first impressions count.
If you are serious about making the right impression you need to check out men’s fashion and adapt it to your own personalized style.
Get a stylish look your comfortable with
Some men feel confident enough to do this for themselves, for those who are less confident an image consultant can be employed, to give help and advice.
Fashion & Style
In today's world, to stay one step ahead, it's important to look your best. That means developing your own sense of style and this does not simply mean following fashions and trends for the sake of it.
There is a big difference between being stylish and just following the latest men’s fashion trends for the sake of them.
A fashion victim is someone who wants follow all the latest men’s fashion trends regardless of whether they suit their body shape looks or, age and is someone who can't put his look together.
Looking your best does require a certain amount of effort, but ultimately, your clothes have to fit right, and suit your style, image and personality.
Keep in mind, it's not about the clothes you wear -- it's about how you wear them.
The most important aspect of developing your own style is remaining true to yourself. Just because something looked great on a model doesn't necessarily mean it's for you!
There are enough styles out there, so that everyone can be comfortable finding their own.
Be yourself
Wear what you think looks good, not what others believe is trendy.
You should always feel comfortable with what you're wearing, so stick to items that suit your personality and style, while keeping the occasion and setting in mind.
David Beckham may be able to get away with wearing a sarong but this probably is not be the best look for you!
The key with men’s fashion is always to match it to your personality, age and personal features.
Don’t Overdo It
Don’t try and make to much of an effort to look fashionable that you end up overdoing it.
You don't have to wear every single trendy item you own, all at once.
By all means buy fashionable pieces, if they suit you and mix and match them with the basics in your wardrobe.
Maintain balance
Keep a good balance of basic and fashionable clothes in your wardrobe.
As a rule of thumb, not more than half of your wardrobe should not consist of trendy clothes, or worse, clothes that are out of style.
Don't Be A Slave To The Media & Brands
Don't base your look solely on what you see in magazines and on TV.
Celebrities and models often overdo trends for attention and media exposure, and their look will not necessarily work well in the real world or for you.
Finally, don’t be influenced by brand names just because a brand has a great reputation, doesn’t mean it will look good on you.
More information & FREE men’s fashion & style guides
For further information on men’s fashion and style, as well as FREE fashion guides on how to look your best contact:
Men's Fashion - Developing Your Own Individual Style
Mens fashion and style interests men more today than ever, as they realize that looking good is an asset in every aspect of their lives: Business, personal or, social.
The fact is, a well groomed man will get a second look, your personality may be great but first impressions count.
If you are serious about making the right impression you need to check out men’s fashion and adapt it to your own personalized style.
Get a stylish look your comfortable with
Some men feel confident enough to do this for themselves, for those who are less confident an image consultant can be employed, to give help and advice.
Fashion & Style
In today's world, to stay one step ahead, it's important to look your best. That means developing your own sense of style and this does not simply mean following fashions and trends for the sake of it.
There is a big difference between being stylish and just following the latest men’s fashion trends for the sake of them.
A fashion victim is someone who wants follow all the latest men’s fashion trends regardless of whether they suit their body shape looks or, age and is someone who can't put his look together.
Looking your best does require a certain amount of effort, but ultimately, your clothes have to fit right, and suit your style, image and personality.
Keep in mind, it's not about the clothes you wear -- it's about how you wear them.
The most important aspect of developing your own style is remaining true to yourself. Just because something looked great on a model doesn't necessarily mean it's for you!
There are enough styles out there, so that everyone can be comfortable finding their own.
Be yourself
Wear what you think looks good, not what others believe is trendy.
You should always feel comfortable with what you're wearing, so stick to items that suit your personality and style, while keeping the occasion and setting in mind.
David Beckham may be able to get away with wearing a sarong but this probably is not be the best look for you!
The key with men’s fashion is always to match it to your personality, age and personal features.
Don’t Overdo It
Don’t try and make to much of an effort to look fashionable that you end up overdoing it.
You don't have to wear every single trendy item you own, all at once.
By all means buy fashionable pieces, if they suit you and mix and match them with the basics in your wardrobe.
Maintain balance
Keep a good balance of basic and fashionable clothes in your wardrobe.
As a rule of thumb, not more than half of your wardrobe should not consist of trendy clothes, or worse, clothes that are out of style.
Don't Be A Slave To The Media & Brands
Don't base your look solely on what you see in magazines and on TV.
Celebrities and models often overdo trends for attention and media exposure, and their look will not necessarily work well in the real world or for you.
Finally, don’t be influenced by brand names just because a brand has a great reputation, doesn’t mean it will look good on you.
More information & FREE men’s fashion & style guides
For further information on men’s fashion and style, as well as FREE fashion guides on how to look your best contact:
The fact is, a well groomed man will get a second look, your personality may be great but first impressions count.
If you are serious about making the right impression you need to check out men’s fashion and adapt it to your own personalized style.
Get a stylish look your comfortable with
Some men feel confident enough to do this for themselves, for those who are less confident an image consultant can be employed, to give help and advice.
Fashion & Style
In today's world, to stay one step ahead, it's important to look your best. That means developing your own sense of style and this does not simply mean following fashions and trends for the sake of it.
There is a big difference between being stylish and just following the latest men’s fashion trends for the sake of them.
A fashion victim is someone who wants follow all the latest men’s fashion trends regardless of whether they suit their body shape looks or, age and is someone who can't put his look together.
Looking your best does require a certain amount of effort, but ultimately, your clothes have to fit right, and suit your style, image and personality.
Keep in mind, it's not about the clothes you wear -- it's about how you wear them.
The most important aspect of developing your own style is remaining true to yourself. Just because something looked great on a model doesn't necessarily mean it's for you!
There are enough styles out there, so that everyone can be comfortable finding their own.
Be yourself
Wear what you think looks good, not what others believe is trendy.
You should always feel comfortable with what you're wearing, so stick to items that suit your personality and style, while keeping the occasion and setting in mind.
David Beckham may be able to get away with wearing a sarong but this probably is not be the best look for you!
The key with men’s fashion is always to match it to your personality, age and personal features.
Don’t Overdo It
Don’t try and make to much of an effort to look fashionable that you end up overdoing it.
You don't have to wear every single trendy item you own, all at once.
By all means buy fashionable pieces, if they suit you and mix and match them with the basics in your wardrobe.
Maintain balance
Keep a good balance of basic and fashionable clothes in your wardrobe.
As a rule of thumb, not more than half of your wardrobe should not consist of trendy clothes, or worse, clothes that are out of style.
Don't Be A Slave To The Media & Brands
Don't base your look solely on what you see in magazines and on TV.
Celebrities and models often overdo trends for attention and media exposure, and their look will not necessarily work well in the real world or for you.
Finally, don’t be influenced by brand names just because a brand has a great reputation, doesn’t mean it will look good on you.
More information & FREE men’s fashion & style guides
For further information on men’s fashion and style, as well as FREE fashion guides on how to look your best contact:
Saturday, August 11, 2007
How To Pick Up Women - Compliment Her Fashion Sense
What’s the best thing to say to a woman you are attracted to when you first approach her? Something nice. Sounds simple and it is. What I am talking about is compliments. Pay a girl a nice compliment and she will be thinking about it (and you) for the rest of the day. But remember to give her the correct compliment and not one that will have her leaving with a feeling she has just been hit on.
Some people think a compliment is a compliment and that is it. Say something nice about a person and that is that. Job done. Well, to a certain extent, in all other parts of life, this may be true. People pay each other compliments all the time and they are just accepted or ignored as the receiver sees fit. But you want to make a lasting impression with your compliment, that is why it is better to avoid the cheesy line like “Wow, what beautiful color eyes you have” or “Your smile is beautiful” and go for something a little more customized. Chances are she will have heard the latter before (whether true or not) and will recognize it for a line. You want her to remember you as the guy who really made her day.
Better to hit her with, for example, a comment on her fashion. Women love fashion and spend hours reading magazines, shopping and then deciding what to wear before going out. They really seek acceptance on what they have chosen to wear and although other women will recognize the effort they have put in, men rarely do. Tell that the dress she is wearing looks great. Tell her you think you saw her blouse on TV (don’t worry if you have no idea about it. It is a great conversation starter). Or if you really want to hit the bull’s-eye compliment on her bag, shoes or accessories. Women love these things as they add her personal touch to her look and by spotting it you have affirmed her choices. Bingo!
To sum up. Drop the clichés and follow fashion – her fashion, when giving compliments. Step back and notice what she is wearing and tell her how great it is.
Some people think a compliment is a compliment and that is it. Say something nice about a person and that is that. Job done. Well, to a certain extent, in all other parts of life, this may be true. People pay each other compliments all the time and they are just accepted or ignored as the receiver sees fit. But you want to make a lasting impression with your compliment, that is why it is better to avoid the cheesy line like “Wow, what beautiful color eyes you have” or “Your smile is beautiful” and go for something a little more customized. Chances are she will have heard the latter before (whether true or not) and will recognize it for a line. You want her to remember you as the guy who really made her day.
Better to hit her with, for example, a comment on her fashion. Women love fashion and spend hours reading magazines, shopping and then deciding what to wear before going out. They really seek acceptance on what they have chosen to wear and although other women will recognize the effort they have put in, men rarely do. Tell that the dress she is wearing looks great. Tell her you think you saw her blouse on TV (don’t worry if you have no idea about it. It is a great conversation starter). Or if you really want to hit the bull’s-eye compliment on her bag, shoes or accessories. Women love these things as they add her personal touch to her look and by spotting it you have affirmed her choices. Bingo!
To sum up. Drop the clichés and follow fashion – her fashion, when giving compliments. Step back and notice what she is wearing and tell her how great it is.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Fashion Industry Boost Digital Photographers
Working on digital fashion photography runs far off different than doing photos on films and television footages. The ultimate aim to capture every inch of details in the ramp; serving to focus the figures of the beautiful people donned in the most magnificent, fancy, weird, wild, and most outrageous fashion outfits, creates new sensitivity to multiple tasks in digital photography, with aims to capture the many aspects necessary to cater acceptance in global fashion trends.
Fashion capitals of the world such as Paris, London, and New York are full of designers allowing digital photographers to flourish. They linger around in make-believe world where a meticulous change in fashion is a vogue each year, as changes in designer's creation covers every aspects in motif, hairstyles, touch (designer's), color, and everything that goes with fashion culture of the moment.
While the digital fashion photographer circulates in high-end ease, filled with luxury, glamour, and beauty, he compensates position to get into a profession that is not as simple as you think, it is. Everything demanded of the glamour world is a vital move to make photography finish, its best in coping with fashion's best photographs.
Points to Consider When on Ramp Shooting
1. Take time to concentrate
2. Be sure your camera is on hand always
3. Define your objective
4. Embrace the opportune moment
5. Visualize on how you could put up interesting elements on your picture to make it unique and interesting
6. Set your goals
7. Use different angles and distance for each shots
8. Apply contrasts by giving sharp emphasis and blurry parts over your pictures
9. Compose your subject
10. Pay attention to variety
11. Put emphasis to lines and shapes of interest
12. Create an impression that you are relaying information to your viewers
Always be aware that whatever output you'll deliver from photo sessions determines the readiness, care and awareness of numerous important tips to remember before taking out your time on getting pictures.
