ASIAN ELEGANCE: FEMALE WEAR:
The good-old dupatta of the salwar-kameez fame takes on new, chic avatars in the world of fashion
It has many names…dupatta, chunni, chunari, odhni and Hindi films have sung many odes to it — one of the most popular one being — ‘Hawa mein udta jaye mera lal dupatta malmal ka’. Ironically, this old number seems to best describe how this piece of cloth, an integral part of the traditional trio — salwar, kameez and dupatta — is today revelling in its free-flowing nature. It is no longer just a protective clothing for women but has emerged as a formula-defying fabric with designers experimenting with its colour, width, length, shape and structure. Innovative draping styles have made the dupatta move away from its strong Indian roots to be a part of West-inspired contemporary silhouettes.