Fashion is powerful when personal. 2018 is set to be instrumental in communicating individualism
Maithili Ahluwalia
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Retailers will have to surprise customers
Says: Maithili Ahluwalia of lifestyle store Bungalow 8
Brink of change: The demise of Colette, the influential Parisian boutique, in December 2017, left behind questions surrounding the retail model challenge. It's definitely a moment to introspect about what lies ahead for the brick-and-mortar shopping format. But what seems like a retail apocalypse is really a shift in where and how consumers shop. Shoppers are not looking for another distribution outlet selling undifferentiated products, hence retailers have to step up a notch by doubling up as part curator, part mentor and part strategy consultant to the designer.
What to expect: My biggest challenge is how am I going to surprise the client, what I can do to add value, to differentiate us from the rest. Collaborations with artists, restaurateurs and musicians is another aspect that we want to work towards, to offer a holistic experience. Online shopping is on the rise, but we believe that digital can co-exist with the traditional offline format. The latter offers a tactile, personal experience, which will never go out of style.
Gaurav Gupta's design
Men won't be afraid of white
Says: Gaurav Gupta, women and menswear designer
Mood: I predict a hybridisation of sportswear and tailoring, in an almost futuristic way. Embroidered tuxedos will define the new language of male dressing along with reimagined athleisure styles sporting comical prints, and a darker, sexier silhouette. The otherwise classic menswear staples will loosen up, so to speak.
Tuxedo details from his menswear collection
Changing shape of menswear: Men are becoming braver, and are in the mood to experiment with fit, shape and colour.
Gaurav Gupta
Colours: White and pastels will be the choice. Men have realised how a plain white T-shirt can be dressed up, and that white suits and bandhgalas look just as sharp for occasion wear.
Ear cuffs by Misho, a jewellery label by Suhani Parekh
Minimal makes a comeback
Says: Suhani Parekh, sculptural jewellery designer
Mood: Statement jewellery continues to illuminate, but there will be a return to minimalism for everyday wear. Inspired interpretations of form and texture will breathe new life into jewellery pieces.
What to expect: Classic rings, ear cuffs, studs, hoops and chandelier earrings with a unique twist. Inspired by textiles, our new organic collection imagines a piece of flowing fabric, frozen in jewellery pieces.
Suhani Parekh
Materials: Designers are thinking of fresher ways of taking forward the traditional status of fine jewellery to graphic, brave, new places.
Adhuna Bhabani in a Surily Goel creation
Ladies to lose the dupatta
Says: Surily Goel, bridal designer
Mood: It will be a charming mix of suaveness and modesty. Brides will dress timeless but not conventional.
Silhouettes: They will be about a quirky mix-and-match of shapes, like teaming a panelled skirt with a bolero jacket or a waistcoat. Say goodbye to the pinned dupatta, and replace cholis with crop tops. Lehengas will lose excess weight since style will be about fit and form.
Surily Goel
Colours: Ivory continues to be a favourite, since it compliments a wide shade card including metallic, burgundy and gold. Opt for not-too-sugary gelato tones in bolder splashes, and pastels.
Textures: Ditch traditional sequins and embroidery for unconventional embellishments like tassels, feathers and beading. The latter allows ease of movement.
Spring/summer 2018 collection titled Kinship by Eka, by Rina Singh
Global influence On textiles
Says: Rina Singh, designer
Mood: The designer's marketplace is global-local now. Diverse references converge to help us explore textiles. Pattern and textures will evoke a sense of place and culture.
Silhouettes: They will be billowy and relaxed, but slightly more dramatic than usual. Reminiscent of the Victorian dress code, layered styles with gentle frills and tiers will be evident. Nightwear styles such as slip dresses, pyjamas, camisoles and long jackets could inspire extra-loose shapes.
Rina Singh
Colours: The focus will stay on neutral and classic shades of cream, with lashes of blues, greens and pinks.
Motifs: Block prints take the cultural story forward, manifested in dobby stripes, sometimes accompanied by dainty floral motifs.
Colvale House
Goa to get The Moda Goa Museum
In December 2018, designer Wendell Rodricks' ancestral home in Goa's Colvale village that he has shared with partner Jerome Marrel for 23 years will take on a new identity. "The Moda Goa Museum will be home to Goa's oldest clothing, artefacts and accessory traditions," says Rodricks. It will also house a cafeteria serving Goan fish curry and rice (a family recipe passed on by Rodricks' mother, Greta), along with feni and port wine. A library of books including history of costumes and fashion, mostly from Rodricks' vast collection spanning 25 years, will be open for enthusiasts. The idea, he says, is to treat it intimately, like a home rather than a detached display space. Instead of offering an audio tour or labelling artefacts, which Rodricks finds impersonal, on-site curators will be around to take the guests on a tour, and encourage questions and discussions.
Wendell Rodricks
This is not just another project for the designer. He registered with ICOM (International Council of Museums), a worldwide organisation of museums and museum professionals based in Paris, after interning with Lisbon's National Museum of Costume and Fashion, and at New York's FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in 2000.
It was Goa-based cartoonist, the late Mario Miranda, who first got Rodricks interested in research 17 years ago. "Pano bhaju, a Goan garment worn while dancing the mando, was my first assignment. It got me curious about Goan clothing from the point of view of function and tradition. In 2012, my explorations took the shape of Moda Goa, a book that traces the role of dresses. It was only early last year that I decided to invest what I had gathered into a museum," he adds.
Gold bangle with Marcazite flower detailing encrusted with diamond
Admission to the museum will be free of cost, and it is backed by a lofty board of trustees, including author Amitav Ghosh, historian Prajal Sakhardande, who is also the mayor of Panjim, and Sridevi Deshpande, creative head at Ganjam Jewellers, among others. "I didn't wish to be associated with a government agency for this project," says Rodricks, "They change heads. I'd like to believe that my friends and I have substantial might to run the museum."
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