Designing Costumes for Films

Sridevi’s blue sari from Mr. India or Madhuri Dixit’s purple one from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun have set trends in their days, and in the recent years almost all looks donned by actresses like Kareena Kapoor or Katrina Kaif in their movies have made fashion statements. 

                                

The world of cinema reaches wide taking fashion with it and though a fashion designer is the one creating the outfits, but the credit for the fabulous looks is also shared by a Costume Designer who puts the look of the character together.

A Costume Designer is someone who is responsible for designing costumes for theater or movies. There has always been a misconception that a Fashion Designer and a Costume Designer are one and the same profession. They may belong to the same domain, but they are far from being the same. A Fashion Designer solely creates for him/herself and a Costume Designer creates to define a character.

The job description of a Costume Designer entitles them to work closely with the director, writer and everyone involved creatively with the film. Their designs are based on the script of the film or drama. Here garments are adding and enhancing the character according to the story and a designer has to make sure that they get the costumes of the characters absolutely right because many a times the way a character is dressed defines their role. This is especially applicable for period movies as a culture of an era can be reflected in the clothes of that time for which a designer cannot commit an error. Indian movies are very colorful and of a wide range of genres. A single movie can represent the varied facets of our society and a designer has to create different looks that are associated with all those facets.   

    Neeta Lulla                           Manish Malhotra                         Xerxes Bhathena             

Neeta Lulla is an excellent role model for young costume designers. Manish Malhotra and Xerxes Bhathena are some of the names that have started their career as costume designers.

Any aspirant entering this line of work has to follow more or less the same career path as a Fashion Designer. The first step of which is of course formal education and from there the next step is making your portfolio and internship. A costume designer needs to have the talent of a fashion designer along with the creative sensibility to understand the character for which they are creating the look. Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion is one of the few fashion institutes which encompass these different aspects and gives a chance to explore boundaries.

Seeking a Quality Fashion Education

Fashion designing is one of most artistic fields and has witnessed a steady growth in recent times. One of the reasons for this is globalization. A lot of international labels have established themselves in the country and a lot of Indian designers have made big on the global scene. But to reach those heights, your fundamentals need to be strong and for that you need a quality education.

Education is the first step towards starting your career, be it the typical nine to five job or a job with unrestricted hours. As far as fashion designing is concerned you may have the artistic skills to become a fashion designer, but you need the backing of a formal education to learn the very essence of designing. A formal education is necessary for anyone for any career in the fashion industry, from designing to managing.

Rocky S

Rocky S, one of the most influential designers in India, has made a niche in the fashion industry. He has successfully established his brand ‘Rocky S’ on both national and international levels. His initial education was in commerce, but his passion was fashion. He had the knack for picking up the right clothes and would be the fashion advisor for his friends. Coming from a conventional family, breaking away was a little challenging. But he did emerge victorious and joined J. D. Institute for Fashion Designing. He had an eye for fashion and the hands of an artist but these skills need to be developed and enhanced which is what a formal education did. Working for Roopam was his first break and a couple of years he entered the world glamour by designing for Akshay Kumar.

Neeta Lulla

Another prestigious personality in the world of fashion that reaped benefits from a formal education is Neeta Lulla. With her classic elegance and enormous amount of knowledge, she has been among the selected few to earn numerous awards. She has been on top for nearly two decades, but she started with a Degree in Dressmaking and Apparel Construction from SNDT University. Each of her works has been vibrant and unique, right from Chandni to Devdas. Now the Dean of Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion, Lulla is a firm believer in formal education.

Often young aspirants have a lot of questions regarding the need of education pertaining to careers in creative fields. Even with the internet making things easier, there is still a certain hesitancy among students. The Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion is dedicating an evening to aspirants, a little A & Q time with Subhash Ghai and Neeta Lulla. So make sure you’re ready with your questions on 5^th July 2014!

