How to Wear Them
IN India, the denim has always been a thing of comfort, and worn casually. Of late however, this wardrobe essential is getting more fashionable, as luxury brands make their way into the country. Mitali Purswani of The Denim Story, a Mumbai-based collective of high-end denim brands, says retro styles are coming back in fashion, but with a twist.
ALL DRESSED UP
Silhouettes for dresses are going to be boxy, but with cleaner lines. The whole idea is to keep the look flat, and this is across dresses and skirts. The classic styles, such as the shirtdress, and cuts, such as the A-line are perfect for older people. For the younger generation, dresses with raw edges are ideal.
Rs 8,000 onwards
Style of ‘16
According to Krishna Mukhi, fashion editor for Harper’s Bazaar, most international brands, luxury or premium, are taking inspiration from street fashion when it comes to creating new styles of denim for SS’16.
BACK TO THE 90S: The street style of the 90s is back, and even luxury brands are drawing influences. This means a lot of acid washes, raw hems, and slouchy fits are back. Even pedalpusher styles are back.
EMBELLISHED IDEAS: Embellishments will become quite an important part of denim, and these include prints, graphics, leather applique, sequins, crystals and so on.
COLOUR CODE: Apart from white, and silver, black is going to be prominent in the new season. It’s unlikely for this shade to be popular in summer, but given the street-style influence that’s crept in, it makes sense.
THE LOOSE FIT: The denim shirt is back, and with a twist. Earlier we saw it as a well-fitted garment, but this year it’s come back as something slightly loose, perhaps tied at the waist and paired with hot pants, or worn over a slip dress.
Celebs who rock it
Mukhi’s list of celebrities who can really experiment with denim includes actors Kalki Koechlin, and Anushka Sharma, musician Monica Dogra, and Ranveer Singh. “I I haven’t seen Sonam kapoor experiment it much,” he says.
Being brand conscious
Designer Pallavi Mohan has created beautiful silhouettes using lightweight fabrics and denim. She’s designed a skirt in soft organza with denim, and outfits in glass nylon and denim. Vero Moda is experimenting a lot with denim; they’re creating denim with prints, different kinds of washes, experimenting with dyes, and fabrics. For men, Diesel is a good brand to go to.
CROPPED FLAIRS
Cropped flairs in lightweight denims, especially in white, are going to be big this year. Check out American luxury brands such as J Brand, Citizens of Humanity, Siwy Denim, Paige, DL1961, and the US and UK company Frame Denim. Suited best for taller women, it sits comfortable at the ankle for those who aren’t. It’s also apt for most body types, except for a plus sized person.
Rs 15,000 onwards
TECHNOLOGICAL DENIM
California-based brand, Joe’s, has introduced the ‘spotless denim’ where if you drop wine on your white denims, it will remain stain free. The fabric is wax coated, and can make for chic evening wear as well. They’re also working on another technology called Cool Off Denim, a lightweight fabric that is predicted to do well for Indian climates.
Rs 18,000 onwards.
SLIM BOYFRIEND
The new season will see the slim boyfriend in darker washes, and more so in black, grey, and charcoal tones (by J Brand). Paige’s Jimmy is best suited for the Indian curvy body type, and the Le Garcon style by Frame. For those who are petite, most washes in this style work. For curvy women, a darker wash is better suited. Also, pick a size down when it comes to this style.
Rs 16,000 onwards
SHORTS STORY
Brands have started to hybrid the boyfriend, distressed, and roll-up styles to create a new look in shorts. The new styles include cutout shorts, slouchy boyfriend shorts, and bicycle shorts. Check out Hailey, the white distressed denim shorts by the American denim brand AG. DL1961’s Karlie is perfect for the curvy body, and J Brand’s bicycle shorts, which are almost till the knee, are ideal for plus-sized women, and as well as for the older demographic.
Rs 13,000 onwards.