Factors Surrounding a Successful Digital Fashion Photograph
1. Lighting - (a) Midday reflectors and curtains are a must, (b) if in low light, without flash, hold a firm grasp of your camera, or use tripod, (c) position lights at 45 degree angle to the left or right side of your subject, (d) avoid glares, otherwise, use polarizing filters, (e) never expose the entire photograph, underexpose other parts, (f) if subject's dimension is important let the light comes from the right and left of your subject.
2. Harmony in Color - Use background materials to emphasize color and tint. Use filters, see-thru transparency, reflectors, and diffusers to devaluate or neutralize strong colors. Use white and gray for backgrounds.
3. The Artist Eye of a Photographer - As an expert in picture taking, others can't see what you see. Amateurs pay importance to the subject and not the background. It should relate each other.
Fashion capitals of the world such as Paris, London, and New York are full of designers allowing digital photographers to flourish. They linger around in make-believe world where a meticulous change in fashion is a vogue each year, as changes in designer's creation covers every aspects in motif, hairstyles, touch (designer's), color, and everything that goes with fashion culture of the moment.
While the digital fashion photographer circulates in high-end ease, filled with luxury, glamour, and beauty, he compensates position to get into a profession that is not as simple as you think, it is. Everything demanded of the glamour world is a vital move to make photography finish, its best in coping with fashion's best photographs.
Points to Consider When on Ramp Shooting
1. Take time to concentrate
2. Be sure your camera is on hand always
3. Define your objective
4. Embrace the opportune moment
5. Visualize on how you could put up interesting elements on your picture to make it unique and interesting
6. Set your goals
7. Use different angles and distance for each shots
8. Apply contrasts by giving sharp emphasis and blurry parts over your pictures
9. Compose your subject
10. Pay attention to variety
11. Put emphasis to lines and shapes of interest
12. Create an impression that you are relaying information to your viewers
Always be aware that whatever output you'll deliver from photo sessions determines the readiness, care and awareness of numerous important tips to remember before taking out your time on getting pictures.
Factors Surrounding a Successful Digital Fashion Photograph
1. Lighting - (a) Midday reflectors and curtains are a must, (b) if in low light, without flash, hold a firm grasp of your camera, or use tripod, (c) position lights at 45 degree angle to the left or right side of your subject, (d) avoid glares, otherwise, use polarizing filters, (e) never expose the entire photograph, underexpose other parts, (f) if subject's dimension is important let the light comes from the right and left of your subject.
2. Harmony in Color - Use background materials to emphasize color and tint. Use filters, see-thru transparency, reflectors, and diffusers to devaluate or neutralize strong colors. Use white and gray for backgrounds.
3. The Artist Eye of a Photographer - As an expert in picture taking, others can't see what you see. Amateurs pay importance to the subject and not the background. It should relate each other.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Fashion and Identity
For hundreds of years people have put some message in the type of clothing they wore. Long ago people started wanting to stand out from the “crowd” and be different from other people by means of changing their clothing. Some examples of these “standing out” became very popular and were followed by more people. This was the moment when fashion appeared. Nowadays, fashion is sometimes defined as a “constantly changing trend, favored for frivolous rather than practical, logical, or intellectual reasons”. Nevertheless, it is necessary to say that at the present moment fashion has a deeper influence on the life of people and possess more than just frivolous reasons for its existance. Clothing has become an integral part of self-realization of every person. It is no longer just an “external shield” and a frivolous attitude towards it may cause loosing a very important physical, psychological and social aspect of a person’s life. The harmony attained by the combination of the inner world of a person and his “exterior” makes it very hard to say not even being a professional in this sphere that fashion is just about looks. Clothing is basically a covering designed to be worn on a person's body. This covering is a need, a necessity that is dictated by the norms of social conduct. This “necessity” brings a lot of variety into the lives of people and makes their image more complete. It is not about people serving fashion; it is about fashion being a slave of people.
Fashion and identity
The type of clothing completely depends on the person who is wearing it; therefore it becomes a reflection of his perception of himself, which leads us to the term – personal identity. Lately a lot is being heard about personal identity and its meaning in the life of every single person on the planet. The choice of clothing and accessories (clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of a person’s main clothing) is as important as identification through the color of hair, height, skin and gender. Clothing nowadays is a media of information about the person wearing it. It is a cipher; a code that needs a decryption in order to understand what kind of person is underneath it. The present time offers a great variety of these “ciphers” and therefore gives people a large number of opportunities to reveal their identity. As every cloth carries a strong message about its owner, every owner “nests” a certain value in it depending on his temperament, mindset or today’s mood. Therefore, the clothing of a person is a mean of communication with the outside world. It is the way of telling people about the “state” and the “status” of it owner.
Fashion and identity
The type of clothing completely depends on the person who is wearing it; therefore it becomes a reflection of his perception of himself, which leads us to the term – personal identity. Lately a lot is being heard about personal identity and its meaning in the life of every single person on the planet. The choice of clothing and accessories (clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of a person’s main clothing) is as important as identification through the color of hair, height, skin and gender. Clothing nowadays is a media of information about the person wearing it. It is a cipher; a code that needs a decryption in order to understand what kind of person is underneath it. The present time offers a great variety of these “ciphers” and therefore gives people a large number of opportunities to reveal their identity. As every cloth carries a strong message about its owner, every owner “nests” a certain value in it depending on his temperament, mindset or today’s mood. Therefore, the clothing of a person is a mean of communication with the outside world. It is the way of telling people about the “state” and the “status” of it owner.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Home Fashion: The Fashion Of Modern Occupants
Home furnishing or soft furnishing is the latest trend in the business of fashion today. The desire to redecorate everything around us has lead people to become fashion centric with reference to the interiors of their work place or their home or perhaps it is the compensation for our hectic life that we generally seek relaxation through the colours and designs in our furnishings. Generally, we try to please our visual and tactile senses by the soft and beautiful fabrics around us.
In the last 3-4 years, people have begun changing their home furniture like they change their wardrobe according to the changing fashions. Lifestyle furnishing has become a mix of aesthetics, comfort, colours and designs. For instance, brown sofas have become outdated and people now prefer lively colours like blue and red. Though brand awareness in this segment is low but at present the scenario is changing, a few years ago consumers never stressed on purchasing branded home furnishing products, but now they are aware about new products and brands.
The list of furnishings includes bed linen like bed sheets, pillow slips (pillow shams), bed skirts, duvet covers, quilts and cushions; for giving the complete look to the bedroom matching curtains, tie-backs and also mats can be included in this list. This bedroom could be with an attached bathroom making the list even bigger. Towels and floor mats, shower curtains, same soap cases, toothbrush holders, soap dispensers, mugs and rugs can offer the attractiveness of a bathroom. Water in this room, evokes memories of sea and ocean, shells and fish, and hence these are major patterns in the design making of bathroom accessories. Bed-and-bath themes are also combined together by designers.
The bedroom that we are talking about could be that of an adult, or a child, or two adults, or two children and hence the look of every bedroom in a house is unique. The appearance of any room has to be in relevance to the psychological and physical requirements of its occupants.
Bed sheets aren't just utilitarian things; they make style statements while reflecting your personality and moods. As people are becoming more aware about fibres, fabrics, feel, colour and size of bed sheets, pillow slips, quilts, etc, it gives added responsibilities to the designers and manufacturers to ensure quality supply of the same.
Cotton is the most favored fabric for bed sheets, particularly those with a greater thread count. Exporters have an increasing demand for cotton bed sheets, though some also demand silk made-ups. Generally, many export houses are given the designs to work on, or they make their own varieties from which the buyers put up orders. They emphasizes on colour and design. For new born babies soft basic colours are used, where as for grown up children complimentary colour schemes with cartoon like motifs are mostly used. There are a variety of prints to select from. The prints for curtains vary from animals, to soft toys, cartoons and candies; the same is applicable for rugs, bed sheets, duvet covers and cushions.
Teenagers have different preferences like pink which is mostly preferred by girls, whereas blue is a preferred colour for boys. Adults chose from a wide range of colours and motifs including traditional Indian motifs to modern compositions. In fact, the selection of colour and design depends on the fashion trend of today.
One step out of the bedroom and you reach the most happening room of the house - the living room. A combination of huge variety of colours and its relevant coordinates are particularly made to cater to people's physical and psychological desires. Sheer curtains to bring in sunlight, heavy lined curtains to prevent it, embroidered curtains and valences with lace trimmings flaunting luxury and a taste for design, make the room look more appealing and beautiful. Curtains can surely make the room look more attractive. Generally fabrics for sewing curtains are 54 inches wide or extra wide at 110 inches or 118 inches. Extra¬ wide fabrics are normally made for unlined sheer curtains, and are intended to be railroaded or run sideways with the selvage at the top and bottom of the curtains, permitting the curtains to be made without seams.
Curtains with well-designed features like noise and light reduction are being particularly produced for exports. The dyes used for these need to be sunlight resistant as curtains receive direct sunlight and might start looking dull and faded very soon. They are made in combination with the cushions and other furniture in the room.
The options are many; curtains are available in every size, colour, fabric and designs like stripes, checks, floral, woven, printed, etc. One can chose the fabric from the cottons to linens, velvets, tapestries etc. There are many alternatives in decorative accessories: rods with decorative finials, ornamental brackets, and pleats at the top, holdbacks and tiebacks. The alternatives selected depend on whether one needs to camouflage the windows or show them off, as they are architecturally special, whether one needs privacy or needs to visually enlarge a small room will ascertain the type of curtain one opts for.
In case you want extra light without spoiling your privacy, you can get transom window curtains. This two-part curtain possesses a sheer fabric at the top and privacy panels below. Tab-top curtains have fabric loops on the top to which a rod is fixed. Tie-top curtains possess fabric on the top of the panel that is fixed to the rod. And, grommet-top panels have metal eyelets on the top which is fixed with curtain rings. Tap-top curtains are a latest trend that is common in modern homes.
Many traditional Indian weaves and embroideries are being done all over India on the home furnishings products. Traditional Indian embroideries like 'kasida' from Kashmir, 'kantha' from Bengal and 'chikankari' from Uttar Pradesh are in demand for bed covers and curtains. The tie-and-dye methods of Rajasthan and Gujarat are also widely used for making colourful bed sheets and quilt covers. Many of these are available in cheaper rates in print.
Many home furnishing companies are making these products with handlooms. Normally, high quality silk and cotton are used for these products. While traditionally curtains were either produced with heavy jacquards or luxurious prints, at present a wide range of fabrics covering embroidered fabrics are being used. The attractive display of colours can also be seen in plain sofas with striped and spotted cushions or plush heavy pile carpets with designs varying from geometricals to florals and abstracts.
Occasionally it is appealing themes instead of sorting by room that the designers go for with areas designed by mood like femme fatale, eclectic, delicate, timeless and wild. In fact it includes the accessories like rugs, throws, frames, cushions, etc. Unique linen for the kitchen and other soft furnishings for lawn chairs have also gained remarkable popularity. Tapestries, chenille, cotton and linen prints, stripes and checks, toile, crewel work, plains of all types covering linens, silks, suede, voiles and muslins, and towels, be it for bath or the kitchen, all are included in this segment. The showrooms for soft furnishings provide the customers with a collection of designs to select from.
