as the night progresses. Even the FTV bar 'n lounge once in a while prefers to play safe with J Lo's Jenny On The Block. On the other hand, Rachel Sacks, who recently opened Tres Botas, a Tapas bar in Mumbai, says she's even had clients who recognise the music of a Senegalese musician she sometimes plays.
In clothes too, there has been a palpable—some say merciful—shift from the 'louder-the-better' phase.Says Pradip Hirani, owner of fashion store Kimaya: "Everyone is looking for some feelgood factor." He feels people were never so confident of themselves and that insecurity translated into showy, loud and very structured clothes. Now, people's clothes reflect their confidence, of being sure of what they want and not caring how they look. So, clothes get loungier with a crushed and unironed look.
Designer Ravi Bajaj frequently shows up in satin lungis at page-three shoots. We could well be witnessing the dawn of the "metrosexual" way of life in India. Football star David Beckham, who doesn't bat an eyelid while painting his nails or trying on his wife's garments, is the mascot of metrosexuality and his image may soon spawn a few willing clones in this part of the Orient. Upcoming designers like Sandeep Mahajan, in true Jean-Paul Gaultier tradition, are designing long skirts for men. "I did a show for Sosas in Goa last year where these skirts were a complete sellout," says Mahajan, adding that such liberal apparel lifestyle could be possible only in Goa or even Mumbai but not Delhi.
Along with loungedom, natural fabrics have made a comeback. Designer Aparna Chandra, who loves loungewear, feels that linen and cotton have pushed artificial ones into the background. Linen pyjamas and kurtis proved a rage at the latest India Fashion Week. Designers like Raghavendra Rathore and Chandra are among those responsible for putting these breathing fabrics back on the fashion map. "For the first time," says Mahajan, "Punjabis are looking beyond polyester."
Even makeup trends and travel destinations have turned a shade loungy. Which is: not adhering to any fashion diktat. Says well-known makeup artist Jojo: "Cloning is out, people want makeup that will enhance their own personality." And no more London and New York! Riyaaz Amlani, CEO of Cafe Mocha in Mumbai, finds that people are getting adventurous not only in the clothes they wear but also in the holidays they take. At Mocha's Backpacker's Club, members seek to go to Guatemala and Chile and "very loungy" Koh Samui in Thailand.
So, is this really the dawn of the brave new world where the only rule is that there isn't any? Or will regimentation be back as sure as the great wheel of fashion turns? Right now it's cool to lounge and even as late-movers struggle to catch up, the fad might soon be gone. But Arora of Shalom disagrees. After all, he says, only fools play the game by its rules.
By Shobita Dhar with Saumya Roy
In clothes too, there has been a palpable—some say merciful—shift from the 'louder-the-better' phase.Says Pradip Hirani, owner of fashion store Kimaya: "Everyone is looking for some feelgood factor." He feels people were never so confident of themselves and that insecurity translated into showy, loud and very structured clothes. Now, people's clothes reflect their confidence, of being sure of what they want and not caring how they look. So, clothes get loungier with a crushed and unironed look.
Designer Ravi Bajaj frequently shows up in satin lungis at page-three shoots. We could well be witnessing the dawn of the "metrosexual" way of life in India. Football star David Beckham, who doesn't bat an eyelid while painting his nails or trying on his wife's garments, is the mascot of metrosexuality and his image may soon spawn a few willing clones in this part of the Orient. Upcoming designers like Sandeep Mahajan, in true Jean-Paul Gaultier tradition, are designing long skirts for men. "I did a show for Sosas in Goa last year where these skirts were a complete sellout," says Mahajan, adding that such liberal apparel lifestyle could be possible only in Goa or even Mumbai but not Delhi.
Along with loungedom, natural fabrics have made a comeback. Designer Aparna Chandra, who loves loungewear, feels that linen and cotton have pushed artificial ones into the background. Linen pyjamas and kurtis proved a rage at the latest India Fashion Week. Designers like Raghavendra Rathore and Chandra are among those responsible for putting these breathing fabrics back on the fashion map. "For the first time," says Mahajan, "Punjabis are looking beyond polyester."
Even makeup trends and travel destinations have turned a shade loungy. Which is: not adhering to any fashion diktat. Says well-known makeup artist Jojo: "Cloning is out, people want makeup that will enhance their own personality." And no more London and New York! Riyaaz Amlani, CEO of Cafe Mocha in Mumbai, finds that people are getting adventurous not only in the clothes they wear but also in the holidays they take. At Mocha's Backpacker's Club, members seek to go to Guatemala and Chile and "very loungy" Koh Samui in Thailand.
So, is this really the dawn of the brave new world where the only rule is that there isn't any? Or will regimentation be back as sure as the great wheel of fashion turns? Right now it's cool to lounge and even as late-movers struggle to catch up, the fad might soon be gone. But Arora of Shalom disagrees. After all, he says, only fools play the game by its rules.
By Shobita Dhar with Saumya Roy
