WHAT WAS THAT A wise soul once said? That the more things change the more they remain the same? This year, fashion has appeared to live by that adage. It was such a blast from the past! Those of us who had saved our skinny jeans on the loft are happy to dust off the mothballs and air them out again — but, alas, do we still fit into them!

The good thing is that the Empire-waistline has been the biggest blessing of year. Pinched into place just below the bust, it casts a forgiving flare over less-than-perfect waistlines, which may well be bordering on waste-lines, no thanks to festive feasts!

Slender belts, another trend of the year, also worn high, created the illusion of being at least a size smaller. The things we women do!

SIXTIES ZEAL

Falguni and Shane Peacock, popular designers, confess: “This year’s palette was all about subtle individuality and refinement. Combining the decades of the ’60s and the ’70s, which signified freedom, prosperity and total creativity, fashion exuded an aura of elegance. Finely tailored, with refined charm and glitter, slate grays, muddy browns, white, metallic hues, flashes of hot pink, submarine blue and quiet nudes were the colours of choice.”

What about the overall look?

“It was a soft, feminine sophistication and enchantment that dominated women’s wardrobes in vaguely ingenious, puffy volumes: big rounded collars and high waistlines. The look was all about being understated and charged, yet powerfully seductive.”

They define certain retro classics that were reinvented: flapper dresses, tubes, shirtwaist-style caftans and a series of shift dresses embellished with medallions and diamante.

Another designer, Anita Dongre, agrees with the revival of the retro idiom. In fact, she launched an entire collection influenced by the Carnaby Street look of the ’60s, with styles popularised by designers like Mary Quant and models like Twiggy and Jane Shrimpton.

Anita accedes that the fashion must-haves of 2007 were sharply tailored dresses, tunics, and long gowns. “Feminine touches were evident everywhere with subtle embroidery placements,” she adds. She also mentions oversized knit tunics as having made a comeback.

Legendary fashion maestro, Tarun Tahiliani, who is as popular in Dubai as he is in Delhi (where he is based), reveals that the silhouettes of the year were “shirtdresses, kurtas, kaftans, tunics, Capris, slips and camisoles in cotton, georgette, drill, jersey and linen, styled such that they could be mixed and matched as per personal discretion and taste”.

FEMININE ODE

Femininity was amply evident in fashion all through the year. Bollywood’s best-loved designer, Neeta Lulla, says she drew inspiration for her collections from “the strength, vitality and spirit women”.

What did the year in fashion epitomise for her? “A plethora of colour, played expertly with design, with global cuts visually creating the feel of the girl of yesterday evolving into the woman of today.”

New York-based designer, Payal Singhal, also avers that femininity was the top trend in 2007. She picks “dresses that float around the wearer as she moves through life in a magical trance” as her theme for the year.

Payal adds, “Colours were muted, ranging from neutral ivory to wine, champagne, brown, black and olive in self-designed jacquards, satin, velvet and silk.” With the popular smock as her predominant silhouette, Payal offered it in variations of fabrics, embellished with glittering stones and sequins.

Payal picks out another trend that appealed to 21st century women this year: “Having maximum style with minimum effort!” Her chief looks were blouson jumpsuits, layered strappy gowns, pinafores, and will-power smocks.

ORIENTAL INFLUENCES

Designer Narendra Kumar focused his collections in 2007 around another trend-of-the year: influences from the Far East with Chinese brocades, Japanese parchment, Vietnamese wallpaper and gold from Thailand, and through it all were touches of glitter that gave an opulent look to the garments.

His fa brics, specially woven in antique gold tones, had linen, silk, brocade, organza, georgettes and cotton jacquard turned into dramatically designed dresses, skirts, blouses, jackets and coats. His key trends were: pleated bodices, cut away piped shoulders, moulded skirts and jackets, pin tucks and pleats, oversized embroidered cuffs, lattice work.

Even on the high street, the motifs and influences of the Far East were evident.

GLAM & GLITTER

It was also the year of high wattage glamour. Full on movie star allure was in vogue and women were pulling out all stops to make a mark. But, here too, traces from the past impinged upon the present.

Designer Vikram Phadnis agrees that glitter and glamour ruled the roost and the social roster! However, he too moved to a Victorian era gone by and drew from it touches for his contemporary black and printed jersey line of Western wear that included puff-sleeves, plunging necklines, followed by several variations of dresses, shifts and minis with either velvet or taffeta, worn with shrugs, cummerbunds, corsets, jackets, pinafores, jumpsuits and smocks.

He ruled that knee-high boots were the perfect accompaniment for minis. However, as the ultimate showstopper of the year he picked a black taffeta gown with embroidery on the bodice.

Elisha W., another young and popular designer, was inspired by the luxe era of the 19th century.

What’s her take on fashion in 2007?

“Vintage glamour, classic and affluent influences led to the creation of romantic silhouettes like super chic and elegant jackets, skirts, tunics, shirts. Rich fabrics from gold and silver to woven brocades, georgettes, chiffons, crepe silks, handloom silks, jacquards, linens, metal sheen fabrics with self textures and designs embellished with fine quality crystals, stones and pearls caught the eye.”

Tailing off about the trends for the continuing party season she believes you need “just the right amount of shine to bring out that subtle hint of glamour, with modern patterns in hues of natural colours”.

AWESOME ACCESSORIES

This year was definitely the Year of Accessories! Stylists all over the world agree that that ‘what’ you wear is only half as important and ‘how’ you wear it.

Accessories play a very vital part in creating the perfect look. Bombay Electric, an edgy fashion and design boutique near the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai, has a finger on the pulse of the moment. According to Priya Kishore who conceptualised the store and runs it, 2007 was all about “being an individual, finding your own personal style through beautifully designed pieces. If you can, why not be a rockstar?”

She agrees that this year exclusive accessories from the most avant garde labels in the world such as Comme des Garcons, shades by Blinde and eyewear by Chrome Hearts really rocked!

For the coming year, she believes, “Eclectic Luxe is the late night trend. Mix and match local designers and international brands, the classic and avant garde, primitive and polished, to produce a unique, individual outfit and statement!”

For shoes, Jimmy Choo, the ultimate name in footwear, confirms that stilettos that were slender, powerful and glamorous made the grade. The look, fitting to fashion’s predominant sense of chic, was seriously elegant – lines were refined with skinny heels, while leather bore the glossy sheen of patent.

However, in the past where Jimmy Choo’s party shoes have been characterised by glimmering satins and glittering jewels, the New Year will see a quieter approach to glamour. Anthracite nappa sandals with long ties to wind round the ankle and animal prints appear on soft suede stilettos will be the new trends in footwear.

And, finally, bags are a girl’s best friend. In addition, of course, to diamonds – and whatever else. Men come much later! The shimmering, sparkling clutch bag has been the accessory of the year without a doubt.

Well, then, this is what the year in fashion looked like. As we wind down through the last few days, let feisty fashion continue to rule!

PSSST…

WHAT’S IN store for the coming year, well, more on that later. But if you want a sneak peek then here are the key trends: given the less-is-more direction in which fashion seems to be heading light weight fabrics will be in vogue along with a revival of Pucci’s psychedelic prints, the glamorous look of Joan Collins and the eighties, the return of washed denim, and eco friendly dresses and tunics.

We’ll be watching – and reporting!