KOCHI: It was in the 1920s that the world was recuperating from the horrors of WW-I. It was also an era that witnessed the first wave of feminism. This was also the time when lipstick emerged as the most important make-up product, especially with hues like plum, cherry and coral as its swivel up tube made it more convenient to carry and apply. Estee Lauder, Chanel, Guerlain and Elizabeth Arden started selling the variants. Coco Chanel, the revolutionary French fashion designer, changed women’s fashion by introducing comfortable clothes, loose tailoring, clean cuts, trousers and shirts worn with multiple strings of pearls – giving the modern woman what she truly needed in her wardrobe.
And then came the age of Jazz, which redefined fashion, culture and more. Now, we are almost at the end of 2020’s first quarter, so let’s take a look if some of these trends from 1920s will make a comeback.London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and the ongoing Paris Fashion Week show an interesting blend of uber feminine elements such as frills and drapes with strong androgynous silhouettes.
Says Hyderabad-based fashion designer Dipti Mrinalini, “The empowered wearer is going to express with power shoulders, comfortable trousers with drop waists and drawstring puff sleeve dresses-essentially, unexpected combinations of work and streetwear in strong yet soft fabrics. A lot of high-end designers are slowly making an effort to use more sustainable fabrics and non-toxic pigments.”
The 1920s were all about comfort but without any compromise on style. That’s how we remember that bygone era, as that of liberation. Of little black dress. Of costume jewellery. Of short skirts. Of bob cut. Good riddance from the painful corsets. Showbiz icons like Greta Garbo, Clara Bow, among others were the trendsetters. Adds Mrinalini, “We’re already seeing the marriage of functionality and aesthetics but I think clean lines combined with simple fabric manipulation techniques such as pleats and gathers from the 1920s will start showing up more.” And back home in India, a look back in time tells you that it was the sophisticated royal ladies, who blended traditional designs with western influences. For example, Indira Devi, the then maharani of Cooch Behar and former princess of Baroda set her own royal fashion trend by wearing silk chiffon saris. She had a penchant for luxurious footwear and would commission orders from designers in Europe.
On the other hand, women like Rattanbai ‘Ruttie’ Jinnah chose diaphanous chiffon and georgette saris with delicate borders and teamed them with pearls and Parisian-style blouses. Talking about classic saris as the trend, fashion designer Gaurang Shah says,“Think of the signature nauvari drape, with a long jacket blouse, of the then maharani Chimnabai of Baroda. Or a sari draped like a gown, reminiscent of the style attributed to Suniti Devi, then maharani of Cooch Behar. It’s back to the classics. The colours trending this season are pastels.” And his advice for the dressers? “Stick to what suits your personality. Go minimalistic with accessories to highlight your clothing. Choose sari as it gives you immense styling possibilities. You can choose from a range of Banarasi, Kanchi, and khadi. Try wearing it by tucking the pleats on the side and wrapping the remaining yardage like a dupatta.”