Couture Count

In the world of Indian fashion, 2012 was the year of experimentation. Accessories became hugely popular — with fans including leading apparel designers — even as scraps, fossils and rare wood made their way into jewellery items. While the anarkali silhouette grew longer, the sari got a new twist and men's jewellery got a shot in the arm. International celebrities too, lapped up the creations by our designers. talk lists highlights from the year that was.

Sari Reinvented

With Indian fashion lovers becoming global citizens, the designer fraternity — especially the younger lot — has been giving the sari a makeover of sorts. While the traditional drape will never go out of fashion, 2012 witnessed the rise of other interpretations. Amit Aggarwal, who launched his self-named label this year, chose to come up with pre-pleated cocktail saris, in keeping with his signature style of playing with textures — be it the leather piping or the metallic sheet folding. Jyotsna Tiwari had her models walk the ramp with the sari pallu tucked inside the sari blouse. Towards the end of the year, we saw designer Suman Bajaj launch a line of saris with in-built pockets.

Bold with the Beautiful

It's not often that you find men making a statement with their choice of jewellery. But 2012 has been the year that changed that. From actor Abhay Deol, who looked dapper in a stately black Jodhpuri jacket worn well with a giant paisley maharaja brooch-cum-armlet with a large, carved emerald and three emerald chains on the ramp, to Bollywood's actor-on-the-rise Ayushmann Khurrana, who rocked a brooch and three-string pearls, men seem to be getting serious about their baubles. No wonder this year's edition of India International Jewellery Week had men as showstoppers. "Jewellery is very much part of the male sartorial lexicon," asserts jewellery designer Hanut Singh. We won't debate that.

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