The Indian home furnishings market is around Rs 15,000 crore, of which the organised market is about Rs 1,000 crore. Earlier, Bombay Dyeing was the only leader in this segment. The major carpet manufacturing areas (including all types of floor coverings and durries) are Agra-Bhadoi belt in Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, Bikaner-Udaipur belt in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. In India, there are 1215 carpet production units recorded and of that 190 are in the organized sector and the rest are in small scale industry sector.
The Mirzapur-Bhadohi belt in Uttar Pradesh stands as the major contributor for the carpet weaving industry in the India with nearly 90 per cent of the total production of carpets in India.
Panipat has witnessed high growth in handlooms during the last two decades with the number of looms holding 50,000 are well known for producing acrylic blankets, bed sheets, bed covers, tapestry, upholstery, table mats and table covers. There are above 310 shoddy spinning units in Panipat having a production of 4 lakh kg per day and a turnover of more than Rs 600 crore. Panipat also possess a woolen carpet industry, which is now almost thirty years old, with around 150 units. There are about 60 carpet woolen spinning units in Panipat with an annual turnover of Rs 175 crore making a variety of handloom products such as durries, mats, table covers, bed sheets, curtains and carpets exported to various countries, including Canada, Japan, Germany and Australia.
Benefiting from this booming market and the increasing new and young homemakers, department stores make their home furnishings space by creating well organized living spaces that sell the products very effectively. Many popular companies working with soft furnishings products in India are Welspun, Gujarat (which started first 'Spaces Home & Beyond' store in Mumbai); Handfab, Panipat; Highness Exports; In Vogue Buying, New Delhi; Indian Exporters, Kolkata; Shabari International, Kerala; Cannanore; Amber Textile; and Reliance Industries, and there are brands like the decades-old Bombay Dyeing and just stated like Spaces, Portico, Season's, Yamini etc.
Raymond provides the widest range of colours to satisfy the various colour requirements of interiors in Home furnishings. Home Solutions Retail (India), a 100% holding of retail leader Pantaloon Retail, intends to close its third year of function with about of Rs 1,000 crore. Home Solutions is establishing chain of home stores, committed to all things that would be required for setting up, decorating and furnishing a home. In the first step, the company will be establishing six Home Towns, the company's umbrella store, in Noida, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Pune, Thane and Bangalore, which will start by June 2007. Each store, covering an expense about Rs 14 crore, will be allotted about 120,000 square feet.
To achieve its brand recognized in the big commoditised home furnishings market, Welspun is investing in retail stores and increasing its capacity to serve the domestic market. Besides its own brand the company recently received the marketing rights of Tommy Hilfiger home furnishing products.
Welspun is also coming up with the concepts to educate and guide customers about issues like hygiene, because most of us are comfortable with replacing our bed sheets once in two weeks. Likewise many families utilize only one towel between themselves. None of us have ever understood that if the same towel is utilized the entire family, each member of the family may get infected. All these maters will be undertaken through various media for which the company has allocated about Rs 10 crore. At present it is searching for an agency to handle its communication activities.
As per the company's retail strategy, which is setting the core of its brand-building practice, in the next three years they are coming with 125 stores across the country with an investment of Rs 50 crore. Amongst the 125, 100 would be standalone Spaces stores. Extended with an area of nearly 2,000 sq ft, the Spaces showrooms would provide furnishings for each room of the house. Besides furnishing items, the showrooms will also provide home décor products such as candles, curios and so on.
Recently, Portico, a premium Home Decor & furnishings brand introduced its premium and 'Sparkly' range.
Besides this, various small players in the market cater to every taste and pocket of the population. For those who do not need to spend in professionally decorating their rooms, many options are available by India's department chain stores like Ebony, Shoppers' Stop, Lifestyle, Pantaloons, Westside and even Big Bazaar.
Because of huge demands, many fashion designers have also forayed in this segment. At present the home furnishings segment is considered a flourishing sector in the textile industry. Domestic and export markets are both booming for home furnishings.
According to experts, to make brand awareness home furnishing companies have to put more emphasis on the overall shopping experience. Retail ambience, coordinated product ranges; in-store display; point-of-purchase promotional literature on the product features as well as the company's lineage and superior in-store service are some of the primary actions that home furnishing companies must take. In fact this has to be made in connection with innovative product and brand advertising and new promotional efforts.
While some experts believe that as the sector is largely commoditised, the main target would be to set the category to constantly develop, which can only be done through customer education.
However, some feel that it is a slight too early to introduce new collections each season. While it could support in making fashion consciousness in India about home furnishings, as well as the designs, colours and prints are contemporary, and the packaging and labeling are as per the good quality standards, home furnishing companies need not be bothered about making more complication in their business by creating repeated changes in their product offering at this stage. In fact, in the next few years, with more competition and more demand, it would be essential to introduce at least two major collections per year.
We require building up more colour and design sensitive people to work in this segment. For those who intend to begin a home furnishing venture, whether for exports or for the domestic market, it is appropriate to begin with just one or two products and then add on to it slowly. Cushion covers and curtains are the more demandable products. If proper plans are made using appropriate color combinations as expected in the colour forecast, and ever new designs are made, then definitely one will get success in this segment. The key point to note here is that trends change fast, so the process of designing and creation should keep on preventing stagnation and making guaranteed success.
Conclusion
In the last few years, people have started spending on furniture and furnishings like they perform with their clothing. For them lifestyle furnishing is turning out as a mix of aesthetics, comfort, colours and designs. Brown sofas are outdated; people need lively colours like blue and red. A few years ago consumers never demanded highly branded home furnishing products, but now they are very well aware about new products and brands in the market, though brand awareness in this segment is still low. Many companies are adding two to three products in their product lines every year and many are comings with innovative concepts in this segment. But, for this segment's growth still it requires a proper planning or strategy, more efforts and educate to customer as well.
In the last 3-4 years, people have begun changing their home furniture like they change their wardrobe according to the changing fashions. Lifestyle furnishing has become a mix of aesthetics, comfort, colours and designs. For instance, brown sofas have become outdated and people now prefer lively colours like blue and red. Though brand awareness in this segment is low but at present the scenario is changing, a few years ago consumers never stressed on purchasing branded home furnishing products, but now they are aware about new products and brands.
The list of furnishings includes bed linen like bed sheets, pillow slips (pillow shams), bed skirts, duvet covers, quilts and cushions; for giving the complete look to the bedroom matching curtains, tie-backs and also mats can be included in this list. This bedroom could be with an attached bathroom making the list even bigger. Towels and floor mats, shower curtains, same soap cases, toothbrush holders, soap dispensers, mugs and rugs can offer the attractiveness of a bathroom. Water in this room, evokes memories of sea and ocean, shells and fish, and hence these are major patterns in the design making of bathroom accessories. Bed-and-bath themes are also combined together by designers.
The bedroom that we are talking about could be that of an adult, or a child, or two adults, or two children and hence the look of every bedroom in a house is unique. The appearance of any room has to be in relevance to the psychological and physical requirements of its occupants.
Bed sheets aren't just utilitarian things; they make style statements while reflecting your personality and moods. As people are becoming more aware about fibres, fabrics, feel, colour and size of bed sheets, pillow slips, quilts, etc, it gives added responsibilities to the designers and manufacturers to ensure quality supply of the same.
Cotton is the most favored fabric for bed sheets, particularly those with a greater thread count. Exporters have an increasing demand for cotton bed sheets, though some also demand silk made-ups. Generally, many export houses are given the designs to work on, or they make their own varieties from which the buyers put up orders. They emphasizes on colour and design. For new born babies soft basic colours are used, where as for grown up children complimentary colour schemes with cartoon like motifs are mostly used. There are a variety of prints to select from. The prints for curtains vary from animals, to soft toys, cartoons and candies; the same is applicable for rugs, bed sheets, duvet covers and cushions.
Teenagers have different preferences like pink which is mostly preferred by girls, whereas blue is a preferred colour for boys. Adults chose from a wide range of colours and motifs including traditional Indian motifs to modern compositions. In fact, the selection of colour and design depends on the fashion trend of today.
One step out of the bedroom and you reach the most happening room of the house - the living room. A combination of huge variety of colours and its relevant coordinates are particularly made to cater to people's physical and psychological desires. Sheer curtains to bring in sunlight, heavy lined curtains to prevent it, embroidered curtains and valences with lace trimmings flaunting luxury and a taste for design, make the room look more appealing and beautiful. Curtains can surely make the room look more attractive. Generally fabrics for sewing curtains are 54 inches wide or extra wide at 110 inches or 118 inches. Extra¬ wide fabrics are normally made for unlined sheer curtains, and are intended to be railroaded or run sideways with the selvage at the top and bottom of the curtains, permitting the curtains to be made without seams.
Curtains with well-designed features like noise and light reduction are being particularly produced for exports. The dyes used for these need to be sunlight resistant as curtains receive direct sunlight and might start looking dull and faded very soon. They are made in combination with the cushions and other furniture in the room.
The options are many; curtains are available in every size, colour, fabric and designs like stripes, checks, floral, woven, printed, etc. One can chose the fabric from the cottons to linens, velvets, tapestries etc. There are many alternatives in decorative accessories: rods with decorative finials, ornamental brackets, and pleats at the top, holdbacks and tiebacks. The alternatives selected depend on whether one needs to camouflage the windows or show them off, as they are architecturally special, whether one needs privacy or needs to visually enlarge a small room will ascertain the type of curtain one opts for.
In case you want extra light without spoiling your privacy, you can get transom window curtains. This two-part curtain possesses a sheer fabric at the top and privacy panels below. Tab-top curtains have fabric loops on the top to which a rod is fixed. Tie-top curtains possess fabric on the top of the panel that is fixed to the rod. And, grommet-top panels have metal eyelets on the top which is fixed with curtain rings. Tap-top curtains are a latest trend that is common in modern homes.
Many traditional Indian weaves and embroideries are being done all over India on the home furnishings products. Traditional Indian embroideries like 'kasida' from Kashmir, 'kantha' from Bengal and 'chikankari' from Uttar Pradesh are in demand for bed covers and curtains. The tie-and-dye methods of Rajasthan and Gujarat are also widely used for making colourful bed sheets and quilt covers. Many of these are available in cheaper rates in print.
Many home furnishing companies are making these products with handlooms. Normally, high quality silk and cotton are used for these products. While traditionally curtains were either produced with heavy jacquards or luxurious prints, at present a wide range of fabrics covering embroidered fabrics are being used. The attractive display of colours can also be seen in plain sofas with striped and spotted cushions or plush heavy pile carpets with designs varying from geometricals to florals and abstracts.
Occasionally it is appealing themes instead of sorting by room that the designers go for with areas designed by mood like femme fatale, eclectic, delicate, timeless and wild. In fact it includes the accessories like rugs, throws, frames, cushions, etc. Unique linen for the kitchen and other soft furnishings for lawn chairs have also gained remarkable popularity. Tapestries, chenille, cotton and linen prints, stripes and checks, toile, crewel work, plains of all types covering linens, silks, suede, voiles and muslins, and towels, be it for bath or the kitchen, all are included in this segment. The showrooms for soft furnishings provide the customers with a collection of designs to select from.
