A guide to the sartorial styles for the year.
New wardrobes follow New Year resolutions closely. Nykaa has sifted through the hottest fashions dominating runways globally and picked five chic fashion trends likely to rule this year. From flamboyant stripes and soft pastel-florals to intricate applique and jaunty appliques this will be a season of dashing style and elegant grace.
Pastel and florals
Runways everywhere—from Jonathan Saunders and Marc Jacobs to Payal Pratap and Anupama Dayal—chose to focus on ultra-feminine designs with sugar candy hued clothes. The perfect way to relive childhood fairytale fantasies. Take your pick from mint greens, pretty lemons and pinks or sorbet tinted peach and orange flowy floral fabrics. Pink though remains an all-time favorite. Meanwhile Givenchy and home grown designer Shehla Khan have given floral summer prints pride of place. Flowers will remain a hot trend on skirts, dresses and shirts. Combine with a structured mono chrome shirt or trousers to make a statement.
Statement stripes.
They’re back in every which way! Horizontal, vertical, thin, thick, checkered, asymmetric, black and white or colored, the stripe trend will stay strong through 2014. Whether it was Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors or Ankur & Priyanaka Modi and Dev r Nil, stripes are everywhere. Depending on your body type own the stripe trend by way of a structured jacket, pencil skirt or a head to toe striped gown. Having said that mono chromes and striped separates will remain an all-time favorite. Play up the look with a dash on neon and you have a winner on your hands. For instance, at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week last year many outfits sported checked and striped designs in black/white and colors. You could even flaunt the trend on saris. Think black sari with halter silver striped choli or an electric orange sari with a bottle green-purple striped blouse. Complete the look with contrasting bright shoes, jewelry or a bag.
Minimalism moods.
It’s the classic return to the old adage “Less is More.” Wendell Rodricks is the master of the minimalistic trend. So are Rajesh Pratap Singh, Calvin Klein and Nicole Farhi. A no-nonsense trend without drama. Just simple, clean lines and flowy silhouettes. In fact the father of the minimalistic movement in India, Rodricks has led the way with his rural cotton weaves, eco dyes and garment patterns focusing on cut and color, never relying on gimmicky embroidery. It’s a trend that puts opulent bling, fringes and embroidery on the backburner allowing the fabric and cut to speak for itself. As Rodricks says, “People are over and done with highly done up OTT outfits. After all, how many chains, sequins and embellishments can you mix together?
Nykaa predicts the minimal look will reign in 2014. Fuss-free linens, chiffons and silks with minimal threadwork, just enough to showcase the cut and fabric will rule the roost. Designer Rina Dhaka says that increasingly brides too will adopt the trend and simply embellish with striking jewelry to make a statement.
Return to the sixties.
It was an iconic era that belonged to Elvis, Blondie and the Beatles. Even today it continues to inspire designers from Victoria Beckham and Prada to Manish Malhotra. Think big hair, bouffant, cat eyes, big prints and bright hues like rani pink. In his homage to hundred years of Indian cinema, Manish Malhotra showcased the feminine and sexy anarkalis and polka-floral hippy styles of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Live the era with candy or neon colored big print shirts, skirts, box jackets and bell bottoms. Or flaunt disco bling, rani pink (hot pink for the uninitiated) and other electric hues to keep the ‘60s alive. As far as silhouettes go, draping plays an important role as designer Karieshma Sarnaa showed. Skirts or tunics with pleats, puffed sleeves and Peter Pan collars will all remain hot favorites.
Making designs with appliques.
This is by far the prettiest trends to emulate. Make a 3-D fashion statement any which way you want from floral sweater to saris and kurtas with applique work. Internationally, we loved Chloe's overlapping florals to Dries Van Noten's floral sweaters and closer home Rohit Bal’s hand-embroidered jackets with metallic appliqué flowers. Rohit Verma has also showcased a beautiful line of net saris embellished with applique patchwork and floral designs. Try the trend to make an unforgettable three dimensional floral statement.
