Today's youths understand fabric: Ritu Kumar

Ace designer Ritu Kumar, who has been an epitome of handloom fashion in India, says that the current generation of Indian youth definitely understands fabric but the only thing they doesn't understand is that why "it needs to be complicated".

"We tried and tested handful of youths and their fashion taste. They loved the fabric but it's the styling that they want now. They definitely wants shoulders, easy kind of silhouettes and even if they are going for the party, they want to underplay rather overplay lots of things which is why textiles is perfect for them," Kumar told IANS.

"They love handloom Aas long as they don't have to wear saris. If you can style it in a way that they look fun and easy the youth are game for it. Indian generation today quite appreciate and understand fabrics but what they don't understand is why it should be uncomfortable," she added.

Ritu Kumar unveiled her Spring/Summer 17 collection at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017 here on Wednesday.

Ritu Kumar's theme for the season -- Sweet Surrender -- was inspired by 18th century French marquise fashion juxtaposed with a deliberate deshabille look of the 1980s, in with soft pastel colour tones and bold, tropical prints.

Some of the outfits that was the part of the show were signature shirt-dresses, asymmetrical tops, short dresses and off-shoulder tops. Easy fabrics like chambray, schiffly and tulle dominate the collection, with ruffles and frills adding a delicate femininity to the line.

Showstopper Disha Patani turned showstopper for the brand in a strapless corset bodice dress with an asymmetric hem. Made with sheer organza, the dress was embellished with romantic floral thread work and metallic chains.

Kumar also feels that youth of today have become more casual in terms of choosing fashion.

"There are options available to them from the casual part of the world which are moreA high street and they are neither India based nor they get any source out of India so IA really want to do collection which they can communicate with them," she said.

(The writer's trip is at the invitation of LFW organisers. Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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