The Indian home furnishings market is around Rs 15,000 crore, of which the organised market is about Rs 1,000 crore. Earlier, Bombay Dyeing was the only leader in this segment. The major carpet manufacturing areas (including all types of floor coverings and durries) are Agra-Bhadoi belt in Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, Bikaner-Udaipur belt in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. In India, there are 1215 carpet production units recorded and of that 190 are in the organized sector and the rest are in small scale industry sector.
The Mirzapur-Bhadohi belt in Uttar Pradesh stands as the major contributor for the carpet weaving industry in the India with nearly 90 per cent of the total production of carpets in India.
Panipat has witnessed high growth in handlooms during the last two decades with the number of looms holding 50,000 are well known for producing acrylic blankets, bed sheets, bed covers, tapestry, upholstery, table mats and table covers. There are above 310 shoddy spinning units in Panipat having a production of 4 lakh kg per day and a turnover of more than Rs 600 crore. Panipat also possess a woolen carpet industry, which is now almost thirty years old, with around 150 units. There are about 60 carpet woolen spinning units in Panipat with an annual turnover of Rs 175 crore making a variety of handloom products such as durries, mats, table covers, bed sheets, curtains and carpets exported to various countries, including Canada, Japan, Germany and Australia.
Benefiting from this booming market and the increasing new and young homemakers, department stores make their home furnishings space by creating well organized living spaces that sell the products very effectively. Many popular companies working with soft furnishings products in India are Welspun, Gujarat (which started first 'Spaces Home & Beyond' store in Mumbai); Handfab, Panipat; Highness Exports; In Vogue Buying, New Delhi; Indian Exporters, Kolkata; Shabari International, Kerala; Cannanore; Amber Textile; and Reliance Industries, and there are brands like the decades-old Bombay Dyeing and just stated like Spaces, Portico, Season's, Yamini etc.
Raymond provides the widest range of colours to satisfy the various colour requirements of interiors in Home furnishings. Home Solutions Retail (India), a 100% holding of retail leader Pantaloon Retail, intends to close its third year of function with about of Rs 1,000 crore. Home Solutions is establishing chain of home stores, committed to all things that would be required for setting up, decorating and furnishing a home. In the first step, the company will be establishing six Home Towns, the company's umbrella store, in Noida, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Pune, Thane and Bangalore, which will start by June 2007. Each store, covering an expense about Rs 14 crore, will be allotted about 120,000 square feet.
To achieve its brand recognized in the big commoditised home furnishings market, Welspun is investing in retail stores and increasing its capacity to serve the domestic market. Besides its own brand the company recently received the marketing rights of Tommy Hilfiger home furnishing products.
Welspun is also coming up with the concepts to educate and guide customers about issues like hygiene, because most of us are comfortable with replacing our bed sheets once in two weeks. Likewise many families utilize only one towel between themselves. None of us have ever understood that if the same towel is utilized the entire family, each member of the family may get infected. All these maters will be undertaken through various media for which the company has allocated about Rs 10 crore. At present it is searching for an agency to handle its communication activities.
As per the company's retail strategy, which is setting the core of its brand-building practice, in the next three years they are coming with 125 stores across the country with an investment of Rs 50 crore. Amongst the 125, 100 would be standalone Spaces stores. Extended with an area of nearly 2,000 sq ft, the Spaces showrooms would provide furnishings for each room of the house. Besides furnishing items, the showrooms will also provide home décor products such as candles, curios and so on.
Recently, Portico, a premium Home Decor & furnishings brand introduced its premium and 'Sparkly' range.
Besides this, various small players in the market cater to every taste and pocket of the population. For those who do not need to spend in professionally decorating their rooms, many options are available by India's department chain stores like Ebony, Shoppers' Stop, Lifestyle, Pantaloons, Westside and even Big Bazaar.
Because of huge demands, many fashion designers have also forayed in this segment. At present the home furnishings segment is considered a flourishing sector in the textile industry. Domestic and export markets are both booming for home furnishings.
According to experts, to make brand awareness home furnishing companies have to put more emphasis on the overall shopping experience. Retail ambience, coordinated product ranges; in-store display; point-of-purchase promotional literature on the product features as well as the company's lineage and superior in-store service are some of the primary actions that home furnishing companies must take. In fact this has to be made in connection with innovative product and brand advertising and new promotional efforts.
While some experts believe that as the sector is largely commoditised, the main target would be to set the category to constantly develop, which can only be done through customer education.
However, some feel that it is a slight too early to introduce new collections each season. While it could support in making fashion consciousness in India about home furnishings, as well as the designs, colours and prints are contemporary, and the packaging and labeling are as per the good quality standards, home furnishing companies need not be bothered about making more complication in their business by creating repeated changes in their product offering at this stage. In fact, in the next few years, with more competition and more demand, it would be essential to introduce at least two major collections per year.
We require building up more colour and design sensitive people to work in this segment. For those who intend to begin a home furnishing venture, whether for exports or for the domestic market, it is appropriate to begin with just one or two products and then add on to it slowly. Cushion covers and curtains are the more demandable products. If proper plans are made using appropriate color combinations as expected in the colour forecast, and ever new designs are made, then definitely one will get success in this segment. The key point to note here is that trends change fast, so the process of designing and creation should keep on preventing stagnation and making guaranteed success.
Conclusion
In the last few years, people have started spending on furniture and furnishings like they perform with their clothing. For them lifestyle furnishing is turning out as a mix of aesthetics, comfort, colours and designs. Brown sofas are outdated; people need lively colours like blue and red. A few years ago consumers never demanded highly branded home furnishing products, but now they are very well aware about new products and brands in the market, though brand awareness in this segment is still low. Many companies are adding two to three products in their product lines every year and many are comings with innovative concepts in this segment. But, for this segment's growth still it requires a proper planning or strategy, more efforts and educate to customer as well.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Lakme India Fashion Week – A Review
Introduction
India is becoming the latest fashion hub for the fashionistas. Indian designers are no longer confined to the domestic fashion and apparel market, they are gaining recognition and fame from all over the world. The various government policies and a boom in fashion industry have made it possible. One of the major breakthrough provided to Indian designers to showcase their talents are through the medium of fashion shows. Lakme India Fashion Show is the most popular fashion show celebration of India where the talents of already established and upcoming designers are showcased.
This event is a fashion celebration laced with lots of glamour and national as well as international media coverage. This time lakme India fashion week was held at Mumbai from 31st Oct- 4th Nov. Many high profile designers as well as audience witnessed this fashion fiesta. Famous bollywood celebrities were part of it.
Eminent designers like Surily Goel, Narendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nalandda Bhandari, Nandita Mahtani, Anand Kabra, Abhishek Dutta , Wendrell Rodericks, Anupama Dayal, Vikram Phadnis, Chaitanya Rao, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Payal Singhal, Sanjay Malhotra, James Ferriera, Priyadarshini Rao, etc presented their spring/summer 2007 collection. Also South African designer duo Sun Goddess and Clive Rundle presented their collection.
Brief descriptions of some designer’s creative work are as follows :-
Nalandda Bhandari
Nalandda Bhandari designs simple yet attractive and wearable collection under the brand name ‘Nasha’. She named her spring/summer 2007 collection ‘Free Spirit’. She covered all patterns and styles of contemporary women clothing, dress patterns like- tunics, kaftans, tube dress, skirts, shirts and burnt gold evening gown dominated her show. She played with glamour clad fabrics like chiffon, silk, georgette, voile, cotton and crepe. Her collection was largely ruled by animal prints and embroideries like African embroidery, sequin embroidery, etc. She also presented her men collection. She included her logo of rose embroidery in almost every outfit.
Narendra Kumar
The very famous designer Narendra Kumar presented his spring/summer collection 2007 at Lakme Fashion Week. The collection was named as ‘Love Touches You’. He presented a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary designing paired beautifully with each other. The women’s line of western collection had smocked & pleated skirts, balloon skirt with shirt dress, half collars, bloomers, chiffon with appliqué sleeves, etc which were created with the designer’s unique touch and detailing. The preferred fabrics by the designer were cotton, georgette, net, silk, mull and linen. The collection was unique but wearable in terms of design and pattern.
The men collection was very stylish and appealing in nature. Men models walked the ramp with elaborate embroidered batik styled shirts paired with stylish trousers completed with patch pockets and shiny zippers. Fun element of, feminity to male garments was provided by showcasing sophisticated floral printed baggy tops paired with tight fitting pants and capris. The choice of colors was dull jade, beige, blue, brown, saffron and white. Complicated embroidery, smocking, appliqué work and shadow work were part and parcel of his creative designing. The fun element was when the famous model turned actor John Abraham walked the ramp with white linen suit. Thus he complied every bit of creativity and entertainment aspects to his collection which gained him standing ovation by the audience and showering of red carnations.
Surily Goel
Surily Goel is young and talented designer who even designs for film personalities. Her latest creation on big screen was for actress Preity Zinta for the film ‘Jaan-e-Mann’. Her collection presented the carefree and sensual side of women’s clothing. This year’s collection was marked by knee-length skirts of georgette, crochets, chiffon, light silks and organdy, highlighting pleats and waist gathering with satin belts. Also single piece bubble outfits created in wide range of colors and fabrics. In this time’s collection she used more of small colored stones.
The presence of film personalities like Dino Morea, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Fardeen Khan, Sameera Reddy and Tara Sharma in the audience during her collection put the star element into the show.
Chaitanya Rao
Chaitanya Rao’s collection was like early morning breeze with booming petals of budding roses. The delicate fabrics like georgette and chiffon provided that sexy feminine look to her collection. As her signature, she included moth in the form of embroidery or appliqué in all of her garments. The models took over the ramp with her mesmerizing feminine collection comprising of hem blouses with theme embroideries, pleated mini skirts with batik prints, moth appliqué blouses, long frayed double hem dresses, pale grey chiffon tunic, cream color chiffon bubble dress, dolman sleeved hipster blouses, the list goes on. To accessorize her collection she used thin and broad belts.
Sanchita
Sanchita’s collection presented in Lakme Fashion Week was bold yet wearable. She divided her collection into three segments- Punk chic, Copacabana and Swinging deco. The stunning designer pieces of bikinis and pareos, Hawaiian inspired kaftans, small balloon skirts, floaty dresses and minis provided the feeling of the beaches of Copacabana, St. Tropez and Riviera to the audience. Her collection was quite glamorous consisting of outfit like grey T-shirts with silver leggings, lycra T-shirts having sleeve ornamentations, strapless dresses accompanied with necklaces, earrings and brooches.
The men collection was marked by casual wear T-shirts, poplin trousers with detailed embroideries and white tuxedo jackets.
The garments were decorated with semi precious stones or with attractive patch works. Her line of collection was dominated by colors like white, apatite, agate, jade, opal and black onyx. The garments were accessorized with intrinsically crafted jewelry and bags.
Savio Jon
This designer emphasized heavily on the comfort factor of the garments. Savio Jon is well known for his simple yet attractive clothing lines which are high on value and seductive quotient. Unlike other designers he preferred his garments to hang loose around the body instead of body hugging/tight fitting clothes. He used free flowing fabrics like fish net, mul, chiffon, georgette and crepe.
