Apparel April 2019 Apparel May 2019 issue | Page 99

TREND TALK
THE TRADITIONAL TIE-DYE OR
BANDHEJ OF RAJASTHAN AND
GUJARAT HAS BEEN REINVENTED.
SIMILARLY, SUNGUDI DESIGNS OF
MADURAI ARE SEEING A REVIVAL
OF SORTS.
chikan work, pastels, and hand-block prints
sit comfortably with offerings from international
brands and chains. However, one can discern
several trends or club the offerings from major
Indian brands into categories to get a similarity
of trends.
Half-and-half patterns are emerging. Square
patchwork colours are juxtaposed to get an
interesting collage of print-like designs. Paisleys
or ambis have always been popular. Reminiscent
of old English prints, these could be the hand-
blocked prints of Sanganer or the more ethnic
ones from Bagru.
In India, ethnic wear is a huge hit though in
linen and soft mulmul, the prints being paisleys,
little florals, and the typical Sanganeri prints in
indigo, blues and soft pastels. Block prints are
haute. The romance with Ajrakh which started
a few years ago is still going strong. What has
made Ajrakh so popular is that it can be used on
a host of fabrics. Apart from the usual cotton,
today it has been adapted onto linen, modal,
silk, mashru and more. It is, however, with modal
that Ajrakh has become a huge hit. The natural
weight of the fabric with its flowy drape fits in
easily with Ajrakh. Though the prices are a bit stiff,
it is finding increasing use among chic garment
manufacturers. Ajrakh modal bottom wear is
popular, as are saris and dupattas.
Another huge hit in the country are African
prints. The patterns veer towards graphics and
abstracts. The wild varieties of shades make it an
interesting mix and match to wear. It finds favour
with Western outfits. Indian ethnic wear has been
bordering on free-flowing patterns; therefore, the
bohemian, gypsy look is very popular. Animal
prints like zebra prints in bold colours stay alive.
Indigo, despite having a run for the last few
seasons, continues to be popular. Soft prints on
white and off-white rule. These give visions of soft
hues for the summer. The prints range from soft,
small flowers to diffused, bolder ones.
Tie-dye is in. The traditional tie-dye or
Bandhej of Rajasthan and Gujarat has been
reinvented. Similarly, Sungudi designs of
Madurai are seeing a revival of sorts. The love
for kalamkari continues together with indigo
prints. Kalamkari block prints and hand-painted
kalamkari patterns continue to rule. Like Ajrakh,
kalamkari block prints with its versatility has been
adapted onto modal, linen and mulmul. The
organic, eco-friendly nature of kalamkari goes
very well with the sustainability plank.
Despite the talk of contemporary and
modernity, Indian crafts continue to play a huge
role in the fabric list. Motifs or prints continue to
be inspired from traditional crafts, ranging from
Jaipur’s blue pottery, paisley motifs to ornate
decorations found at various forts. This summer is
more towards the reinvention of the traditional—
khadi, the sari, and traditional motifs which find a
newer, bolder look.
APPAREL
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May 2019
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