History of Fashion
The first model – Adam Every generation since that day has claimed itself to be the originators and discovers of fashion. But the true fact is that we are just copy cats. The beauty lies in what we copy and how we cat. Today, in a fashion world, dominated by Paris, Milan and New York, India has enthralled the top-notch couture masters, around the world. The weaves, the hand-woven silks and cottons with intricate traditional designs, ancient block printing techniques and tie-dye, unique embroidery patterns with bead-work and mirrors; all etches an eternal pattern on the global fashion. The Fashion Revolution in IndiaThere was a time when fashion was looked down upon by many a middle class Indian as a degradation of Indian values. A fact chiefly influenced by the post-Independence belief in Swadeshi and everything Indian. Fashion was essentially a western import. Fashion was meant for the elite, and the bohemian. But as another generation was exposed to the vision of the 21st Century, and India opened up to the West, there was a need to establish a unique Indian Identity. Thus was born the idea of taking traditional Indian fabrics and styles, blending western cuts and lines to appeal to a larger section of occident as well as the masses in India. So much so, that fashion has moved out of select circles and gained acceptance even in the most conservative households of India. The evolution of fashion in India had fashion houses overwhelmed. Their experimentation in the transference of designs of Indian origin has produced Oriental fantasies giving the Indian outfits a uniquely glamorous look around the globe. Also check Indian fashion, latest fashion, fashion tips, fashion 2008 Fashion HistoryIn the indigenous Indian tradition, stitched garments were not known or used at all. The art of sewing was unknown to the early Indians, and that it was an import from outside. Serious and early students of Indian costumes, like Forbes Watson, have stated, mostly on the authority of other scholars, that the art of sewing came to India only with the coming of the Muslims.' The 'timeless' Indian dress of men, thus, consists of garments that use no stitching, garments in other words that, as Forbes Watson says, "leave the loom, ready for wear". The Dhoti, the Scarf or Uttariya, and the Turban, which have never really disappeared from any part of India, belong to this category, and their marked visibility in India could have led one erroneously to conclude that the early Indians did not use any sewn garments. Likewise, for women, the Dhoti or the Sari as the lower garments, combined with a Stanapatta or breast-band for covering the breasts, forms a basic ensemble, and once again consists of garments that do not have to be stitched, the breast-garment being simply fastened in a knot at the back. And the Dhoti or the Sari worn covering both legs at the same time or, in the alternative, with one end of it passed between the legs and tucked at the back in the fashion that is still prevalent in large area of India. The Amirs and the Maliks and other officers at the Sultanate courts are described as wearing "gowns (tatailyat),jakalwat and Islamic qabas of Khawarizm tucked in the middle of the body" and short turbans which did not exceed five or six forearms. Of other Amirs we learn that they were as well dressed "as the soldiers except that they did not use belts and at times they let down a piece of cloth in front of them after the manner of the sups. From the earliest period of Indian proto-history, the Harappan culture, the evidence about textiles and dresses is scant but not unimportant. The survival of an actual fragment of cotton cloth, and the upper garment draped around the body like a shawl as seen in a sculpture, offer interesting examples, although it is difficult to give to these pieces any kinds of names. The veil that women still use so extensively in India, something like the dupatta or odhani of modern times, has its early prototype in the Vedic period, and various words signifying the same article of apparel are used, with differences between one and the other that may not be easy to identify. Minor differences and modifications apart, this dress seems to remain as a standard 'for women for an uncommon length of time, not only because women's dresses tend to be more conservative but also because these garments together belong to the 'timeless' garments of India. When it comes to head-gears, there are many names that one comes upon, including usbnisba, kirita, patta, veshtana, vesbtanapatta, sbirovesbtana. The manner of wearing the turban evidently varied as much in ancient India as it did in medieval. The range of turban-styles that we encounter is reminiscent of the many styles in the 19th century, each style having a specific name for it as recorded by Forbes-Watson." However, there are close-fitting caps that one finds soldiers and some foreigners wearing in Indian sculptures and paintings. Exceptionally every head was covered by a turban. There are specific references to the clothing of religious men, special mention being made of the sanghati or double chadar that the Bhikshuks of the Buddhist orders were meant to wear. This was combined with an antarvasaka or loin-cloth and a dupatta or loose upper garment, also called the uttarasanga. Short tunics are also heard of, but not seen too often. At the same time, drawers of the kakshya types, stitched and worn quite tight around the loins, especially by soldiers and men needing to be active in their movements, the prototypes of the later jangbias, make frequent appearance. Ref: http://www.indianslivingabroad.com/lifestyle/history-of-fashion.asp#01#01 Also check Indian fashion, latest fashion, fashion tips, fashion 2008
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