Trends that will rule 2016

A play of whites
Summer’s whites reflect a pick and mix of influences, from Victoriana to virginal confirmation dressing. What really counts is the craftsmanship: fine lace, broderie anglaise and delicate cutwork elevate these designs from pretty to infinitely precious. From Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Anamika Khanna, Aneeth Arora, Samant Chauhan orchestrating wardrobe options that will surely chime with your newfound wardrobe clarity this coming season.

Anamika Khanna’s AIFW collection

Plain canvas
If there was ever a trend that transformed normcore to glamcore, it’s the white sneaker. Blame it on fashion’s ever- swinging pendulum of extremes as they are the coolest accessories in town.

“The white sneaker is now a perfect example of form and function, style and simplicity,” says designer Anamika Khanna.

Payal Pratap’s play with florals

Flower power
Flowers? For spring? Well, maybe not ground-breaking. But when the flowers are for the Spring 2016 collections, they tend to be of note. Looking back at fashion month in New York, London, Milan, Paris, and India stunning blooms popped up everywhere.

“Ruffles, puffy sleeves, high-collar necklines and loads of flowers make way for Victorian influenced garments,” shares Payal Pratap.

Aneeth Arora’s creation

Board band
Taking a linear approach, designers conjured a feast of clean, crisp rules. From deckchair ticking and rainbow ribbons to vibrant Dennis the Menace bands, these go-faster stripes are your quick route into Spring/Summer 2016. “Stripes are androgynous and can be worn to dress up as well as dress down,” says designer Aneeth Arora of Pero. Mix and match vertical, horizontal and stripes of all scales to give a twist to the classic pattern.

Creation by Hemant and Nandita

High neck affair
With Spring/Summer 2016 shows awash with polo neck knits, colourful turtle necks, Peter Pan collars, and lightweight roll necks, it’s time to cover up your assets and embrace puritanical necklines again. “It’s time to say goodbye to bare shoulders and lingerie-inspired dressing to embrace the classic high-necks as they will be huge,” reveals Nida Mahmood.

Sari by Rasa Jaipur

Drape drama
The year will be best remembered for saris going the modern way. Shedding its traditional and boring existence, saris are basking in their newfound glory with modern draping techniques and stylish blouses in the form of shirts, T-shirts, crop tops and kurtas. As designer Anamika Khanna puts forth, “Sari has always been timeless but it needs to be approachable. So, team it up with anything you like.”

Ikai by Ragini Ahuja

Denim delux
This spring, the light blue hue will be back and give denim staples —from slim jeans to western shirts to trucker jackets — a winning new look. Designer Amit Aggarwal says, “Denims have a good shelf life and can be reused again and again. Also the versatility factor of the fabric makes them perfect for any garment. For my collection, I had used pre-owned denims to create an entirely new piece of clothing.” While designer Ragini Ahuja of Ikai adds, “Denim will rule in any form — bleached, washed or appliquéd with vintage patches in silhouettes like oversized long shirts, trucker jackets, trench or pleated pants with paperback waist.”