Rainy Fashion

Colors Unknown

Blue, green, red, yellow, black… there is an endless list of colors, there are just so many! Most of us don’t pay attention to the lighter tones or deeper shades of a particular color; a red is just a red to us. From the color of the sky to the color of an eye, each color varies. There are colors that we may have seen countless times, but would be unaware of their actual names, placing them in generalized category. Here are some colors that most of us must have seen, but wouldn’t know the exact name.

Malachite

The first one is Malachite, a descendent of green. This vibrant version of green is derived from the carbonate mineral called Malachite or copper carbonate. The swirling patterns are associated with the semiprecious stone and the deeper shade of green gives a rich look. During the olden times the mineral was extensively used for green paints as it often varied in color. This hue is seen being painted throughout history, the Malachite room in Hermitage is one such instance. 

Monique Lhuillier's Malachite

It is widely used in décor, jewelry and even as an accessory along with designer apparel. At the Fall 2013 show of designer Monique Lhuillier, an impressive Malachite theme was employed with stunning gowns in rich Malachite hue on display.

Rose Madder                                         Madder Carmine

Rose Madder is yet another hue that is perceived as red. It is made from a pigment extracted from the common madder plant called as Rubia Tinctorum. Similarly, there is Madder Carmine which is commonly known as burgundy and sometime oxblood. Carmine is a term for deep reds that are slightly purplish, while still being close to red. The 2013 New York Fashion Week saw this shade turn up quite a lot.

Madder Carmine

Belonging to the blue and purple family, Periwinkle is another color that many are not aware of. Periwinkle is the name of a plant; it is linked to the cool blue flower of the vine-like evergreen. 

Periwinkle

The plant’s Latin name is Pervincire which means ‘to entwine’. Lavender blue is another name for it, or even pastel blue. For its 2012 Spring-Summer collection, Chanel’s Haute Couture displayed some of the best Periwinkles ever seen. 

Chanel’s Periwinkle

The color, Chartreuse is the point where the blue and yellow intersect. It has a rather interesting history attached to it. 

chartreuse yellow                                      green chartreuse

The color, Chartreuse is a lovely mixture of blue and yellow. It has a rather interesting history attached to it. The green hue resembled French liqueurs called green chartreuse, which was introduced in 1764, likewise chartreuse yellow is a yellow color mixed with a hint of green which resembled the yellow chartreuse liqueurs introduced in 1838. This color made news in Spring-Summer fashion shows a few years back. 

Cerise,  Xanadu, Amaranth, Fulvous, Eburnean, Smaragdine and Claret and  are just a few more names that go unnoticed. So explore the different hues, tones, shades, and tints and create something unique and vibrantly colorful! 

Student spotlight: Creating a Mood board

Fashion designing as a profession and art has evolved immensely, being more accessible than ever. Different aspects of fashion education have evolved, whereas others are still emerging. Possessing knowledge about fabrics, colors, silhouette and cuts is imperative, but presenting a creation holds equal significance. A mood board is one of the methods that can be used to present a design or a collection creatively.

Mood boards (also known as inspiration boards) help to visualize the design concepts and ideas and explore the look and feel of a project. There is a uniformity of colors, fonts, images, themes or layout. The mood board becomes a tool through which a designer and clients can have a better understanding of the designs. This covers everything, from what it needs, how to take it forward, what makes it tick and more. The board also acts as a brainstorming device in which new ideas can be developed or old ones refined.

A large number of designers use mood boards, and it is not limited to the fashion industry alone. In fact, creating an inspiration board is common for interior designers, web designers, landscape designing, wedding planning or it could be a normal collage made at home by a college going photography enthusiastic.

A mood board could be created on anything- a PDF file, PowerPoint or on a physical board, bulletin or even in a notebook. The content of the board should reflect the designer’s idea. A fashion designer, for instance, would create a mood board in which the theme of their collection would be apparent, the colors to be used, sketches of the outfits, illustrations, fragments of the fabrics to be used, the source of inspiration through which the collection has been created and anything that will be of any relevance to the designer.

Pranali Oswal's Mood Board

Pranali Oswal, a fashion student of Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion, has created a mood board in which she has beautifully exhibited her design and the source of inspiration. The renderings that Pranali has done are influenced by graffiti either inspired by the colors or by using text as print on the garment. Regarding the mood board, Pranali believes that they are important to designers as it gives direction to the collection while expressing the theme on its own. The board showcases the designer’s thought process giving the ideas a visual expression. 

Pranali Oswal's Mood Board

Springing to life!

