While the gorgeous colors, layers, prints and embellishments were a treat to see at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week S/S 2014, Bodice’s minimal collection – that emphasized simplicity through subtle detailing borrowed from men’s tailoring and comfortable cuts – came across as a breath of fresh cool air.
Some might say that minimalism sticks out like a sore thumb in Indian fashion. It is common knowledge that bridal and occasion wear accounts for the majority of popular tastes and sales in designer fashion, especially in the north. Yet, if one considers India’s design history post-independence as well as some of the crafts that have evolved here over the centuries – there is plenty of evidence of simple, subtle design existing alongside our other more maximalist tendencies.
Hailed as a key player amongst India’s emerging group of globally minded design labels as well as a proponent for the anti-glamour movement – Ruchika’s Sachdev’s Bodice offers urban fashionistas the space to rebel against fussy details and fitted OTT (over the top) fashion. However, if one goes by the experience of other more seasoned designers already in this niche simplicity can be a challenging concept to convince Indian consumers of – consumers who are often looking for a visible return for their investments (I mentioned paisa vasool in an earlier post). I noted some comments online following the show that questioned how these garments were fashion, comments that critiqued their fit and failed to see any innovation in them. Bringing minimalism back or forward, depending on how you view it, into the mainstream of fashion in India will require a cultural shift in how clothes are viewed, worn, consumed, valued etc.
I am keen to see how this space evolves.
A more complete set of images taken by me at the show here:
Arti Sandhu 