Pinafore silhouette, long lean maxis, oversized blouses, deep shoveled armholes, low back and front necklines, were some types of garments he presented. In evening wear he glamorized the tubular silhouettes with shimmers. The ranges of colors choosed by him for his collection were beige, grey, brown, black, pale yellow and white. Thus the colors were also sober and subtle.
Payal Singhal
Payal Singhal for the first time presented her collection in Lakme Fashion Week. Her designer collection for women were designed keeping in mind today’s working women’s needs and comfort level. Stylish yet affordable was the key element associated with her collection. She beautifully used cutwork, satin, georgette, jacquard, tulle, cotton, crepe, taffeta, brocade and seersucker in club and partywear for dresses and tunics. Her display of outfits on ramp descended gracefully from daywear to glamorous evening wear. She started her showcasing of designs in oyster white color then, tea rose, yellow, coffee, watermelon to grapefruit color. Display of tunics and blousons were coupled with melon, gold or silver tights. The signature outfit was the oyster white kaftan embellished with golden embroidery.
Sanjay Malhotra
Sanjay Malhotra named his spring/summer 2007 collection –‘Dejavu’. The key phrase which inspired him for this collection was –Life through my rose colored glasses. He instead of sticking only to free flowing usual feminine fabrics, even experimented with fabrics like fur, leather, voiles, denim, suede and laces which were highly appealing to today’s power packed independent women. The beautiful mix-n-match of these fabrics in sober as well as striking colors presented a collection that was bold enough yet stylish and wearable. Few of the many outfits displayed by him were- ivory colored mirror jacket with chiffon sleeves, colorful corset skirt accompanied with net petticoat, tunic with fur edge, etc. His collection was for the woman who likes to seek attention of the crowd and be different.
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess were two international South African designers who presented their collection at Lakme Fashion Week. Fusion was the key style of their outfits. Extravagant layered dresses and skirts, jackets, evening wear, loosely fitted shirts and trousers, long coats and tops were part of their garment showcase. Their choices of colors were mainly creams, cherries, plums, peaches, sapphires, maroons and mauves. The free flowing pleated and layered outfits depicted the south African culture and fashion essence through them.
James Ferriera
James Ferriera made his debut at Lakme Fashion Week. He named his collection ‘Bombay Tokyo’. His collections were inspired by Maharashtra’s rich textile heritage.
The collections were divided into seven segments which were even named. The sari, an ode to devnagari, the hardy traditional towel, black magic, the sholapur story, warli and diwali were the seven names given to the segments.
Traditional warli paintings and paithani motifs were done on the clothes. Very uniquely he transformed the traditional forms of maharashtrian clothing into contemporary designs, like nine yard saris were intelligently converted into tunics. Marigold and leaf motifs were used on black shirts with cowl necks.
To describe in a nutshell his collection used ethnic fabrics and designs on garments with style and attitude. The outfit presented during finale had black georgette garments with glittering Paithani embroidery designs on them.
Conclusion
This event is marked by presence of celebrities and traders all across the globe. Also it provides a platform for the budding designers to show their talent and establish themselves into the high profile fashion industry, for the already established designers to show their collection and maintain their popularity level. The above mentioned review is for few of the many prominent and talented designers. The nutshell description of the designers suggests that this celebration of fashion and style is a sure shot success for India’s designers and promote the export business too. The very presence of film stars on the ramp of their favorite designers and in the audience is the crowd puller factor of this celebration. Lakme Fashion week is extensively covered by media and promoted also.
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India is becoming the latest fashion hub for the fashionistas. Indian designers are no longer confined to the domestic fashion and apparel market, they are gaining recognition and fame from all over the world. The various government policies and a boom in fashion industry have made it possible. One of the major breakthrough provided to Indian designers to showcase their talents are through the medium of fashion shows. Lakme India Fashion Show is the most popular fashion show celebration of India where the talents of already established and upcoming designers are showcased.
This event is a fashion celebration laced with lots of glamour and national as well as international media coverage. This time lakme India fashion week was held at Mumbai from 31st Oct- 4th Nov. Many high profile designers as well as audience witnessed this fashion fiesta. Famous bollywood celebrities were part of it.
Eminent designers like Surily Goel, Narendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nalandda Bhandari, Nandita Mahtani, Anand Kabra, Abhishek Dutta , Wendrell Rodericks, Anupama Dayal, Vikram Phadnis, Chaitanya Rao, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Payal Singhal, Sanjay Malhotra, James Ferriera, Priyadarshini Rao, etc presented their spring/summer 2007 collection. Also South African designer duo Sun Goddess and Clive Rundle presented their collection.
Brief descriptions of some designer’s creative work are as follows :-
Nalandda Bhandari
Nalandda Bhandari designs simple yet attractive and wearable collection under the brand name ‘Nasha’. She named her spring/summer 2007 collection ‘Free Spirit’. She covered all patterns and styles of contemporary women clothing, dress patterns like- tunics, kaftans, tube dress, skirts, shirts and burnt gold evening gown dominated her show. She played with glamour clad fabrics like chiffon, silk, georgette, voile, cotton and crepe. Her collection was largely ruled by animal prints and embroideries like African embroidery, sequin embroidery, etc. She also presented her men collection. She included her logo of rose embroidery in almost every outfit.
Narendra Kumar
The very famous designer Narendra Kumar presented his spring/summer collection 2007 at Lakme Fashion Week. The collection was named as ‘Love Touches You’. He presented a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary designing paired beautifully with each other. The women’s line of western collection had smocked & pleated skirts, balloon skirt with shirt dress, half collars, bloomers, chiffon with appliqué sleeves, etc which were created with the designer’s unique touch and detailing. The preferred fabrics by the designer were cotton, georgette, net, silk, mull and linen. The collection was unique but wearable in terms of design and pattern.
The men collection was very stylish and appealing in nature. Men models walked the ramp with elaborate embroidered batik styled shirts paired with stylish trousers completed with patch pockets and shiny zippers. Fun element of, feminity to male garments was provided by showcasing sophisticated floral printed baggy tops paired with tight fitting pants and capris. The choice of colors was dull jade, beige, blue, brown, saffron and white. Complicated embroidery, smocking, appliqué work and shadow work were part and parcel of his creative designing. The fun element was when the famous model turned actor John Abraham walked the ramp with white linen suit. Thus he complied every bit of creativity and entertainment aspects to his collection which gained him standing ovation by the audience and showering of red carnations.
Surily Goel
Surily Goel is young and talented designer who even designs for film personalities. Her latest creation on big screen was for actress Preity Zinta for the film ‘Jaan-e-Mann’. Her collection presented the carefree and sensual side of women’s clothing. This year’s collection was marked by knee-length skirts of georgette, crochets, chiffon, light silks and organdy, highlighting pleats and waist gathering with satin belts. Also single piece bubble outfits created in wide range of colors and fabrics. In this time’s collection she used more of small colored stones.
The presence of film personalities like Dino Morea, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Fardeen Khan, Sameera Reddy and Tara Sharma in the audience during her collection put the star element into the show.
Chaitanya Rao
Chaitanya Rao’s collection was like early morning breeze with booming petals of budding roses. The delicate fabrics like georgette and chiffon provided that sexy feminine look to her collection. As her signature, she included moth in the form of embroidery or appliqué in all of her garments. The models took over the ramp with her mesmerizing feminine collection comprising of hem blouses with theme embroideries, pleated mini skirts with batik prints, moth appliqué blouses, long frayed double hem dresses, pale grey chiffon tunic, cream color chiffon bubble dress, dolman sleeved hipster blouses, the list goes on. To accessorize her collection she used thin and broad belts.
Sanchita
Sanchita’s collection presented in Lakme Fashion Week was bold yet wearable. She divided her collection into three segments- Punk chic, Copacabana and Swinging deco. The stunning designer pieces of bikinis and pareos, Hawaiian inspired kaftans, small balloon skirts, floaty dresses and minis provided the feeling of the beaches of Copacabana, St. Tropez and Riviera to the audience. Her collection was quite glamorous consisting of outfit like grey T-shirts with silver leggings, lycra T-shirts having sleeve ornamentations, strapless dresses accompanied with necklaces, earrings and brooches.
The men collection was marked by casual wear T-shirts, poplin trousers with detailed embroideries and white tuxedo jackets.
The garments were decorated with semi precious stones or with attractive patch works. Her line of collection was dominated by colors like white, apatite, agate, jade, opal and black onyx. The garments were accessorized with intrinsically crafted jewelry and bags.
Savio Jon
This designer emphasized heavily on the comfort factor of the garments. Savio Jon is well known for his simple yet attractive clothing lines which are high on value and seductive quotient. Unlike other designers he preferred his garments to hang loose around the body instead of body hugging/tight fitting clothes. He used free flowing fabrics like fish net, mul, chiffon, georgette and crepe.
Pinafore silhouette, long lean maxis, oversized blouses, deep shoveled armholes, low back and front necklines, were some types of garments he presented. In evening wear he glamorized the tubular silhouettes with shimmers. The ranges of colors choosed by him for his collection were beige, grey, brown, black, pale yellow and white. Thus the colors were also sober and subtle.
Payal Singhal
Payal Singhal for the first time presented her collection in Lakme Fashion Week. Her designer collection for women were designed keeping in mind today’s working women’s needs and comfort level. Stylish yet affordable was the key element associated with her collection. She beautifully used cutwork, satin, georgette, jacquard, tulle, cotton, crepe, taffeta, brocade and seersucker in club and partywear for dresses and tunics. Her display of outfits on ramp descended gracefully from daywear to glamorous evening wear. She started her showcasing of designs in oyster white color then, tea rose, yellow, coffee, watermelon to grapefruit color. Display of tunics and blousons were coupled with melon, gold or silver tights. The signature outfit was the oyster white kaftan embellished with golden embroidery.
Sanjay Malhotra
Sanjay Malhotra named his spring/summer 2007 collection –‘Dejavu’. The key phrase which inspired him for this collection was –Life through my rose colored glasses. He instead of sticking only to free flowing usual feminine fabrics, even experimented with fabrics like fur, leather, voiles, denim, suede and laces which were highly appealing to today’s power packed independent women. The beautiful mix-n-match of these fabrics in sober as well as striking colors presented a collection that was bold enough yet stylish and wearable. Few of the many outfits displayed by him were- ivory colored mirror jacket with chiffon sleeves, colorful corset skirt accompanied with net petticoat, tunic with fur edge, etc. His collection was for the woman who likes to seek attention of the crowd and be different.
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess were two international South African designers who presented their collection at Lakme Fashion Week. Fusion was the key style of their outfits. Extravagant layered dresses and skirts, jackets, evening wear, loosely fitted shirts and trousers, long coats and tops were part of their garment showcase. Their choices of colors were mainly creams, cherries, plums, peaches, sapphires, maroons and mauves. The free flowing pleated and layered outfits depicted the south African culture and fashion essence through them.
James Ferriera
James Ferriera made his debut at Lakme Fashion Week. He named his collection ‘Bombay Tokyo’. His collections were inspired by Maharashtra’s rich textile heritage.