A school unlike any other

A successful career is based on a strong foundation, which itself is based on acquiring a quality education. An ideal institute should be able to offer its students the ideal mix of theoretical and practical knowledge.

For aspirants seeking a career in the fashion industry, these factors are even more necessary. There are few fashion institutes in India that are capable of embracing all these qualities. The Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion is one such fashion school that has aimed to and has been successful in delivering these qualities.

The Dean of this prestigious school, Neeta Lulla, recently signed an MOU with Australian University TAFE-NSW. This will assist in developing student-teacher exchanges across the countries in a range of study areas.

The students were dazzled by the various Fashion shows like Lakme Indian Fashion Week, India Bridal Week and Blenders Pride Fashion Tour in which they lend a hand. This occasion gave them a glimpse of the work involved in creating a fashion show, a practical experience that cannot be learnt in any classroom.

India is culturally a rich country with a history filled with art, and aspirants are given an opportunity to know their roots through exploring the art and weaves of different cultures. They recently went to Nirona village of Kutch where they were exposed to the regional art of kachchi weaving, Ajrakh, Rogan and Copper art. On another occasion they were taken to Weaver’s Studio and Apparel Printing Studio where they witnessed the creation of art.

History is an important teacher and here students recreate history through their designs. Students have revived Kushan draping, clothing from Crete and Minoan civilization, Egyptian costumes and Victorian costumes in the course of their studies. These are but a few examples of the work done by students.

The highlight of this year was The Future of Fashion Forum, which was an interaction between the established figures in the fashion industry and the aspirants. Topics ranged from the influence of global trends on Indian fashion to new age technologies used in fashion products to styling to designing, no topic related to fashion was left untouched here. Famous figures like Manish Malhotra, Rocky S, Krsna Mehta, Pearl Shah and many more graced the stage. This gave an excellent opportunity for budding designers to understand and enhance their knowledge of the glamorous industry.

The Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion is just like any other fashion school with that extra edge that has enabled the students to aim for and achieve new heights.   

Belinda Bawa, the Great Illustrator

Fashion illustration has been around for decades, but it is only in recent years that this profession has been receiving the importance it deserves. The job of a fashion illustrator is to work closely with a fashion designer and illustrate on paper the ideas in the designer’s mind. For this, an illustrator’s creation can be as precise and detailed as possible or as vague as they please and add as much dramatics they see fit. An aspirant pursuing this career line can opt to join a fashion house, join a particular designer or just fly solo.

Fashion illustration in India still has a long way to go, but thankfully the foundation is already set. Belinda Bawa, a leading illustrator of our time, is one of the first known illustrators. It started with the design project for the film Devdas. Neeta Lulla who was working on the costumes for the film approached Belinda to create dramatic and elaborate designs. After this there was no stopping her from charting new heights.

Though a famous fashion illustrator now, she has done and experienced a host of other things. From teaching to writing, this talented lady has done it all. Her experience includes Visual Merchandising comprising names like Burlingtons at the Taj (Mumbai), Vikram Phadnis (Design Studio). Over the years she has supervised backstage with backstage managers Vahbeez and Delnaz in over fifty fashion shows for designers like J.J. Vallaya, Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla, Neeta Lulla, Wendell Rodricks and Tarun Tahiliani among others. 

She worked briefly as a Fashion Consultant for Sheetal Departmental store. Accessory designing too falls under her profile. She designed and developed Avant Grade accessories for a collection presented in India, Dubai, UK for Vikram Phadnis, Neeta Lulla, Rohit Verma and others. She did not even leave writing; she wrote articles on fashion events and trends for a website.

Belinda’s illustration expertise was seen in films too. She did detailed costume illustration for films like Devdas, Kisna, Aisha and the list goes on. 

