Victorian influences trickle down in resort offerings...

After season of androgyny and masculine-inspired offerings, the recently concluded fashion week was a fresh breath of feminine softness.The fragile prettiness has always been an inspirational reservoir for designers and this resort season saw a distinct comeback of this beautiful narration of the poetic grace. From statement collars to delicate bows to dreamy florals — it all summed up the core mood of design inspiration along with diaphanous materials. The billowing sleeves and high collars are the most workable interpretation of this trend in our day-to-day wardrobe as seen on the runway of Eka and Hemant and Nandita. The old school vintage blouse patterns from colonial India were also noticed on the runway teamed simply with basic draped saris as seen on Anavila. No Victorian look is completed without flirty details like cascading frills and ruffles and we saw plenty of them at Lakme Fashion Week. 

Designer Anavila Misra’s collection Blur, was amongst other things all about blurring the boundaries between the East and the West. “I wanted to take a traditional sari, a garment very endemic to India and marry it using elements and styles from the West. For example, layering a sari with a trench coat or accentuating a dress with a scarf. Elements like flared and funnel sleeves with pleats and gathers in the shirts also added to create a little reflection of Victorian era,” she says.

Old world charm 

Designer Rina Singh of Eka had done a story book narrative on Amrita Sher-Gil’s wardrobe. “It was vintage, Parisian chic with textiles from India that also is my label’s strength. I focused on details like the dress lengths, sheer embroidered under-linings, tie ups and collar detailings, layering and coordinates,” she shares. The shapes were ruffled, flared cut with a little air of whimsy and femininity. She toyed with a soft and strong combination of wool and silk under layers. The tie-up detailing that bound the whole collection together was done as an element of vintage dressing, and the long flared layers were additional focus it. 

Rina worked on a Modern Day Amrita yet worked out references from vintage 1930’s fashion. “The dramatisation of women’s wear, feminist and pretty/glamour undertones makes the Victorian a very sought-after styling board for women’s wear. For my collection, it is more or less a permanent feature one way or another. The collections always have an old world charm and element in them,” she adds.

Love at first sight 

Designer duo Hemant and Nandita too presented Victorian-inspired staples and for them it was love at first sight. “From opulent velvet to filmy white tops, sweeping lace and corsets to high necklines the tending look now is so 90s—1890s. For designers, Victorian style is the best way to add a seemingly lavish aspect to a client’s wardrobe. It’s also an easy way to add femininity and elegance to any wardrobe and it can be as significant or as subtle as you’d like depending on the way it’s styled,” says Nandita.  

One can balance the girlish elements of the era, like ruffles, lace and high collars, by teaming with street staples of today such as laid back denim and leather accessories. Hemant adds, “The result is equal parts sugar and equal parts spice.  It’s little wonder that Victorian times continue to resonate today, looks like the historic period made a lasting impression on fashion!”