                                                                                        

                                         

Spring is here! A season filled with sunshine, lazy days, and vibrant colors that radiate throughout your wardrobe. This season soft pastels were balanced with vivid bright hues. A mixture of ever-inspiring nature and free spirited travel has been an inspiration for this palette which refreshes, revives and defies conventions. We have narrowed down the must-haves colors for men and women.

For Women

Placid Blue:

Radiating a sense of tranquility, Placid Blue induces a sense of peace. Use this color to add a touch of serenity to your wardrobe by adding handbags, clutches or even belts in this pastel shade.

Sand: 

Conjuring images of sun, sand and beach, Sand is the ideal summer color. Versatile in its use, this color can be parried with pretty much any shade. With denims, it makes for perfect street wear, while a Sand color pencil skirt along with white or black shirt completes a formal look. As part of a glamorous sequined cocktail dress, sand can be ravishing too.

Radiant Orchid: 

Crowned as the color of the year, Radiant Orchid, as the name goes is a radiant and vibrant shade to possess this season. A perfect harmony between fuchsia and purple with undertones of pink, it is perfectly matched with pastel colors. It is a feminine color without being overly girly.

Dazzling Blue: 

This brilliant shade of blue adds some dazzle to any pastel palette. Dazzling blue is an eye catching color but compliments most colors beautifully. Wear it as loose trousers or jumpsuits.

Celosia Orange: 

A warm hue, Celosia Orange flatters the Indian skin tone. Pairing it with Violet Tulip will create a captivating look. 

For Men

Paloma: 

This neutral shade of grey is a must-have in a man’s wardrobe and is a soul-mate to vibrant shades.

Freesia: 

Inspired by the tropical florals, Freesia has made quite an impression on the runway. It is best to pick up this shade of yellow in natural fabrics.

Purple haze: 

A bolder adaptation of violet tulip, purple haze has a hint of vintage which gives it a classic and confident appearance. Paloma will complement this masculine color flawlessly.

Cayenne: 

A refined version of the blazing vermillion red, Cayenne stills maintains the fieriness of vermillion. It will look best in a pair of pants, a sporty jacket or pick up a strappy watch or sneakers in this color for the ultimate casual look. 

Now you know the trend-setting colors for this season, but don’t limit yourself. The world is made up of innumerable colors, so get out there play, experiment and explore!

Fashion for a Cause

Myriad colors, the aroma of sugary sweets in the air and scenes of happiness and mischief everywhere; in other words, a typical HoIi day! The auspicious festival took place a few days ago and saw an immense outpouring of colors and water in every part of the country. Besides being one of the most anticipated festivals, it is a source of inspiration for many artists. One such artist is Fashion Designer Manish Arora who has broadened the precincts of conventional art by fusing two different art forms into one spectacular creation!

Manish Arora

A newspaper article in 2013 inspired the designer to create something unique. The article concerned the widows of Varanasi who abandoned the age old obdurate impositions of society and celebrated Holi for the first time in centuries. This simple article lead to Manish Arora’s first fashion film titled ‘Holy Holi’.

Bharat Sikka

Bishi Bhattacharya 

   

                                                                     
Conceptualized and story by Manish, the film depicts the day when women finally broke away from the long dead traditions and rejoiced in the gaiety of colors. Artistically shot, the movie captures the emotions beautifully. Directed by the extremely talented art photographer Bharat Sikka, Manish designed and styled the movie. Bishi Bhattacharya composed and sang the heart wrenching music and also is the model that we see in the film. The good thing about the cast is that everyday women are seen clad in Manish Arora’s creations, which adds to the authenticity of the movie.    

Holy Holi

The movie opens with a vision of a murky and gloomy river and the women in white sarees. A burst of gulal in the air above the women is a sign of things to come. Myriad emotions are captured in simple gesture. The many lonely years of being and the melodic, haunting sound of Bishi conveys the melancholic feeling experienced by the women. And then, just like that, the color spreads in the air giving a sense of joy and of the opportunity to have colors in their life again.

Holy Holi

The vivid couture created by Manish shows the freedom to play with colors. The naughty pinks, flamboyant reds and psychedelic colors capture the colorful festival of Holi and how everyone, without any discrimination, has the right and the freedom to indulge in it.

Holy Holi

Holy Holi won several awards at ASVOFF (A Shaded View On Fashion Film Festival) in Paris. Through this fashion film Manish Arora has pushed the creative envelope and included something new. He even showed fashion is not only about models in trendy clothes but also a way of expressing deep emotions often ignored by society.