The illustrator even ventured into the field of teaching. She taught S.N.D.T. Women’s University as Asst. Professor to Wendell Rodericks for History of World Costume. Raheja University, N.I.F.T (National Institute of Fashion Technology), C.E.P.Z Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology, Mod Art Institute of Management along with which she conducted personalized workshop and crash courses in illustration and design. Belinda is currently a Faculty at Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion where she shares her experiences and expertise in the field of illustration with young aspirants.

The Edutainment Show, 2014

India’s largest educational exhibition and summit, ‘The Edutainment Show’, returned with their second edition. The exhibition took place at the J W Marriott on 26^th and 27^th April, 2014. The Edutainment Show displayed an array of exciting career opportunities in the media, communication and design industry. 

This was not all, as there were also panel discussions on various academic careers and accomplished celebrities who are familiar with the nuances of the media, design and communication industry. DJ Akbar Sami, Terrence Lewis, Roshan Abbas, Neeta Lulla, Subhash Ghai, Anupam Kher and Milind Soman are just a few of the names that graced the event.

But the highlight of the event for the Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion was securing the fifth position in the category of Best Emerging Design School at the National Level. This is a moment of celebration for the institute, but before the festivities start let us go over the highlights of this one of a kind event.

The Edutainment Show commenced on the 26^th April, 2014 and the event was inaugurated by Neeta Lulla, renowned Fashion Designer and Dean of Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion along with Terrence Lewis.  That was just the start, as there were more than 50 exhibitions and workshops aimed at students looking for career paths and the second edition was bigger and better with brighter opportunities for educationists and aspiring students.

Organized by Event Capital, the two day event witnessed a coming together of the top schools and institutes from the fields of music, fashion, textile, jewelry, graphic design, animation and new media design. This platform was beneficial to both students and experts where the students got a better glimpse into courses and the institute got a chance to interact with young, enthusiastic minds.  

One of the topics that were discussed in the event was regarding the Changing Face of Fashion Education in India. The panelists for this topic consisted of James Ferreira- veteran Fashion Designer, Aparna Badlani- Co-owner of Atosa, Nimisha Tiwari- Editor at Economic Times-Travel, Times of India and Siddharth Lulla- Director Business Strategy Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion.

The panelists gave useful insight into the world of fashion and everything pertaining to it. Stay tuned to the Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion blog to get an insight into this fascinating debate on the Future of Fashion Education in India. 

A Week always in Fashion

This time of the year is an absolutely favorite for fashionistas everywhere; anyone who is remotely interested in fashion will vouch for that. The Lakme Fashion Week 2014 set the ramp afire in a way summer never could, for designers know best how to make things hotter than ever!

Tarun Tahiliani

The first day of Lakme Fashion week saw Tarun Tahiliani’s collection presented by Reliance Jewels, an ethereal setting included bouquets of white organza leaves hung from the ceiling. ‘Resort’ fashion was the theme for Tarun’s collection, which had garments for extravagant events while retaining the simplicity of the summer season. The range of soft neutral colors with delicate fabrics of cottons, chiffons, sheers and voiles along with the paisley motifs, layers and drapes added drama to the collection. 

Manish Malhotra

Designer Manish Malhotra commenced the Lakme Fashion Week with his collection called ‘A Summer Affair’. The stage was turned into a whimsical garden with feminine colors, soft hues, which were reflected in his collection. Love was evidently in the air as soft pinks, powder blues and ivory mingled with navy and gray.

Manish Malhotra

Beautiful prints and delicate embroidery were transformed into marvelous lehengas and gowns.  The show does not end there and a tang of metal and mirror depicted the edginess of a romance. Men’s collection on the ramp also exhibited the romantic element beautifully.The zip saris, lehengas with pockets, dress-styled kurtas and slim pants made for a very engaging affair.

