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Second Half Of The 20th Century Till Today
The Independence of India in 1947 is a bittersweet memory in the history of South Asia, that was met with much-awaited celebration and also haunted by the gruesome saga of the partition of India. A large number of refugees from West Punjab, Multan, Sindh, and East Bengal settled in India. They carried the non-material and material aspects of culture with them which influenced the culture of the regions they settled in. Their styles may not have been new but became more popular with increased visibility in the number of settlers. The salwar [bifurcated garment with stiffened hemlines] and kameez [tunic] which were often worn by Punjabi and Multani women became popular. The length of the Punjabi salwar was cropped above the ankle which protected the hem from fraying due to friction with the footwear or the road. It is also easier to wash the feet without wetting the hem of the garment. Women across many walks of life developed a preference for the Salwar Kameez and other Kurta-Pajama variations. These were teamed with the dupatta as was customary among Punjabi women.
The focus of the post-1947 years of the decade was to focus on the task of building a strong future for India. This involved encouraging the industrialists to set up factories including new textile mills to generate employment and also to boost the agricultural sector. It is interesting to note that simultaneously, two years after the end of World War II, Christian Dior introduced the ultra-glamorous and ultra-feminine ‘New look‘ in 1947 with the objective of rejuvenating the couture fashion industry in Paris.
Indian Cinema And Fashion
From the 1950s, Hindi cinema became the fulcrum of styles in clothing, accessories, and styling appearance. Newspapers, magazines, and cinema posters became the key sources for people to view the costumes of their cine-idols. The direction and process of diffusion of fashion trends from the celebrity star to the ramp to the store racks point to the influence of cinema on fashion for the masses.
1950s Fashion
The 1950s style in Hindi cinema overtly referenced that of Hollywood stars and occasionally to street fashion in the fashion capitals notably London. Shammi Kapoor was seen to wear sporty jackets and tapered leg trousersakin to the Teddy boy subculture of 1950s London and later the Mod subculture of London. The transmission of fashion updates from the west was interpreted to suit Indian aesthetics. Taking a cue from the narrow waist and slender silhouette of 1950s Hollywood, the heroines of Hindi cinema yesteryears such as Vyjanthimala and Waheeda Rahman also wore saree blouses, kurtas, and dresses with similar bodice patterns that slimmed down the torso but had a looser silhouette.
Hairstyle for men was distinctive flamboyant yet masculine as styled for Hindi film superstar Shammi Kapoor that was a blend of the Teddy boy subculture of 1950s London and singer Elvis Presley. The hairstyle for actresses was less ornate and more natural than those of the 1940s with the popular hair flick on the foreheads of Nargis, Meena Kumari, and Madhubala.
1960s Fashion
The fitted 1950s silhouette of Hollywood pioneered by iconic actors Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe was gradually adopted in the next decade in India with resonance in the similarity of design and form. The typical style gained popularity with the screen costumes of Sadhana, Asha Parekh, and Sharmila Tagore. The ‘hourglass‘ silhouette cinched the waist tightly which drew attention to the circumference of the chest and hips. The bust was accentuated with reinforced cups which could be directly attached to garment, resembling conventional techniques of Choli Blouse construction. The hip curve was emphasized with an inner girdle that assured a perfect and stable shape.
The 1960s hairstyle echoed the Bouffant popularized by Hollywood. It had several variations, one of the most common ones being the hump-like mount of hair resembling a beehive on the top and back of the head with the rest of the hair falling at the sides or at the back. The bouffant could be accompanied by a short fringe.
In Hindi cinema, certain characteristic styles were so integrated with the on-screen persona of the star that a strong association developed with the name of the icon. One such example is the short forehead fringe with other ways of styling the rest of the hair, as sported by Sadhana Shivdasani. This style became so popular that it came to be referred to as the ‘Sadhana cut‘.
An existing version of an indigenous jacket for men was of two versions. One was the single-breasted, mid-hip-length jacket without lapels but more structured with a band collar, full sleeves. This was referred to as the ‘Band-Gale Ka Coat‘ [literally meaning coat with a closed neck/collar]. The other version has the same stylistic details but was sleeveless – its global recognition is attributed to India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru who styled it in an iconic way by pinning a red rose every day. The jacket became so characteristic of his style that it came to know as the Nehru jacket. It was appreciated both in India and abroad during his foreign tours as a versatile and elegant indigenous garment. The Fashion Media in the West took note and the Nehru jacket appeared in Time Magazine, at No.7 in a Top-10 list of political fashion statements, where it was commented that “the Nehru jacket is a descendant of the Northern Indian Achkan, A Closed-Neck, Coat-Like garment usually considered court dress for Indian nobility. He was featured in Vogue magazine in 1964 wearing the Nehru jacket.
