In love with those Sabyasachi Mukherjee outfits you saw on the runway, knowing well you cannot afford to buy it to wear for your cousin’s wedding next month? If you live in the Capital there is no need to feel like the country cousin all the time, because when it comes to fashion, money really has a very small role to play between you and your dream outfit.
An almost ditto outfit“Whenever there is a wedding in the family or I need to get an outfit made for some function, the first thing I do is check out the latest fashion week outfits. Then I browse through some websites and get a clear idea of what I want. Next, I head to Lajpat Nagar for fabrics and embellishments and finally I sit with my tailor,” says Iknoor, a journalist in her early 20s, who recently got an almost ditto Tarun Tahiliani outfit made for a total of Rs.8,000.
Many in the know say there are particular markets that stock certain fabrics and embellishment accessories reminiscent of certain designers’ trademarks.
“For Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra, I generally find fabrics in Chandini Chowk. For Masaba and a lot of other designers, Lajpat Nagar invariably has the latest stock. However, I do not always copy designers. For example, I recently got a lehenga made from a design I picked over the Internet with fabric I found in Shankar Market,” says Lila, a student.
Designer savvyHowever, it is not just weddings that one can get designer savvy at.
“I buy at least two fashion magazines every month. I also go through some fashion blogs as well as glance through the fashion supplement everyday. There are a lot of things that I want, but cannot buy. This season, I got some palazzos, shirts and summer dresses made from designs I got from international fashion houses and from fabric I found in Sankar Market and Lajpat Nagar. Last winter, I got a Burberry-like coat made from fabric I found at a men’s cloth shop in Khan Market,” says Shradda Singh.
However, everyone agrees that getting that perfect outfit is no easy task.
“Find a good tailor”“The fabric is usually expensive, by our standards at least. So when you give it to your local tailor there is always the risk that he might spoil it. So the first thing to do is to find a good tailor even though he may be more expensive,” adds Iknoor.
Then too, you are not in the clear. One has to be extremely clear while explaining the outfit to the tailor. Giving him a printed copy of the design is usually the best way to go about it. The most important rule, however, is not to hurry the tailor. You must give him at least two weeks for the outfit to really look right.
So what are you waiting for? Go get that fancy outfit!
