Cottoned!

Fashion designers and T-town beauties share how to go cool with cotton this summer...
Be it Samantha’s breezy fashion statement in Ye Maya Chesave, Vidya Balan’s mature look in the second half of Paa or Katrina’s no-nonsense look in Rajneeti, it’s all accentuated by a fabric — cotton. Small wonder, that the fabric with its crisp, clean look is perfect camouflage for our netas.
Politics apart, dipping into our country’s rich and varied cottons are fashion gurus and tinsel-town designers who swear by it. T-town beauties too are caught on the fabric.
Newbie Samantha who’s created ripples with a swish of her handloom sari says, “I’ve sported an all-cotton look in the film and the credit goes to the designer Nalini Shriram. In the film, I’ve worn cotton skirts, trendy blouses, diaphanous cotton saris in pastel shades and even a cotton gown! But of all the outfits I love the look I sported in the song Ee Hridayam,” reveals Samantha.
Actress Madhurima of Toss and Aa Okkadu fame says, “Cotton’s so skin- friendly. It’s so comfortable and I think we carry ourselves well when we are comfortable. My tops and kurtis on jeans are mostly cotton,” she avers.
Designer Asmita Marwah who’s always doted on cotton says that her spring-summer collection comprising linens, mulls, cotton and stretch cotton (with a hint of lycra) were a sell out. “Crush it, starch it, tie and dye it — it’s the most versatile fabric to use and cotton spells class,” she surmises. Her collection this year revolves round the white-indigo-ivory look in bold checks, stripes and fabric roses.
Shashikanth Naidu’s khadi with kalamkari print, inspired by the cotton tradition in the state, grabbed eyeballs and good reviews at a recent fashion week. Ethic chic reigned supreme as models preened in resort wear and saris teemed with trendy blouses. “It worked,” he sums it up crisply. It worked in B-town too and Vidya Balan has gone on record on her love for cotton... “I love wearing organic stuff. Sabya (Sabyasachi Mukherji) has given me plain cotton saris from various regions of India with simple stark borders and interesting blouses. It’s a serious and sober look.”
While cottons are perceived to give a mature look, designer Zubin Vakil avers that this versatile fabric can be moulded to suit any age or any style. “Cotton mixes well with any fabric, that’s its USP. For youngsters cotton tops with belts and knots are in. Mulls in bright colours and wonderful spring time prints work,” he says and goes on to add, “Cotton jeans and slouchy pants teamed with cotton tees with retro prints, cartoon strips, Rubic cube checks and ragdoll images too work for the young. Upside down pockets too are a rage.” For older women, he recommends cotton sarees and well-fitted salwar suits instead of unisexual “cotton kurtas that are loose and shapeless”. Ditch them he declares and goes on to say, “Celebrate the body... celebrate womanhood!”
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