After adding swarovski crystals, block prints and antique embroidery to denim, fashion designers and brands are now reinventing the fabric with use of high-end technology. By Divya Kaushik
Nothing defined cowboys and their sturdy looks better than rugged denim and a hat. later, torn jeans with flares became a hologram of the bad boys in Hollywood flicks. Then came the baggy, hanging style describing the cool, lazy lad. later denim went for a makeover. The stiffness of the fabric vanished, it was restructured to compliment the curves and since then denim has been the most ‘it’ thing and an essential part of the wardrobe. In its various forms and styles, it became the most obvious choice to describe a style statement.
Fashion designer Ritu Kumar once said, “If the jeans are right, the experience is transforming, like putting on a magic cloak.” So designers and famous brands worked hard to come up with a perfect pair of jeans. After sharing enoughgyaan on its perfect shape and how to flaunt it, came the need to experiment with the fabric, as the popularity only grew and denim was being used to make shirts, bags and jackets too. Now even all that is passé, the latest trend is mixing denim with other fabrics to create flowy dresses, gowns and even saris. Designer duo Niket and Jainee’s Spring Summer 2014 collection is all about denims. The fabric has been used to create interesting textures and as an appliqué work on the dresses. “We wanted to reinvent denim to create fusion wear. So we mixed denim with net, organza and other such see-through fabric to add more feminine touch to the collection. We have also used mulmul denim and denim mixed with lycra to give proper texture to the garments. Denim is the most versatile fabric and it can transform your entire look. We are trying to break the myth that denim can only be worn casually,” says Niket.
Niket is not the only one from the fashion fraternity experimenting with the fabric to give it a new look. Samant Chauhan developed a line of handloom denim in association with DCI (Denim Club India) for the Bijnor cluster under the cluster development programme of the Ministry of Textiles. “Denims are dyed using synthetic dyes. However the handloom denims use plant based dyes. Being woven by hands, they consume less electricity. Handloom denim is in line with eco-friendly and sustainable fashion. Apart from that project, I keep working with khadi denim for my collections and what differentiates this kind of denim is that it is very soft in its texture and it improves after every wash,” explains Samant and informs that he is soon planning to launch his own denim label with lots of variety. “But we are looking for someone to produce high quality denim. As it is highly technical and costly process it’s not easy to find good quality denim easily,” says Samant.
Designers Neeta lulla and Vikram Phadnis set the trend with their embroidered, reworked and patched denims. Denims with swarovski crystals embroidered on seams, patch work on pockets, block prints and even some antique embroidery have been a rage. Raghavendra Rathore also launched his line of denim under brand Club J, specially for tier two and three cities.
Niket says that more experiments with the fabric are underway as young brigade realises that denim has a huge potential. “It is easy to set your mark with the fabric which is highly relatable. But the competition is fierce as almost everyone is working with the fabric. From the denim with highly stretchable quality to the one with natural sheen, there’s such a huge variety that people have already seen, they want something out-of-the-box,” says Niket.
Even brands are reinventing the fabric. Wrangler is one of the brands that has always stood out for its experiments with denim. The latest from their kitty is innovative sun shield denim. “The apparel is treated with a special finishing technology for textiles that reduces heat build-up and provides reliable protection from UV rays. Dark coloured textiles tend to absorb heat in the sun. This new technology used in sun shield apparel reduces this absorption of heat particularly in the case of dark colours, thus resulting in tangibly better heat management. This technology also provides protection from harmful UV rays,” says Anshul Chaturvedi, marketing head of the brand.
Talking about the latest trends, Melika Imoru, head of design, Koovs.com, says, “Double denim is a trend that has crossed the gender divide and the choicest street style stars have been spotted wearing a denim top and bottom. A soft chambray shirt is versatile denim essential that every wardrobe male or female, must have: wear as a top or an over shirt. For the bold look opt for boiler suits or dungarees in denim. Shirt dresses in denim make for the perfect summer dress, just add statement sandals. The denim jacket has never been cooler, from cropped to gilet styles, this is a great classic to own.”