PERSONALITY
TREND
FASHION
SPECIAL
ARCHIVES

Meher Castelino

Fashion has this strange tendency of returning to base. Centuries ago, the indispensable button was unheard of. Instead, clothes were kept in place by tie-ups, forging, knots, strings, etc. Until we were introduced to the button and its counterpart, the button hole. Suddenly, life became much more secure.

Today's designers, though, are opting to return to their roots by dispensing with the button. It's back to tie-ups -- what with Aki Narula's latest summer collection flaunting string fasteners and Wendell Rodricks hyping dhobi knots. Even Shahab Durazi felt his jackets looked better sans buttons; he went in for satin piping. While the Indian angarkha has always had an asymmetrical opening, with fabric fasteners holding it together.

Come to think of it, buttons are a restricting lot; fastenings are more considerate towards the fluctuating figure.

Talking of weight gain/loss, did you know it depends on whether your aura is deficient in either red or blue/green respectively? Or so says the late Linda Goodman in Star Signs.

Is that why all our skinny models and movie stars are suddenly sporting red manes? Madhu Sapre, Sheetal Malhar, Lubna Adams, Shilpa Shetty, Sridevi and even Lascelles Symons have changed their hair colour to copper red, blond, red blond or copper blond.

While a red head looks fabulous on porcelain white skin, it only gives wheat-hued Indians a positively pasty pallor. I'd prefer a raven-haired Madhu with tanned skin to a weird redhead with dusky skin any day.

Fashion, thankfully, is not following the dictates of hair dressers this summer. In fact, it going to be a perfectly colourless summer. There is white at Arreesa, Melange, Sheetal, Eternia and Shoppers' Stop. From salwar kameezes to tunic tops to western wear, Summer 97 will be a pristine white story.

Priyadarshini Rao has the 20s-look, complete with a scarf for the head. Scheraz Kheshwala at Arressa has appliquéd churidar-kameezes in white mul or chiffon (Rs 3000 upwards) and Sheetal, the department store, offers Jaipuri prints on a white background for Rs 2000 upwards.

But the people most thrilled with the white looks are the corner dhobis, laundries and washing machine brands. For white only looks good when it is in its purest, most pristine form.

It all started with the 90's -- when beauty expert Shahnaz Hussain introduced her herbal hair and skin care products to the world. Now Biotique, an ayurvedic lineup of hair/skin care products and colour cosmetics is competing with western brands like Clinique, Arden, Sheishedo and Body Shop on their home turf.

Their latest additions are nail polishes, lipsticks, eyeliners, eye pencils and kaajals. In fact, Biotique introduced nail polishes and matching lipsticks in navy blue and brown -- now touted as the colours for 1997 in Europe -- in India last year. Their eye pencils are, too, are available in the latest push-up packs.

Textiles have always been part of India's rich heritage. And they are back on the Indian fashion charts -- what with old favourites like the Paithani weave from Paithan, the Aashavali from Aashaval and the Patola making a comeback. Buying one of these beauties is not very expensive, even if you are working on a budget. Prices begin at something as low as Rs 4000 and can go up to thousands of rupees. Most of them are exclusives, so they are worth their price.

Tell us what you think of this column