Renowned couturier Sayantan Sarkar’s sustainable casual wear brand VIAN, which he co-owns with stylist Olivia Sinha Roy, has turned plain old weaves into something very funky and cool for the discerning millennial buyer. This festive season, he has come up with a trendy and colourful edit of ritzy outfits for those who are looking out for global silhouettes in handcrafted weaves.
Called Polka Diaries, the vivid range of coordinated separates in handwoven cotton fabric make for an evergreen sartorial statement. The intense colour palette has varied jewel tones and the silhouettes include tops, shirts, shackets, flared trousers and dresses with high-street vibes. Sarkar decodes festive fashion rules for us:
Puja fashion trends: The biggest style tip would be to hoard your wardrobe with coordinated separates and emphasising on the concept of coordinated prints. Styling should be kept minimal with comfort being the mantra. Smart loungewear is the need of the season.
Styles that are back with a bang: Prints are the flavour of the season including retro prints with pop colour bases reflect - ing the ’70s styling vibe starting from crop tops, flared pants, laced, cut-worked or frilled dresses.
Trending accessories: A lot of pop colour bags and shoes, with quilted or self textures, are doing the rounds. There’s a return of metallic belts, layered neckpieces and large framed glasses in pop colours. Complement the minimal silhouettes and busy prints with elaborate accessories and vice versa. Festive wardrobe essentials: Smart crop tops, trendy casual shackets, and the classic kalidar cotton printed kurtas.
Next from VIAN: The next collection is all about femininity and fluidity and will comprise shirt dresses and shrugs with dresses in handloom cotton with ditsy embroidery all over. There will be hand-embroidered motifs of roses and dandelions with a befitting colour palette. There’s another collection developed around the classic kalidar kurtas made with block printed cotton fabric.
Festive tips: Minimal make-up, vibrant colours, prints, hand embroidery and comfortable fabric.
Here are four cool looks from VIAN worn by the beautiful actor Swastika Dutta, exclusively for Indulge.
It’s all about Puja!
Busy actor Swastika Dutta, who shot to fame with her debut movie Parbona Ami Chartey Tokey in 2015, simply loves wearing all things handwoven and organic. Hence she loved the idea of wearing VIAN’s outfits for this festive shoot and the results are stunning. Excerpts from a chat with Dutta on the sidelines of the shoot:
Pujas, then and now: I miss the smell of new dresses bought during the Pujas. We no longer buy new clothes specifically for Pujas nowadays since we buy them throughout the year. I also miss clicking pictures in makeshift photo booths near the puja pandals. I make it a point not to sit at home and I usually have many public appearances to make. I eat consciously throughout the year so that I can eat whatever I want during these five days.
I simply love the Puja vibes. With age, I have stopped planning things and instead keep them flexible and spontaneous. But what I never do during the Pujas is go out of Kolkata. This year too I will be in Kolkata only and even if I am at home I would be all decked up in all the festive glory.
Festive fashion: I love experimenting with my looks but a sari is mandatory during these five days and I wear them with interesting designer blouses. Since last year, I have been buying more masks than outfits but this year I have plans to buy some funky sneakers. Festive food: Everything from rolls to phuchkas.
Sartorial choices: I love experimenting instead of dressing predictably. I don’t like synthetic materials and blingy, sequinned outfits and I love cotton, linen and silk dresses. Casual linen shirt dresses in pastel shades are one of my favourites.
Fitness and diet: I work out and drink a lot of water besides having eight hours of sleep. I don’t like weight training, instead, I run a lot and walk and stretch. Every morning, after oil-pulling I drink water from a clay bottle followed by four almonds and four walnuts. Later I eat muesli with curd and after gym, I have an apple or seasonal fruits and peanut butter. Lunch is with chicken stew or one roti and veggies. I don’t like fish or meat much and I drink detox lime pudina water. I have a protein bar in the evening with green tea and cookies and finish dinner by sunset.
Hair and skincare: I am crazy about skincare and hair and massage my scalp with coconut oil thrice a week and buy a lot of quality skincare products. I apply sunscreen every two hours and use gel-based products since I have pimple prone skin.
Beauty essentials in bag: Lip balm, sunscreen and moisturiser.
Price on request. At his Lake Place store. Pictures: Debarshi Sarkar | Hair and makeup: Abhijit Paul | Styling: Olivia Sinha Roy | Jewellery: Karishmaz | Location: Unplugged Courtyard
sharmishtha.g@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @sharmidas