Nehru also dressed in a knee-length, single-breasted structured coat with sleeves and buttons ending at a band collar known as the sherwani. The origin of the Sherwani is in the combination of British silhouettes combined with Indian elements. First adopted by the Nawabs and Nizams, it became a popular choice because it did not belong to a particular region and was nationalist in representation. Its structure is derived from its construction which is akin to that of western coats. The use of shoulder pads allows the sherwani to retain its form at the shoulder. The shorter hip-length version of the sherwani was modern in its elegant minimalism and was worn by the royal families during British rule. The modification in length made it versatile in its adaptability to Western tastes and requirements.
The structured Bandh-Gala Jacket continues to be popular because of its aesthetics and versatility as a must-have in a man’s wardrobe.
1970s Fashion
The increase in the use of synthetic fabrics in India was an extension of a similar trend across the world. This may be attributed to the fact that these fabrics were cheaper and easier to maintain than natural fabrics. The impact of the activities of Western celebrities was felt in India. The Beatles visited the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at Rishikesh. India was a preferred ‘go to‘ destination for foreign tourists, celebrities, and those on a spiritual quest. The Woodstock festival for peace and music and the hippie flower child movement of the 1960s carried over into the 1970s, but with a more modern, refined look. There was fascination both globally and in India for ethnic clothes using India- style prints, flowing light gauze dresses with handcrafted elements like tie and dye, batik, knitwear, crochet, and macramé. Ripped bell-bottom jeans, coordinated twin sets in knits, flowing caftans with block prints, disco-inspired shiny lurex clothing were popular in India. The increase in the use of synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester in apparel led to bold, psychedelic, and color-blocked prints in bright, neon colors. Floral motifs were widely seen on maxi dresses and bell-bottom pants. The overwhelming popularity of the short and fitted Indian kurta teamed with bell-bottom pants was the equivalent of a similar Western silhouette. High platform shoes were worn with loose pants and with the salwar pauncha [stiffened hemlines].
A notable development was the move towards equality of sexes. Women had greater freedom of choice, in terms of length of skirts [short or midi], cut-off jeans e. g. continuation of bell-bottom or wide-leg trousers, combining the upper and lower garment e.g. the jumpsuit or teaming them together as co-wear items e.g. the safari suit. The British military uniform in the tropics took a cue from the late nineteenth-century ‘Safari Look‘ comprising a jacket in crisp drill cotton with utilitarian, four or more pleated pockets, buttons, shoulder epaulets, and self-belt with matching trousers or knee-length shorts. Yves Saint Laurent first introduced the safari jacket in his 1967 runway show and then as a one-off design created for a photo essay for Vogue Paris, followed by unisex gabardine safari suits. Borrowing from male codes of dress to revolutionize women’s fashion, led to the spread of the Safari suit comprising the jacket-trouser ensemble in monotone. It became a popular fashion statement that was versatile enough to fit in the category of sporty casuals or even as uniforms. The Safari jacket also called a ‘Bush Jacket‘ was, and continues to be worn during safari tours in the African bush. In India, a modified version is occasionally worn on official occasions.
1980s Fashion
Access to MTV on Indian television was so powerful that it became a culture that brought a sea-change in the way Indians thought of fashion. This was a bold decade with two distinct visual identities – one that expressed the power in the domain of the workplace, and the other in the domain of physical fitness and glamour. It was a landmark decade in the West as women demanded equal rights as men at the workplace, emphasizing their competence through their dress code known as Power Dressing. The Power look indicated the integration between the stiffness of the structured suit with exaggerated shoulder pads [masculine], with the curves of the narrow belted waist, and flowing peplum [feminine]. Both men and women wore their waistlines high. This translated into fashion for both Indian men and women. Indian actors adopted the on-screen rock star look with embellished denim and leather biker jackets, teamed with loose shirts, jackets, waistcoats, and baggy trousers. This became the popular look on the streets and for formal wear. Men also wore oversized blazers and suits with pronounced shoulder pads and boxy silhouettes. This look was echoed by women who also wore the western blouse and medium-length Indian kurta with wide waist belts. The broad shoulder look was achieved by the puff sleeve and the leg o’ mutton sleeve on both Indian and Western styles. Interestingly, the trouser with draped cowls on the sides called ‘Dhoti Pants‘ was an indigenous design.
