India! Part 2: Shopping in the city

Sorry folks for the long delays in posting! I've been having a bit of trouble tracking down my sewing machine pictures...you'll have to be satisfied with fabric for now ;)


While my heart belongs to rural India, for fabric shopping and garment construction, nothing can really compare to the modern Indian Metropolis.


One of my favorite things about Indian fashion---everyone here knows these clothes are more awesome than Western clothes. So no matter how much modernization and economic development happens, everyone still wears the good stuff, the bright colors, bejeweled, and dazzling.




And the fashion changes as fast as it does in Paris or Milan- Check out what I was seeing in the fancy boutiques this winter:

Brocades-(with big bold repeating patterns)


high quality cottons with traditional natural dyes- (I was totally lusting after these)




In terms of styles,
Of the moment right now- half and half sari (using two patterns, or even two materials- like brocade combined with sheer netting sometimes with patterned fabric or colors below for a subtle effect, other times with zari on top (hand embroidery using gold and silver threads or fine wires, for the extra bling.

(sorry- didn't find a good picture from my trip, so had to borrow an image from the 2010 Delhi runway show of Manish Malothra)


The Anarkali-(empire waist, multiple gores on an A-line skirt,no side slits, netting overlaid over heavier silk or poly satin fabrics)



Here's me checking one out-



The short kurta (tunic top) with leggings-




as usual, the fashions of the rich have a slight echo of the fashionable silhouettes of the west, but with way more flair!





These have been around a few years, but what is new to me, is the new use of knit materials on the bottom, and more and more ready-to-wear, rather than tailored clothing. I’ve never seen knits be used for Indian clothing before…I think this, plus a growing category of ready-to-wear rather than personally tailored clothing is a sign of more trade in textiles from China, maybe, or new manufacturing processes here. Oh, the pitfalls of fit flexibility and instant gratification!

Because to me, the best thing about clothes shopping in India is shelves like this one, made up of just fabric, waiting for the discerning customer's custom tailoring demands.