By: Priya Sachdev Chatwal, Director and Creative Director, Kitsch
The best part about having your own store, which retails the most fabulous luxury fashion brands, is that you get to have an early hint on the trends as understood by all those designers.
As the weather heats up, and continues to burn, the collective collections of designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Lanvin, Halston Heritage and more, at my store Kitsch, show that Spring Summer 2011 is all about living fantasy, expressing freedom and celebrating beauty. It’s about being fresh, glamorous and classic – a loose structure that is easy to wear and easy to move in. Liquid silk dresses drape across the body, graphic toga cardigans rest on the shoulder, and gathered pants raise high on the waist and crop at the ankle. In fact, the Diane Von Furstenberg collection, in particular, comprises all these elements.
The collections stimulate my senses with a colourful explosion of beautiful dresses, tops, bottoms and knits. I see new prints inspired from above in the galaxy and below in the deep sea. Perfect for the sun and sand, relaxed silhouettes in luxurious fabrics such as silk jacquard, airy chiffon and hammered silk, are the order of the day.
The Spring Summer 2011 trend shows that there is an emerging trend in bright hues and maxi dresses with tribal prints. This season’s collection has been replaced by more feminine dresses in painterly prints/graphic prints with a more streamlined silhouette and A-liners. The playsuit has also made a comeback and it is one of the strongest trends this spring!
Colour trends are soft colours like powder blue, dusty pink, pale yellow and lavender. Floral prints will be popular this season with a focus on soft watercolour prints in fabrics like linen, chiffon and satin that drapes the contours of the body.
If the attire is so colourful, the accessories can’t be bland! So make your way towards vibrant bags, shoes and stunning clutches. Supple leathers such as washed lamb and bubble metallic create the perfect bags and clutches. Evening dresses can also be worn with flats. Have a look at metal stilettos in the Herve Leger and Lanvin collections.
Layering in clothes is also popular this season with the use of fabrics like lace, organza and georgette to create a romantic look. Mini dresses and shorts can’t be overlooked this season as well! You can choose from mid-thigh shorts to high-waisted shorts. Neutral colour shorts can be worn with a feminine silk blouse (the best are in the DVF collection!) for a classic day look.
Nude is the new shade for SS11 in its varying tones and incarnations, and some of my favourite looks on the runway from Lanvin, Stella McCartney, Alicie + Olivia included this ubiquitous shade.
From creamy caramel to soft nougat and pale peach, spring’s hottest shades were seen on an abundance of fabrics, and it is this variety of textures that makes your attire so eye-catching and versatile. Beige is the new black which has become a trademark at Kitsch and this season is no exception with gorgeous tulle skirts combined with body hugging tops and jackets with minimalist cuts from Halston Heritage collection.
That bounty of magical and beautiful apparel at Kitsch demonstrates the versatility of the trend and effectiveness of layering textures in tonal shades. An interlocking wicker weave adorns Alexander McQueen clutches and satchel-inspired bags. Shoes with dark brown ankle straps, gold bridle detailing and low to medium rise block heels covered in natural cork, raffia or wicker, reinforce the emphasis on daywear.
It’s not just women, as we all know, that give so much importance to trends and styles. Men are as much conscious, probably more! This season, men can go for short trench coats, stretch tweed military-style leggings to match, an adapted Eton-collar shirt, brothel creeper shoes, sharp mod suits, a fisherman’s guernsey sweater cut like a sweatshirt, and baggy, shapeless work trousers. Alexander McQueen’s latest collection has an entire range for the men to drool over. Ties, scarves and bandanas featuring skull prints are an emerging trend from Alexander McQueen.
Hopefully I have succeeded in tempting you to an assortment of bright clothes and fashionable accessories. But the treat is yet to come! The best part of shopping this season is that you have to pay less. You now have the luxury of shopping international labels in India at a competitive rate compared to the European, Asian and Middle East markets. Kitsch assures excellent products at 5-10 per cent lesser rates than any other store in Europe, Middle East or South East Asian countries. So now you can take a holiday for only for relaxation without any burden of shopping and stuffing your luggage cases with those luxury brands! Get the benefit of a personal shopper, a personal stylist and concierge with additional loyalty benefits and a complete wardrobe solution for both men and women.
So remember the rules this summer: be bright, wrap yourself in fluid and open silhouettes, pair it up with classic accessories, and you are ready to dazzle the crowd!
As creative director of TSG International, Priya Sachdev Chatwal dabbles in luxury brands like Stella McCartney, DVF, Lanvin and Alexander McQueen, spearheading marketing and communication for them in India. Through her store Kitsch, which retails all these illustrious brands, Priya has brought some of the most sought-after fashion brands to India.