The collections were divided into seven segments which were even named. The sari, an ode to devnagari, the hardy traditional towel, black magic, the sholapur story, warli and diwali were the seven names given to the segments.
Traditional warli paintings and paithani motifs were done on the clothes. Very uniquely he transformed the traditional forms of maharashtrian clothing into contemporary designs, like nine yard saris were intelligently converted into tunics. Marigold and leaf motifs were used on black shirts with cowl necks.
To describe in a nutshell his collection used ethnic fabrics and designs on garments with style and attitude. The outfit presented during finale had black georgette garments with glittering Paithani embroidery designs on them.
Conclusion
This event is marked by presence of celebrities and traders all across the globe. Also it provides a platform for the budding designers to show their talent and establish themselves into the high profile fashion industry, for the already established designers to show their collection and maintain their popularity level. The above mentioned review is for few of the many prominent and talented designers. The nutshell description of the designers suggests that this celebration of fashion and style is a sure shot success for India’s designers and promote the export business too. The very presence of film stars on the ramp of their favorite designers and in the audience is the crowd puller factor of this celebration. Lakme Fashion week is extensively covered by media and promoted also.
Fibre2fashion.com- Leading B2B Portal of Fashion, Textile and Apparel Industry offers Free Fashion Articles, Free Fashion Trends Articles, Free Industry Reports, Free Articles, Free Fashion Designers Articles, Women’s Fashion Tips, Fashion Tips Free Fashion Case Studies and Fashion Market Country Reports – submit your reprinted articles, featured articles free and get advantage of largest community of textile apparel, fashion and retail industries
Lakme India Fashion Week – A Review
Introduction
India is becoming the latest fashion hub for the fashionistas. Indian designers are no longer confined to the domestic fashion and apparel market, they are gaining recognition and fame from all over the world. The various government policies and a boom in fashion industry have made it possible. One of the major breakthrough provided to Indian designers to showcase their talents are through the medium of fashion shows. Lakme India Fashion Show is the most popular fashion show celebration of India where the talents of already established and upcoming designers are showcased.
This event is a fashion celebration laced with lots of glamour and national as well as international media coverage. This time lakme India fashion week was held at Mumbai from 31st Oct- 4th Nov. Many high profile designers as well as audience witnessed this fashion fiesta. Famous bollywood celebrities were part of it.
Eminent designers like Surily Goel, Narendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nalandda Bhandari, Nandita Mahtani, Anand Kabra, Abhishek Dutta , Wendrell Rodericks, Anupama Dayal, Vikram Phadnis, Chaitanya Rao, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Payal Singhal, Sanjay Malhotra, James Ferriera, Priyadarshini Rao, etc presented their spring/summer 2007 collection. Also South African designer duo Sun Goddess and Clive Rundle presented their collection.
Brief descriptions of some designer’s creative work are as follows :-
Nalandda Bhandari
Nalandda Bhandari designs simple yet attractive and wearable collection under the brand name ‘Nasha’. She named her spring/summer 2007 collection ‘Free Spirit’. She covered all patterns and styles of contemporary women clothing, dress patterns like- tunics, kaftans, tube dress, skirts, shirts and burnt gold evening gown dominated her show. She played with glamour clad fabrics like chiffon, silk, georgette, voile, cotton and crepe. Her collection was largely ruled by animal prints and embroideries like African embroidery, sequin embroidery, etc. She also presented her men collection. She included her logo of rose embroidery in almost every outfit.
Narendra Kumar
The very famous designer Narendra Kumar presented his spring/summer collection 2007 at Lakme Fashion Week. The collection was named as ‘Love Touches You’. He presented a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary designing paired beautifully with each other. The women’s line of western collection had smocked & pleated skirts, balloon skirt with shirt dress, half collars, bloomers, chiffon with appliqué sleeves, etc which were created with the designer’s unique touch and detailing. The preferred fabrics by the designer were cotton, georgette, net, silk, mull and linen. The collection was unique but wearable in terms of design and pattern.
The men collection was very stylish and appealing in nature. Men models walked the ramp with elaborate embroidered batik styled shirts paired with stylish trousers completed with patch pockets and shiny zippers. Fun element of, feminity to male garments was provided by showcasing sophisticated floral printed baggy tops paired with tight fitting pants and capris. The choice of colors was dull jade, beige, blue, brown, saffron and white. Complicated embroidery, smocking, appliqué work and shadow work were part and parcel of his creative designing. The fun element was when the famous model turned actor John Abraham walked the ramp with white linen suit. Thus he complied every bit of creativity and entertainment aspects to his collection which gained him standing ovation by the audience and showering of red carnations.
Surily Goel
Surily Goel is young and talented designer who even designs for film personalities. Her latest creation on big screen was for actress Preity Zinta for the film ‘Jaan-e-Mann’. Her collection presented the carefree and sensual side of women’s clothing. This year’s collection was marked by knee-length skirts of georgette, crochets, chiffon, light silks and organdy, highlighting pleats and waist gathering with satin belts. Also single piece bubble outfits created in wide range of colors and fabrics. In this time’s collection she used more of small colored stones.
The presence of film personalities like Dino Morea, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Fardeen Khan, Sameera Reddy and Tara Sharma in the audience during her collection put the star element into the show.
Chaitanya Rao
Chaitanya Rao’s collection was like early morning breeze with booming petals of budding roses. The delicate fabrics like georgette and chiffon provided that sexy feminine look to her collection. As her signature, she included moth in the form of embroidery or appliqué in all of her garments. The models took over the ramp with her mesmerizing feminine collection comprising of hem blouses with theme embroideries, pleated mini skirts with batik prints, moth appliqué blouses, long frayed double hem dresses, pale grey chiffon tunic, cream color chiffon bubble dress, dolman sleeved hipster blouses, the list goes on. To accessorize her collection she used thin and broad belts.
Sanchita
Sanchita’s collection presented in Lakme Fashion Week was bold yet wearable. She divided her collection into three segments- Punk chic, Copacabana and Swinging deco. The stunning designer pieces of bikinis and pareos, Hawaiian inspired kaftans, small balloon skirts, floaty dresses and minis provided the feeling of the beaches of Copacabana, St. Tropez and Riviera to the audience. Her collection was quite glamorous consisting of outfit like grey T-shirts with silver leggings, lycra T-shirts having sleeve ornamentations, strapless dresses accompanied with necklaces, earrings and brooches.
The men collection was marked by casual wear T-shirts, poplin trousers with detailed embroideries and white tuxedo jackets.
The garments were decorated with semi precious stones or with attractive patch works. Her line of collection was dominated by colors like white, apatite, agate, jade, opal and black onyx. The garments were accessorized with intrinsically crafted jewelry and bags.
Savio Jon
This designer emphasized heavily on the comfort factor of the garments. Savio Jon is well known for his simple yet attractive clothing lines which are high on value and seductive quotient. Unlike other designers he preferred his garments to hang loose around the body instead of body hugging/tight fitting clothes. He used free flowing fabrics like fish net, mul, chiffon, georgette and crepe.
Pinafore silhouette, long lean maxis, oversized blouses, deep shoveled armholes, low back and front necklines, were some types of garments he presented. In evening wear he glamorized the tubular silhouettes with shimmers. The ranges of colors choosed by him for his collection were beige, grey, brown, black, pale yellow and white. Thus the colors were also sober and subtle.
Payal Singhal
Payal Singhal for the first time presented her collection in Lakme Fashion Week. Her designer collection for women were designed keeping in mind today’s working women’s needs and comfort level. Stylish yet affordable was the key element associated with her collection. She beautifully used cutwork, satin, georgette, jacquard, tulle, cotton, crepe, taffeta, brocade and seersucker in club and partywear for dresses and tunics. Her display of outfits on ramp descended gracefully from daywear to glamorous evening wear. She started her showcasing of designs in oyster white color then, tea rose, yellow, coffee, watermelon to grapefruit color. Display of tunics and blousons were coupled with melon, gold or silver tights. The signature outfit was the oyster white kaftan embellished with golden embroidery.
Sanjay Malhotra
Sanjay Malhotra named his spring/summer 2007 collection –‘Dejavu’. The key phrase which inspired him for this collection was –Life through my rose colored glasses. He instead of sticking only to free flowing usual feminine fabrics, even experimented with fabrics like fur, leather, voiles, denim, suede and laces which were highly appealing to today’s power packed independent women. The beautiful mix-n-match of these fabrics in sober as well as striking colors presented a collection that was bold enough yet stylish and wearable. Few of the many outfits displayed by him were- ivory colored mirror jacket with chiffon sleeves, colorful corset skirt accompanied with net petticoat, tunic with fur edge, etc. His collection was for the woman who likes to seek attention of the crowd and be different.
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess were two international South African designers who presented their collection at Lakme Fashion Week. Fusion was the key style of their outfits. Extravagant layered dresses and skirts, jackets, evening wear, loosely fitted shirts and trousers, long coats and tops were part of their garment showcase. Their choices of colors were mainly creams, cherries, plums, peaches, sapphires, maroons and mauves. The free flowing pleated and layered outfits depicted the south African culture and fashion essence through them.
James Ferriera
James Ferriera made his debut at Lakme Fashion Week. He named his collection ‘Bombay Tokyo’. His collections were inspired by Maharashtra’s rich textile heritage.
The collections were divided into seven segments which were even named. The sari, an ode to devnagari, the hardy traditional towel, black magic, the sholapur story, warli and diwali were the seven names given to the segments.
Traditional warli paintings and paithani motifs were done on the clothes. Very uniquely he transformed the traditional forms of maharashtrian clothing into contemporary designs, like nine yard saris were intelligently converted into tunics. Marigold and leaf motifs were used on black shirts with cowl necks.
To describe in a nutshell his collection used ethnic fabrics and designs on garments with style and attitude. The outfit presented during finale had black georgette garments with glittering Paithani embroidery designs on them.
Conclusion
This event is marked by presence of celebrities and traders all across the globe. Also it provides a platform for the budding designers to show their talent and establish themselves into the high profile fashion industry, for the already established designers to show their collection and maintain their popularity level. The above mentioned review is for few of the many prominent and talented designers. The nutshell description of the designers suggests that this celebration of fashion and style is a sure shot success for India’s designers and promote the export business too. The very presence of film stars on the ramp of their favorite designers and in the audience is the crowd puller factor of this celebration. Lakme Fashion week is extensively covered by media and promoted also.
Fibre2fashion.com- Leading B2B Portal of Fashion, Textile and Apparel Industry offers Free Fashion Articles, Free Fashion Trends Articles, Free Industry Reports, Free Articles, Free Fashion Designers Articles, Women’s Fashion Tips, Fashion Tips Free Fashion Case Studies and Fashion Market Country Reports – submit your reprinted articles, featured articles free and get advantage of largest community of textile apparel, fashion and retail industries
India is becoming the latest fashion hub for the fashionistas. Indian designers are no longer confined to the domestic fashion and apparel market, they are gaining recognition and fame from all over the world. The various government policies and a boom in fashion industry have made it possible. One of the major breakthrough provided to Indian designers to showcase their talents are through the medium of fashion shows. Lakme India Fashion Show is the most popular fashion show celebration of India where the talents of already established and upcoming designers are showcased.