Neeta Lulla

One of the best designers of our time, and the Dean of Whistling Woods Neeta LullaSchool of Fashion, Neeta Lulla, presented her collection called ‘Diffusion’. It is an Indo-Western Collection which seamlessly blends two different sensibilities and has created a distinctive sense of style. The resultant collection was developed after considering the evolving nature of the appeal a garment extends to its wearers. The collection employs uncomplicated cuts to create easy silhouettes including paired separates that proposes unique choices. The obvious plainness of the garments belies the sensual undertone upon which the collection has been built. With a tropical color palette of brown, blue, chutney green, printed beige, orange and shocking pink with muted Mokaish embellishments, Neeta Lulla’s Diffusion showcased an array of elegant monochromatic ensembles with the occasional Aztec accent. Priyanka Chopra walked down the ramp in a stunning white long slit silk kaftan with splash of shimmer, truly a show stopper!2014 for Neeta is bright with tropical colors, easy silhouettes and comfort wear with a trend that is inspired by global awareness.

Anita Dongre

Anita Dongre’s collection ‘Varanasi Weaves’ was a tribute to the traditional fabrics of India. Inspired by hand-woven cottons of Varanasi was a visual treat for fashion lovers. The collection was painted in rich colors of old rose, buttercup yellow, and powder blue along with dull, nude gold. Jackets in white linen, sheer shirts, waistcoats, kurtas, dhotis, bundgalas and slim trousers make for a stunning men’s wear. Anita weaved a magical evening with her collection.

Krishna Mehta

Krishna Mehta revives the ancient craft of Maheshwar in her collection named ‘Magic Woven in Maheshwar’. The handloom fabric from Maheshwar city in Khargone a district in Madhya Pradesh was weaved into fluid pants, skirts, tunics, boleros worn with saris and for men kurtas, cropped pants and jackets. Black, white, grey, red, orange, fuchsia, aqua, indigo and purple dominated the stunning collection. 

All in all, the Lakme Fashion week saw a burst of fashion, glamour and talent. But besides that fashion weeks can be a great source for acquiring knowledge which is why Belinda Bawa, one of the best illustrators in the industry and a faculty member of Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion, has given the students a task. The students are assigned to identifying silhouettes, surface textures and finishes are some of the tasks given to them. Seems like designers are not the only one who will be busy this week!

In Search of Inspiration

No matter how skilled, talented or passionate you are, every now and again we need inspiration to strike. Be it a painter, writer or fashion designer, everyone seeks that burst of brilliance to achieve something stupendous. Inspiration can come in any form at any time, sometimes when you least expect it. Just as a painter can be inspired by the beauty of nature, a writer might find a lover to be his muse and a fashion designer might be fascinated by an era.

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana, for their summer 2014 collection, found inspiration in ancient coins from a bygone era. A coin type from Syracuse which was used in the fifth and fourth centuries BC was the focal piece of the collection. Once the most powerful city in ancient Sicily, Syracuse crafted some of the most spectacular coin designs, which Dolce & Gabbana incorporated these designs in their large belts and shoes creating something truly spectacular.

Neeta Lulla

Neeta Lulla, the leading designer of our country, back in 2012 displayed her extravagant collection in the Lakme Fashion Week that was inspired by the saga of Radha and Krishna. With it, Neeta Lulla reached new heights of elegance and grace. The line was based on ‘Radha’ and actress Hema Malini graced the stage as the character and stunned the audience with her performance. For the talented designer, Radha has been a symbol of grace and believes her to be the epitome of beauty and romance. Radha inspired Neeta to depict feminity and grace in a never-before seen manner. 

Inspiration struck Rashmi Thakur, an aspiring fashion designer and a student of Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion. She found her inspiration in the busy streets of Mumbai. While travelling in a humble auto rickshaw, she realized that the rickshaws of Mumbai are an art in themselves. The hard and tough structure and the simple play of the two colors, black and yellow inspired Rashmi. The colors, for Rashmi, defined the vehicle, which she has portrayed in her designs. Her collection is inspired from the tough exterior and soft humility of the rickshaws.  

Below is the mood board, silhouette board and the rendered designs that she came up with based off her brush with inspiration.

 

Rashmi Thakur