Today we’d like to talk about mini trends or the little guys as we like to call them, as they work subtly behind the scenes to enhance and add that extra oomph factor that takes a design from ordinary to extraordinary. Sometimes they involve minute tweaks such as an aptly placed belt or a button while others are especially worth mentioning.
Tassels
These are at the top of our list of eastern mini trends. They are fun, playful and can be dressed up with shiny beads; crystals and gold thread for a more traditional and formal appeal such as on an Indian style Angarkha, a particular specialty of Nida Azwer’s staggering bridals and luxury formals. She often adds them on the upper sleeves as well for an enhanced effect; however one can add them almost anywhere. Farah Talib Aziz has innovatively used them on high side slits as a tool to merge two tone layers in her magnificent wedding formals. They look gorgeous on deep round backs as well! The fusion couture wizard Maheen Karim shows us how to embed tassels into cocktail wear using oriental red ones to ornament a white silk drape dress.
Maheen Karim cocktail fusion drape dress with oriental red tassles on the neckline
Fringe Benefits
In the same family but having its own distinct style identity is the fringe. It is an especially great way to play with trick lengths and uneven hemlines and is a signature mark of Shehla Chatoor’s uniquely creative luxury fusion prêt wear. A great alternative to borders for adding a splash of color as well as giving off a fresh younger vibe, Shehla Chatoor and Sania Maskatiya both love this micro trend and works wonders with it.
Lace Sleeves
Judging by the Chanel and Elie Saab Spring Couture lines shown at Paris this week, lace will play a significant role in 2013 and we are particularly struck by the aspect of lace sleeves. Ever since we saw Priyanka Chopra in a Ritu Kumar sari with the finest baroque lace sleeves we were smitten. The reason for the added charm being that the true beauty of the fabric is unleashed in its sheer form and is partially lost when it is thickened with lining. Elegant samples of the style can be found in the gentle works of Maheen Karim, Farah Talib Aziz, Farida Hasan, and Nida Azwer to name a few.
A crush on You
Crushing fabrics is a classic mini trend and more recently we have been intrigued by wide-legged crushed pants. The relaxed fall enables a calmness of style that works with everyday neutrals or to accompany embellished sherwani style coats as demonstrated by the strong balanced aesthetics of Sara Shahid of Sublime Couture.
Sania Maskatiya Lokum Collection with calligraphic printed back
Script Tease
A not so micro trend is the art of calligraphic print. A trend inspired by the high street pop, fusion prêt of Gulabo by Maheen Khan, took a sharp turn toward luxury prêt when the House of Sania Maskatiya decided to incorporate it into a finer version of itself with their animated Lokum Collection painted with artistic Turkish motifs and mystic strokes of calligraphy. While script printing is a trend in itself we love the Maskatiya touch of embedding it asymmetrically into their signature silk palazzo pants in particular.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2013.
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