This event is a fashion celebration laced with lots of glamour and national as well as international media coverage. This time lakme India fashion week was held at Mumbai from 31st Oct- 4th Nov. Many high profile designers as well as audience witnessed this fashion fiesta. Famous bollywood celebrities were part of it.
Eminent designers like Surily Goel, Narendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nalandda Bhandari, Nandita Mahtani, Anand Kabra, Abhishek Dutta , Wendrell Rodericks, Anupama Dayal, Vikram Phadnis, Chaitanya Rao, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Payal Singhal, Sanjay Malhotra, James Ferriera, Priyadarshini Rao, etc presented their spring/summer 2007 collection. Also South African designer duo Sun Goddess and Clive Rundle presented their collection.
Brief descriptions of some designer’s creative work are as follows :-
Nalandda Bhandari
Nalandda Bhandari designs simple yet attractive and wearable collection under the brand name ‘Nasha’. She named her spring/summer 2007 collection ‘Free Spirit’. She covered all patterns and styles of contemporary women clothing, dress patterns like- tunics, kaftans, tube dress, skirts, shirts and burnt gold evening gown dominated her show. She played with glamour clad fabrics like chiffon, silk, georgette, voile, cotton and crepe. Her collection was largely ruled by animal prints and embroideries like African embroidery, sequin embroidery, etc. She also presented her men collection. She included her logo of rose embroidery in almost every outfit.
Narendra Kumar
The very famous designer Narendra Kumar presented his spring/summer collection 2007 at Lakme Fashion Week. The collection was named as ‘Love Touches You’. He presented a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary designing paired beautifully with each other. The women’s line of western collection had smocked & pleated skirts, balloon skirt with shirt dress, half collars, bloomers, chiffon with appliqué sleeves, etc which were created with the designer’s unique touch and detailing. The preferred fabrics by the designer were cotton, georgette, net, silk, mull and linen. The collection was unique but wearable in terms of design and pattern.
The men collection was very stylish and appealing in nature. Men models walked the ramp with elaborate embroidered batik styled shirts paired with stylish trousers completed with patch pockets and shiny zippers. Fun element of, feminity to male garments was provided by showcasing sophisticated floral printed baggy tops paired with tight fitting pants and capris. The choice of colors was dull jade, beige, blue, brown, saffron and white. Complicated embroidery, smocking, appliqué work and shadow work were part and parcel of his creative designing. The fun element was when the famous model turned actor John Abraham walked the ramp with white linen suit. Thus he complied every bit of creativity and entertainment aspects to his collection which gained him standing ovation by the audience and showering of red carnations.
Surily Goel
Surily Goel is young and talented designer who even designs for film personalities. Her latest creation on big screen was for actress Preity Zinta for the film ‘Jaan-e-Mann’. Her collection presented the carefree and sensual side of women’s clothing. This year’s collection was marked by knee-length skirts of georgette, crochets, chiffon, light silks and organdy, highlighting pleats and waist gathering with satin belts. Also single piece bubble outfits created in wide range of colors and fabrics. In this time’s collection she used more of small colored stones.
The presence of film personalities like Dino Morea, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Fardeen Khan, Sameera Reddy and Tara Sharma in the audience during her collection put the star element into the show.
Chaitanya Rao
Chaitanya Rao’s collection was like early morning breeze with booming petals of budding roses. The delicate fabrics like georgette and chiffon provided that sexy feminine look to her collection. As her signature, she included moth in the form of embroidery or appliqué in all of her garments. The models took over the ramp with her mesmerizing feminine collection comprising of hem blouses with theme embroideries, pleated mini skirts with batik prints, moth appliqué blouses, long frayed double hem dresses, pale grey chiffon tunic, cream color chiffon bubble dress, dolman sleeved hipster blouses, the list goes on. To accessorize her collection she used thin and broad belts.
Sanchita
Sanchita’s collection presented in Lakme Fashion Week was bold yet wearable. She divided her collection into three segments- Punk chic, Copacabana and Swinging deco. The stunning designer pieces of bikinis and pareos, Hawaiian inspired kaftans, small balloon skirts, floaty dresses and minis provided the feeling of the beaches of Copacabana, St. Tropez and Riviera to the audience. Her collection was quite glamorous consisting of outfit like grey T-shirts with silver leggings, lycra T-shirts having sleeve ornamentations, strapless dresses accompanied with necklaces, earrings and brooches.
The men collection was marked by casual wear T-shirts, poplin trousers with detailed embroideries and white tuxedo jackets.
The garments were decorated with semi precious stones or with attractive patch works. Her line of collection was dominated by colors like white, apatite, agate, jade, opal and black onyx. The garments were accessorized with intrinsically crafted jewelry and bags.
Savio Jon
This designer emphasized heavily on the comfort factor of the garments. Savio Jon is well known for his simple yet attractive clothing lines which are high on value and seductive quotient. Unlike other designers he preferred his garments to hang loose around the body instead of body hugging/tight fitting clothes. He used free flowing fabrics like fish net, mul, chiffon, georgette and crepe.
Pinafore silhouette, long lean maxis, oversized blouses, deep shoveled armholes, low back and front necklines, were some types of garments he presented. In evening wear he glamorized the tubular silhouettes with shimmers. The ranges of colors choosed by him for his collection were beige, grey, brown, black, pale yellow and white. Thus the colors were also sober and subtle.
Payal Singhal
Payal Singhal for the first time presented her collection in Lakme Fashion Week. Her designer collection for women were designed keeping in mind today’s working women’s needs and comfort level. Stylish yet affordable was the key element associated with her collection. She beautifully used cutwork, satin, georgette, jacquard, tulle, cotton, crepe, taffeta, brocade and seersucker in club and partywear for dresses and tunics. Her display of outfits on ramp descended gracefully from daywear to glamorous evening wear. She started her showcasing of designs in oyster white color then, tea rose, yellow, coffee, watermelon to grapefruit color. Display of tunics and blousons were coupled with melon, gold or silver tights. The signature outfit was the oyster white kaftan embellished with golden embroidery.
Sanjay Malhotra
Sanjay Malhotra named his spring/summer 2007 collection –‘Dejavu’. The key phrase which inspired him for this collection was –Life through my rose colored glasses. He instead of sticking only to free flowing usual feminine fabrics, even experimented with fabrics like fur, leather, voiles, denim, suede and laces which were highly appealing to today’s power packed independent women. The beautiful mix-n-match of these fabrics in sober as well as striking colors presented a collection that was bold enough yet stylish and wearable. Few of the many outfits displayed by him were- ivory colored mirror jacket with chiffon sleeves, colorful corset skirt accompanied with net petticoat, tunic with fur edge, etc. His collection was for the woman who likes to seek attention of the crowd and be different.
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess
Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess were two international South African designers who presented their collection at Lakme Fashion Week. Fusion was the key style of their outfits. Extravagant layered dresses and skirts, jackets, evening wear, loosely fitted shirts and trousers, long coats and tops were part of their garment showcase. Their choices of colors were mainly creams, cherries, plums, peaches, sapphires, maroons and mauves. The free flowing pleated and layered outfits depicted the south African culture and fashion essence through them.
James Ferriera
James Ferriera made his debut at Lakme Fashion Week. He named his collection ‘Bombay Tokyo’. His collections were inspired by Maharashtra’s rich textile heritage.
The collections were divided into seven segments which were even named. The sari, an ode to devnagari, the hardy traditional towel, black magic, the sholapur story, warli and diwali were the seven names given to the segments.
Traditional warli paintings and paithani motifs were done on the clothes. Very uniquely he transformed the traditional forms of maharashtrian clothing into contemporary designs, like nine yard saris were intelligently converted into tunics. Marigold and leaf motifs were used on black shirts with cowl necks.
To describe in a nutshell his collection used ethnic fabrics and designs on garments with style and attitude. The outfit presented during finale had black georgette garments with glittering Paithani embroidery designs on them.
Conclusion
This event is marked by presence of celebrities and traders all across the globe. Also it provides a platform for the budding designers to show their talent and establish themselves into the high profile fashion industry, for the already established designers to show their collection and maintain their popularity level. The above mentioned review is for few of the many prominent and talented designers. The nutshell description of the designers suggests that this celebration of fashion and style is a sure shot success for India’s designers and promote the export business too. The very presence of film stars on the ramp of their favorite designers and in the audience is the crowd puller factor of this celebration. Lakme Fashion week is extensively covered by media and promoted also.
Fibre2fashion.com- Leading B2B Portal of Fashion, Textile and Apparel Industry offers Free Fashion Articles, Free Fashion Trends Articles, Free Industry Reports, Free Articles, Free Fashion Designers Articles, Women’s Fashion Tips, Fashion Tips Free Fashion Case Studies and Fashion Market Country Reports – submit your reprinted articles, featured articles free and get advantage of largest community of textile apparel, fashion and retail industries
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Fashion - Do You Have A Clue?
I was sitting on a bench waiting for someone, headphones on, riffling through my Marc Jacobs bag, when I noticed the lady beside me was talking to me. I took out my headphones, and apparently she was joking around saying that I should switch her bags, she liked mine better. She was holding a worn-out, no-name, pink wicker beach bag. I tried not to make my shudder of disgust obvious as I said "I would not trade this gorgeous bag for that, this is a Marc Jacobs." She said "A what?" She did not know what a Marc Jacobs bag, or a Marc Jacobs anything was for that matter. Nor did she know that he was actually a person! Not to mention a world famous designer .
You would think Marc Jacobs was a household name, like Marilyn Monroe, or Paris Hilton! I was practically offended that she did not know who Marc Jacobs was! I spend the next 10 minutes of waiting trying to get this lady to understand his significance. Showing her the details of my flawless bag, while explaining Marc's struggles with drugs and the fashion world. I swear it was 10 minutes wasted, she just did not get it! By the time my friend arrived I was frustrated and exhausted. I did not understand her even more than she did not understand me!
Walking with my friend who totally understands me I could not get it. How is someone, especially a woman, not interested in fashion?! I thought EVERYONE loved fashion. I realized that some people are not interested, let alone even know fashion exists. At first I was devastated that everyone may not appreciate my Marc Jacobs bag as much as I do. But knowing that made me realize that it just makes my bag extra special. Only a certain group can understand and appreciate my love for my bag, and when I see them in everyday life, noticing my bag, I know they are part of that group. I then acknowledge their designer handbag, smile and keep on going. It feels great knowing our group is exclusive.
You would think Marc Jacobs was a household name, like Marilyn Monroe, or Paris Hilton! I was practically offended that she did not know who Marc Jacobs was! I spend the next 10 minutes of waiting trying to get this lady to understand his significance. Showing her the details of my flawless bag, while explaining Marc's struggles with drugs and the fashion world. I swear it was 10 minutes wasted, she just did not get it! By the time my friend arrived I was frustrated and exhausted. I did not understand her even more than she did not understand me!
Walking with my friend who totally understands me I could not get it. How is someone, especially a woman, not interested in fashion?! I thought EVERYONE loved fashion. I realized that some people are not interested, let alone even know fashion exists. At first I was devastated that everyone may not appreciate my Marc Jacobs bag as much as I do. But knowing that made me realize that it just makes my bag extra special. Only a certain group can understand and appreciate my love for my bag, and when I see them in everyday life, noticing my bag, I know they are part of that group. I then acknowledge their designer handbag, smile and keep on going. It feels great knowing our group is exclusive.
