Little did Mahatma Gandhi know that he has given us something more timeless than our epic Independence! Fashionably speaking, his simple yet iconic style legacy has influenced our choices over the years and has subconsciously inspired us to celebrate our Neo-Indianness in a more global context than ever.
Let’s analyse this in five easy steps to pull off what I call – The Gandhi-Cool!
Round Glasses: Way before John Lennon made them mainstream, Bapuji has single handedly transformed this simple round framed spectacles into an iconic fashion statement. The appealing uniqueness of such spherical frames has a wide fan following from geeky Harry Potter to eccentric Rihanna. It’s high on hipster quotient which instantly upgrades ones cool factor.
Chakra Chic: The hand spinning cotton yarn machine is the epitome of our dexterous freedom struggle and emblem of the swadeshi movement. Interestingly, the chakra is the precursor of the Asoka Chakra element in our current National flag design. It’s a graphic, quirky and cool motif to sport as a patriotic pop print.
Divine Drape: The pristine dhoti and the over-drape in white muslin cotton can be seen as an interesting referral point for styling a summer brunch look. The crisp and translucent meters of mul can be wrapped and twisted to achieve any desired forms, which can lyrically oscillate from being relax-cool to sexy drape.
Khadi Couture: The brainchild of customized couture sprouted from Bapu’s swadeshi movement, empowering and reviving the versatile Indian textile heritage and re-defining perspective towards handmade homegrown luxury. Each of these yardage are painstakingly crafted with precision and pride and instilled with a quintessential sense of “MADE IN INDIA”.
Ahimsa Allure: The core principle of non-violence is now being extensively implemented in our dynamic fashion industry by promoting ethical practices to protect nature. The popularity of the ahimsa silk, where the silk worm is not brutally killed in the greed of obtaining continuous filament yarn and the ban on the use of animals for cosmetic lab testing, projects the alternate changing perspective for a fairer fashion future.
PS. Check out my take on how Disney Princess go desi for diwali and Ganesh goes Haut Couture!