Source: www.ft.com
LONDON, UK, April 24, 2010: This May, a plethora of Indian designers will land in London for Indian Premier London Fashion Week, the first event of its kind, to introduce their designs to London’s fashion buyers.Their timing couldn’t be better, for western catwalks and red carpets are currently replete with references to India’s celebrated sartorial trademark: the sari.
When Gwyneth Paltrow took to the red carpet in March for an awards ceremony, her look paid homage to the key sari motifs of asymmetry, subtle draping and intricate embroidery. Elizabeth Hurley, actress, model and wife of Indian textile heir Arun Nayar, chose to wear a sari at this year’s Love Ball during London fashion week. Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai has worn her national dress not only on home territory but also at a recent appearance on the US television show Oprah.
On the spring/summer catwalk the references are equally noteworthy. Carolina Herrera, Kenzo, and Chanel couture featured vivid colors typical of Indian fabrics, as well as one-shoulder styles. Then there was Amanda Wakeley: “I was passionately inspired by traditionally dressed Indian men and women,” says the British designer of her spring/summer 2010 collection. “The way the women wear their saris with such creative ease; the soft silhouette; the flowing fabric; the layering of textures and flashes of embellishment.”