I read this article: “We Have No International Designers” in the Times of India.
First, I was annoyed that Ritu Beri seems to be chasing the ideals of a postmodern colonialist landscape.
The West doesn’t even recognise the Indian fashion industry, just individual designers…
Then, I felt like she might have a point…
In fact, Ritu feels that the West wants fashion with a distinct Indian edge from us. “We should restrict ourselves to Indian wear because we do that best…”
Then, I was annoyed again:
Her take on the Indian fashion weeks is also quite dismal. “Indian fashion weeks will not take the industry anywhere as we don’t exactly know what is happening outside our four walls…”
Then I wondered why I’m ever surprised that India still gets so exotified by the West for its spiritual swamijis and silken sensuality and, now, ruffled cotton petticoats:
So, that’s why Ritu herself prefers phoren to Indian fashion weeks. “For them, India is a very exotic land. From spirituality to people – everything attracts them. For them, even a petticoat and a saree is Indian fashion,”says Ritu.
Ultimately, I’m just curious as to which fashion industry she thinks the West recognizes besides its own. I mean, granted it piecemeals items from here and there, to accessorize and colorize and glamorize, and to aid and abet its crimes of fashion — but are we waiting for them to tell us we’ve arrived? And for allowing us to keep the clothes on our backs once we get there?
(And I say this with utmost respect for the global vision of Tyra Banks, Ken Mok and the executive staff of America’s Next Top Model — not only for picking Indian Julie from Kent, WA, even if she went out on the third elimination during Cycle 3 for admitting to being on the show to get ahead in manufacturing — but also for featuring fashion capitals in South Africa and Asia when the girls make their international mid-season jump. And also to Nigel Barker for being not only a smoking hot noted fashion photographer but for organizing a South Asian-themed shoot during the last season because he’s half-Sri Lankan, thereby upping his hot factor by making him trendy and interracial to boot.)
And I’m curious as to why it’s necessary to sell out the accomplishments of a rich, bedazzled tradition of costume designers, jewelers, tailors, and silk weavers who have won domestic and international accolades and emulation, in their own unique way, for decades, if not centuries, and influenced the evolution (or devolution, according to Ms. Beri) of India’s fierce, one-of-a-kind, knock-out strut down the world’s fashion catwalk.
But mostly — after forwarding this article to my parents and two friends — each of whom had a completely different take on what Ritu Beri was ultimately trying to say, I’m just curious as to what the point was she was trying to get across.
Ritu: Don’t worry, if your autobiography “I’m Too Sexy for This Salwar Kameez” — priced at Rs 1 lakh per copy — doesn’t do well “abroad” and the Indo-French crossover project in “overall assistance” falls through, I’m sure there’s a Delhi-themed episode of America’s Next Top Model with your name written all over it. You can put snake charmers and auto rickshaws and Bengal tigers in the blurry background, and let the women drape themselves with cobras and Nalli silks before they’re photographed in familiar Kama Sutra poses known the world over. Though, despite the publicity and promotion your autobiography would enjoy, I feel the need to warn you that the WB and haute couture are not particularly synonymous.
I think Ritu Beri is in her own ‘spoilt designer funded by daddy’s dough’ world. We have indeed arrived in the west.
Never more then now has Indian fashion, foods, music, culture, technology made more of a splash in the west. Every major designer in the west emulates elements of the east. Kurtas and chappals have become as common as a gap t-shirt. Indian food is the national food of the UK. What else explains horribly unoriginal Anand Jon (ghagra with a cheap t) couture being allowed to strut our runways? Not bad for a little less then 60 years of freedom from the white man.
Personal I could give a shit about validation from the west. India has an element of exotic even to me and I’m Indian. I’d hate to Walmartize it.
the fact that you can buy sequinned kurtis in Old navy and WAL MART is a pretty good clincher that The West does in fact, acknowledge Indian fashions.
Besides, we don’t need another Anand Jon.
Julie had to waitress on the episode where the winners of ANTM got to meet Anand Jon at the embassy. Then she totally broke it down in her waitress uniform.
indeed. a tip. for the men on the board who prefer muted personalization, there are rich pickings in India’s traditional wear and i recommend shopping in indian khade stores. Their ‘cuts’ are also mroe sutited to us. We are blessed with a naturally slim, long limbed elegance, and the western penchant for shoulder padding or large seats does not flatter our form. For men in particular, summer time is especially good to try out the cotton vests the button to the top. A very elegant but sober look and one can wear it to work without looking like a time magazine cover.
