FASHION IN INDIA
Fashion in India covers a whole range of clothing from ornate clothes designed for wedding ceremonies to prêt lines, sports wear and casual wear. Traditional Indian techniques of embroidery such as chikhan, crewel and zardosi, and traditional weaves and fabrics have been used by Indian designers to create Indo-western clothing in a fusion of the best of East and West.
Traditional costumes in India vary widely depending on the climate and natural fibres grown in a region. In the cold northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, people wear a thick loose shirt called a phiran to keep them warm. In the tropical warmth of south India men wear a sarong like garment called the mundu, while women drape 5 meters of cloth around their bodies in the graceful folds of the saree. Sarees are woven in silk, cotton and artificial fibres. Kanjivaram, Mysore, Paithani, Pochampalli, Jamdani, Balucheri, Benarasi, Sambalpuri, Bandhini are some varieties of beautiful sarees from different regions of India. In the dry regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat men wrap and twist a length of cloth in the form of a dhoti around their lower limbs and a shirt-like kurta above. Colorful turbans complete the picture. In the northeastern regions the tribal communities such as Khasis, Nagas, Mizos, Manipuris and Arunachalis wear colorful woven sarong-like clothing and woven shawls that represent the identity of each tribal group. In urban India the salwar kameez and the churidar kameez, are commonly work by women and the saree is worn on formal occasions. Men wear kurtas and pajamas, or a sherwani for formal wear. Western wear such as shirts and trousers are commonly worn by men across India. Jeans, T-shirts, capris, bermudas and various kinds of casual clothing are worn by the young and the young at heart, who are the trendsetters of fashion in India.
Indian Salwar Kameez
Today the salwar kameez stands as the second most popular dress in most parts of India. The popularity and comfort of the dress has reached such stupendous heights that most of the new breed designers have started channelising a major portion of their creative abilities to give this ensemble a new look. Varying from the ethnic touch to the cocktail look, the salwar kameez has come to suit all occasions and what could be better and more creative than adaptation of embroideries of various countries on this dress – each country lending its own flavour to this dignified ensemble. Indian designers have borrowed extensively from the ancient traditions of China, Russia and Turkey giving the salwar kameez a different look.
In China, the art of embroidery dates back to the Qin dynasty where embroidered robes, and even undergarments made with fine needlework, have been found. This art was popularly known as ‘Ziuhua’ or ‘Zhahua’ meaning making ornamental designs with a needle. Even though the earlier specimens found were not exquisite pieces of art, embroidery gradually attained perfection, a fact borne out by the previous relics excavated in recent decades. The techniques involved in embroidery attained a very high level through which the artist incorporated ornamental as well as utilitarian features.
Among the various stitches used by the artists in China, chain stitch became very popular especially for the lower echelons of society. This was mainly credited to the durability of the stitch compared to satin stitch which mainly adorned the robes of the rich. Chain stitch reached new heights in popularity and development mainly between the Shang dynasty and the last years of the eastern Han dynasty. Designs were coloured lines or patches universally embroidered with chain stitch with rare exceptions of satin stitch. The varieties of chain stitch were open ring stitch, the close ring s stitch, the braid stitch, the loop stitch, the daisy stitch, the fly stitch and consecutive stitch, (split stitch), the last being easier to do but producing almost the same effect as the chain stitch itself. The loop and daisy stitch were usually used to form dots and strokes, while consecutive stitch was employed to delineate the thin end of a fine line.
While on the one hand there are designers looking to the West and creating haute couture a la Paris fashion houses there are others who are looking to Central Asia and the East, discovering a treasure-house of designs. Their experimentation in the transference of designs has produced Oriental fantasies giving the Indian outfits a uniquely glamorous look.