The second look focused on physical fitness and glamour. Vigorous dance and exercise routines and social outings were both fun and glamorous with oversized velvet, knit and lace T-shirts and voluminous turtleneck sweaters teamed with leggings that had stirrups. Fluorescent colors of blue, green, orange, pink, and yellow were often paired together in patterns inspired by comic books, we and seen on sweatpants, parachute pants, t-shirts, and jackets. Brightly colored accessories like sunglasses, bangles, and hoop earrings were visible everywhere. Teased hair and loud makeup were an important part of this look which had an obvious wider appeal among the younger crowd. Typical scenes with nightclubs and discotheques where glamourous clothes meant ‘bling‘ achieved by shiny fabrics and sparkling sequins, were seen in Hindi movies such as Qurbani [1980] and Karz [1980].
1990s Fashion
One of the most popular early’ 90s unisex ready-to-wear fashion was Grunge. It entered mainstream often in white-navy-plum combinations on shirts, stonewashed or ripped jeans, knit hoodies, Doc Martens boots, and sneakers. In addition, unisex looks included bright t-shirts, denim overalls, colored jeans, and leather or letterman jackets with slouch socks and white sneakers, as seen in the movie ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai‘ [1998].
The dot-com boom made men’s business casual looks popular. It included dress slacks, chinos, khakis, belts, long sleeve button-up shirts, an optional tie, and a sweater instead of a formal suit. On formal occasions, a more formal look was preferred with the three or four buttons single-breasted suit with a matching shirt and bright tie. The all-black suit, shirt, and tie was also a popular formal look for men.
The Indi-pop album ‘Made In India‘ by Alisha Chinai and produced by Biddu was released in 1995 and sold on a scale comparable to Hindi film music albums. At a deeper level, it stimulated interest in Indian-ness. The child-like image of Chinai ushered in the baby doll look with loose dresses over leggings, embroidered jeans with Keds, or ballet flats.
Iconic Fashion Trends Inspired By Hindi Cinema
‘Bobby‘ [1973] introduced Dimple Kapadia with a fresh look and wardrobe. The polka-dotted blouse with a knotted front and short skirt started a mega trend among teenagers.
In ‘Bunty Aur Babli‘ [2005] actor Rani Mukherjee wore the shirt collared kurta-shirt teamed with a sheer salwar designed by Aki Narula. The brightly colored ‘suit‘ brought a street feel to the traditional salwar-kameez-dupatta ensemble and influenced the way it was viewed and worn by the young viewers
Fashion designer Manish Malhotra designed the costumes worn by Kareena Kapoor in ‘Jab We Met‘ [2007]. This included the iconic long T-shirt with Patiala salwar ensemble teamed with the Punjabi Jutti and Jhola Bag that started the Boho trend.
Period Cinema
There is synergy between the storyline and the contribution of the costumes. Traditional Indian costumes when recreated for the cinematic screen, require research on historical costume and improvisation in design. The recreation of the era through the silhouettes, choice of fabric, and embroidery appeals to wider society and sets fashion trends.
‘Bajirao Mastani‘ [Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 2015] is a period film set in the 18th century. The costumes created by the designer, Anju Modi had to communicate the era, lifestyle, opulence, and the character’s personality, for which she used heritage fabrics and traditional embroidery for the lead characters. Accessories included jewelry, headgear, and footwear which also contributed to the look.
The costumes of ‘Padmavat‘ designed by Rimple and Harpreet Narula were based on research of 13th-century historical costumes. To maintain the cultural authenticity of the period, they used organic fabrics and hand embroidery as well as heavier silks and zari embroidery to create the costumes with flowing silhouettes.
Some iconic sarees designed for cinema have reinforced the timelessness of this traditional garment and have generated high demand in the lucrative Indian wedding garment segment. These include the iconic purple embroidered saree-blouse ensemble worn by actor Madhuri Dixit in ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun‘ [1994] designed by Ana Singh, the double matching saree-shawl ensemble draped on actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in ‘Devdas‘ [2002] designed by Neeta Lulla.
Indian fashion drew inspiration from its rich history, vibrant culture, customs, and socio-cultural occasions such as festivals and marriage ceremonies, and cinema. Towards the end of the 20th century, the advancements in technology, increase in global travel, and rapid communication erased geographical distances and impacted all aspects of life including fashion.
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