Fashion - Do You Have A Clue?
I was sitting on a bench waiting for someone, headphones on, riffling through my Marc Jacobs bag, when I noticed the lady beside me was talking to me. I took out my headphones, and apparently she was joking around saying that I should switch her bags, she liked mine better. She was holding a worn-out, no-name, pink wicker beach bag. I tried not to make my shudder of disgust obvious as I said "I would not trade this gorgeous bag for that, this is a Marc Jacobs." She said "A what?" She did not know what a Marc Jacobs bag, or a Marc Jacobs anything was for that matter. Nor did she know that he was actually a person! Not to mention a world famous designer .
You would think Marc Jacobs was a household name, like Marilyn Monroe, or Paris Hilton! I was practically offended that she did not know who Marc Jacobs was! I spend the next 10 minutes of waiting trying to get this lady to understand his significance. Showing her the details of my flawless bag, while explaining Marc's struggles with drugs and the fashion world. I swear it was 10 minutes wasted, she just did not get it! By the time my friend arrived I was frustrated and exhausted. I did not understand her even more than she did not understand me!
Walking with my friend who totally understands me I could not get it. How is someone, especially a woman, not interested in fashion?! I thought EVERYONE loved fashion. I realized that some people are not interested, let alone even know fashion exists. At first I was devastated that everyone may not appreciate my Marc Jacobs bag as much as I do. But knowing that made me realize that it just makes my bag extra special. Only a certain group can understand and appreciate my love for my bag, and when I see them in everyday life, noticing my bag, I know they are part of that group. I then acknowledge their designer handbag, smile and keep on going. It feels great knowing our group is exclusive.
You would think Marc Jacobs was a household name, like Marilyn Monroe, or Paris Hilton! I was practically offended that she did not know who Marc Jacobs was! I spend the next 10 minutes of waiting trying to get this lady to understand his significance. Showing her the details of my flawless bag, while explaining Marc's struggles with drugs and the fashion world. I swear it was 10 minutes wasted, she just did not get it! By the time my friend arrived I was frustrated and exhausted. I did not understand her even more than she did not understand me!
Walking with my friend who totally understands me I could not get it. How is someone, especially a woman, not interested in fashion?! I thought EVERYONE loved fashion. I realized that some people are not interested, let alone even know fashion exists. At first I was devastated that everyone may not appreciate my Marc Jacobs bag as much as I do. But knowing that made me realize that it just makes my bag extra special. Only a certain group can understand and appreciate my love for my bag, and when I see them in everyday life, noticing my bag, I know they are part of that group. I then acknowledge their designer handbag, smile and keep on going. It feels great knowing our group is exclusive.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Looking Toward the Future: Fashion Week Fall 2007
Before you know it, summer will be over and Fall will be here. You can never start planning your Fall wardrobe too early. Looking toward the crisp, cool season, designers are filling up Fall fashion with fresh ideas.
Vera Wang illuminated the Fall runways with an early-twentieth century Russian inspired collection. Full of shearling, military jackets, sturdy boots with medallions, and babushkas, Wang’s new line is eye-catching and memorable.
Wide belts are now considered a fashion faux pas. The new look for Fall is going skinny—thin belts are now the highlight of any outfit. The fresh skinny belt can dress up any dress, coat, vest or skirt and be in line with fashion’s trend.
Gray hit the Fall runways, but with enhanced color. Charcoal and anthrocite made gray the electrifying color of fashion. Arriving in a variety of luscious fabrics, gray will be the most stimulating color of Fall, especially when combined with beading and crystal highlights.
Femininity is back with Fall’s revival of the hat. From wide-brimmed styles to fedoras to top hats, lady-like hats are in style once again. There’s no better way to dress up your wardrobe than with a hat that speaks womanhood.
Slouchy, free pants are quickly taken over the trend of skinny pants. Featured with oversized knits and roomy jackets, slouchy pants are the new sexy of fashion.
Tracy Reese is creating modish style for the legs—black tights and patterned hose are filling in the gap between the hemline and the shoe. The crisp Fall season no longer has to mean freezing from bare legs. The new tights and hose will not only keep you in style, they will keep you warmed to the bone.
Another way to keep warm and stay in fashion is with faux fur in the form of full length coats, short jackets, and trimmed cuffs, hoods, and hems. Look toward H&M for a full collection of the new trend. Also, oversized cardigan coats, dresses, and chunky pullovers are warming up the season. Shown with metallics and tweeds, this warm, roomy wear is no longer just for jeans.
Designers are making getting ready for Fall fashion 2007 a cinch. With most designs as a means to look to the past, keeping up with fashion could be as easy as looking to the back of your closet.
Vera Wang illuminated the Fall runways with an early-twentieth century Russian inspired collection. Full of shearling, military jackets, sturdy boots with medallions, and babushkas, Wang’s new line is eye-catching and memorable.
Wide belts are now considered a fashion faux pas. The new look for Fall is going skinny—thin belts are now the highlight of any outfit. The fresh skinny belt can dress up any dress, coat, vest or skirt and be in line with fashion’s trend.
Gray hit the Fall runways, but with enhanced color. Charcoal and anthrocite made gray the electrifying color of fashion. Arriving in a variety of luscious fabrics, gray will be the most stimulating color of Fall, especially when combined with beading and crystal highlights.
Femininity is back with Fall’s revival of the hat. From wide-brimmed styles to fedoras to top hats, lady-like hats are in style once again. There’s no better way to dress up your wardrobe than with a hat that speaks womanhood.
Slouchy, free pants are quickly taken over the trend of skinny pants. Featured with oversized knits and roomy jackets, slouchy pants are the new sexy of fashion.
Tracy Reese is creating modish style for the legs—black tights and patterned hose are filling in the gap between the hemline and the shoe. The crisp Fall season no longer has to mean freezing from bare legs. The new tights and hose will not only keep you in style, they will keep you warmed to the bone.
Another way to keep warm and stay in fashion is with faux fur in the form of full length coats, short jackets, and trimmed cuffs, hoods, and hems. Look toward H&M for a full collection of the new trend. Also, oversized cardigan coats, dresses, and chunky pullovers are warming up the season. Shown with metallics and tweeds, this warm, roomy wear is no longer just for jeans.
Designers are making getting ready for Fall fashion 2007 a cinch. With most designs as a means to look to the past, keeping up with fashion could be as easy as looking to the back of your closet.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Fashion Clothes: For Ever Fashionable!
One of the ardent desires of every human is to look attractive. Never was this desire more prominent than in today's times. With more and more emphasis being paid towards packaging and presentation this is only natural. However, what should not be forgotten is the fact that fashion might be more prominent in today's times but it was always popular in every time and age.
People use different means to look attractive but the majority of the spending both of time and money goes on purchasing fashion clothes. Fashion clothes can simply be explained as clothes which are in fashion or in vogue or simply put are trendy clothes. These are clothes which are mostly liked by the youth and have that carefree attitude about them. These sorts of clothes are not only liked by youngsters but also by elderly. Youngsters like it because according to them this the most happening clothes and elderly put them on because it gives them the feeling that age has not caught up with them and that they still look young.
Clothes pretty frequently become out of fashion. For example sometimes jeans is fashionable and sometimes formals. Sometimes sleeveless becomes a craze whereas there are times when full sleeve shirts become hot. Sometimes jackets become craze of the town while on occasions pullovers are in demands. This only proves one thing that people go to any length to look attractive. This phenomenon has always existed and one sure way to look attractive in every age and time is to go for the latest and trendier cloths, something which has always attracted people and have been successful in giving them a complete makeover.
People use different means to look attractive but the majority of the spending both of time and money goes on purchasing fashion clothes. Fashion clothes can simply be explained as clothes which are in fashion or in vogue or simply put are trendy clothes. These are clothes which are mostly liked by the youth and have that carefree attitude about them. These sorts of clothes are not only liked by youngsters but also by elderly. Youngsters like it because according to them this the most happening clothes and elderly put them on because it gives them the feeling that age has not caught up with them and that they still look young.
Clothes pretty frequently become out of fashion. For example sometimes jeans is fashionable and sometimes formals. Sometimes sleeveless becomes a craze whereas there are times when full sleeve shirts become hot. Sometimes jackets become craze of the town while on occasions pullovers are in demands. This only proves one thing that people go to any length to look attractive. This phenomenon has always existed and one sure way to look attractive in every age and time is to go for the latest and trendier cloths, something which has always attracted people and have been successful in giving them a complete makeover.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Finding Your Own Fashion Style
In a world extraordinarily focused on outward appearance, we need only to open a magazine or turn on our televisions to see the latest and greatest fashion trend; it walks the red carpet, checks out a movie premier, and heads out nightly to the hottest restaurants. And we, as a society always mindful of what’s popular, follows dutifully along, eager to purchase the “must have” item of the season. But, ultimately, the fashion style that works best for us is that which looks good on our particular body and reflects our very individual personality.
As anyone who follows the fashion industry will tell you, trends come and go. What is one year’s hot item is the next season’s fashion “don’t.” Designers present their newest lines and before you know it stores are carrying these clothes in every conceivable variation. And then, just as quickly, they’re gone. It’s almost impossible to keep pace. Luckily, the fashion style that makes the most sense on an individual level is the fashion style that reflects who we are as people; and that never goes out of style.
The most important thing to remember is that just because a particular fashion style is popular at the moment does not mean that it will look good on your particular body. Wearing something just for the sake of wearing it ultimately goes against the principles of fashion. A fashion style that you choose to wear should be something that accentuates your positives, downplays your negatives, and complements the overall line of your body.
Take the time to get to know your body and what styles work best with it. Assess your body objectively; if you have trouble spots, look for cuts and fabrics that camouflage what you need them to camouflage; if you are on the shorter side, look for a fashion style that elongates your body; and always choose colors that complement your skin tone.
Once you find a style that works – stick with it and add your personal touches to reflect your personality; that is the best fashion style you can possibly wear.
As anyone who follows the fashion industry will tell you, trends come and go. What is one year’s hot item is the next season’s fashion “don’t.” Designers present their newest lines and before you know it stores are carrying these clothes in every conceivable variation. And then, just as quickly, they’re gone. It’s almost impossible to keep pace. Luckily, the fashion style that makes the most sense on an individual level is the fashion style that reflects who we are as people; and that never goes out of style.
The most important thing to remember is that just because a particular fashion style is popular at the moment does not mean that it will look good on your particular body. Wearing something just for the sake of wearing it ultimately goes against the principles of fashion. A fashion style that you choose to wear should be something that accentuates your positives, downplays your negatives, and complements the overall line of your body.
Take the time to get to know your body and what styles work best with it. Assess your body objectively; if you have trouble spots, look for cuts and fabrics that camouflage what you need them to camouflage; if you are on the shorter side, look for a fashion style that elongates your body; and always choose colors that complement your skin tone.
Once you find a style that works – stick with it and add your personal touches to reflect your personality; that is the best fashion style you can possibly wear.
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