hairy d — i think as long as you avoid bharatanatym headgear and a headset you’re pretty safe on not looking like a Time Magazine cover. 😉
I agree that places like old navy and express have acknowledged Indian fashion. The Kurti thing in Texas didn’t catch on till I think my junior? year of college. I had a friend who had these gorgeous kurtis that she got from India but she stopped wearing them after every place and its mother started selling them. She made a pretty good argument that instead of truly acknowledging the influence, the stores were kind of cheapening it. As far as workmanship goes, I definately agree with her. Her stuff was really great, not necessarily flashy but really well made. Part of her argument was that credit wasn’t going to the people who worked on the details of the clothes and made them beautiful. Maybe I’m just reading Ritu Beri’s article wrong, but doesn’t she realize that a lot of what makes things beautiful is going to be lost? Meh, I don’t know, I’ll just go back to my comfortably ratty t-shirt 🙂
Ohhhhh, you just made my day. raptures
Says sleepy –
I’ve told a (nondesi) coworker of mine – barfing beads and sequins all over cottony-lineny tops and skirts does not beauty make. gag Perhaps we oughta break out our kotas and kanjivarams…and show ’em what’s really all about.
Margin: You’ve inspired me. I’m going to go all 9 yards on their asses!
You and me both, honey. 🙂 No one wears the real stuff well anymore – popularize that!
Sounds like another ‘Flickr’ project courtesy sepia mutiny. A picture collection of willing SM addicted women (and men too, if you all feel left out) sporting their nine yards with great elan! It’s can be the Sepia Saree Project.
Count me in.
hairy_d, if you like khadi kurtas, you ought to check out FabIndia’s numerous stores in any one of the Indian metros. Simple, cool, comfortable. Clean lines, non-exotic. I carry a suitcase load for various friends each time I return from Delhi.
From the article
The woman is blind. Who’s aping who? Mainstream fashion is overrun with traditional Indian design and fabric. Hell, half of everything here is made in India. Case in point: The Crinkle Skirt. Why will it not die? Unless you’re wearing a choli/dupatta with it I don’t need to see it.
Fashion, at the risk of sounding utterly obvious, is largely cultural. Indian fashion designers have to impossibly lucky to score a trend in the West. So, Ritu Beri’s ideas have some sense, but are largely nonsense. I, for one, find Indian couture more palatable. And yes DDIG, the khadi kurta’s are fantastic.
Thank you for the tip DDIG, but I do not like blowsy, loose clothes. Prefer something form fitting that does not get in the way of the moving body. When I turn, I do not want a % of me moving in the other direction. Jaggu be nimble, Jaggu be quick and dont let the bastards catch up with you.
true in one respect. india can not compete in producing technical clothing which is functional and elegant. The MEC jacket with vents, the climbing pants with the velcro fly, the parka with the drawstring lining, the silk liners – these are intelligent design and clothes that are used. The design I see is ape shit. I got uncles in Ludhiana who have been producing the same hosiery for aeons now. no change, no innovation, same old same old. I like the traditional designs though, becaues they have evolved over millenia. The new stuff is more flash and no substance. I like substance. I saw some excellent stuff from UK by a label called Uttam (surely there is an indic link thoug).
my apologies for the flustered post earlier. it wasnt a flame, just a flurry of thoughts to relieve my tumescence. it came off as somewhat combative. sory about that.
I don’t understand the part about her autobiography costing a lakh of rupees. What?? That’s over $2000.
In defense of Ritu Beri, I have to say that the article itself wasn’t very well written. My father and I tried to figure out the actual cost of the autobiography — based on Rs. 1 lakh — for about 5 minutes today on the phone.
I think they have khadi shirts and stuff. Non-blousey and form fitting enough. They have these short kurtas which are like shirts without too many buttons down the front.
Commenting on SM helps with that too? Begone free Maxim subscription!
Pooja, Msichana – here you go. 🙂
Neha said:
To add to your point, Neha – and further prove how long this ‘trend’ has lasted – during this epoch (I’m not including the time back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, back when our parents were ‘yong’ and the Beatles ruled), I easily found broom skirts -‘Made In India’ of course- at Wal Mart and discount clothing stores.
By this epoch, I mean beginning about 15 years ago – and at that time, it was the odd skirt here and there…maybe you’d find a crinkle-style blouse. The skirts didn’t sell well, as I recall. They were well-stitched, lacking in the garish acoutrements, and were as close to anything you’d find in the markets of Delhi or Calcutta as you could find at the time – ie. to the expat desi eye, they actually looked desi – not inspired, or copied, or fashionable, but just…desi. (And they were called broom skirts. I seem to remember that they made a splash during a fall fashion season…witchery, go figure.)
I heartily wish the current crinkle skirt fashions to hell – please, please, please, can I have just a simple, cotton crinkle skirt with perhaps a tiny brass bell or three? le sigh I’d feel so much more like me, and less like a version of me.
You are welcome to post them in this Flickr group.
awesome, Margin Fades!
Fabindia sells online in the US, www. fabindia.com — strange that they’re only wholesale in the US, since William Bissel who started it is American.