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Designerspeak: Fashion must-haves for 2010

The recently-concluded Lakme Fashion Week offered a great insight into the trends for 2010 and must-have garments.

So here are the chief styles, along with professional advice from a couple of prominent designers -- what's in, what's out, which garments are must-haves for the next few months, colours that will make their presence felt...

We present to you the trends for 2010, straight from the experts!

The red carpet special

Now that gowns have finally been accepted on the Indian fashion and social circuits, the LFW saw some real eveningwear stunners on the runway. Long, floor-sweeping ensembles with thigh-high slits, classic draping and plunging necklines with hints of glimmer and glam are all the rage.

Says designer Rocky S, "The silhouettes should be free-flowing and easy, not strait-jacketed. These go well with the Indian body-type."

Cut-away swimsuits

Yup, quite a lot of these had the temperature soaring in the past few days! While bikinis will never go out of style, the sensual one-piece seems to be the preferred choice for beachwear this season and in any case, whatever you opt for, make sure your bod fits the bill -- these little hotties reveal as much, if not more than two-pieces.

Boy shorts

Replacing the knee-length, fitted shorts of 2009 are the boyshorts of 2010. Super short, super tight and showing off tall gams, they're even replacing the bottom half of bikinis. What's more, they go well with sheer kaftans and kurtas if you want to show a little skin.

Reversibles

Clothing that can be worn inside-out, upside down and shift silhouettes were a big rage at this installment of the fashion week. Consumers want more bang for their buck and what better way to give it to them than garments which can be worn in a variety of different ways and sport different colours and motifs each time?

Tie and dye

"Play around with vibrant ombres in dresses, tunics and tops," says Nidhi Gambhir of label Walnut. "Try different techniques of tie and dyes in joy full colours."

So there you have it -- tie and dye patterns are back in style and designers are experimenting with them as much as possible to give us outfits that stand out in a crowd. They add a retro touch to almost anything and the bright hues used are the very epitome of summer fashion. "Mixing colours in ways that make them strong elements of design and bring about a cumulative effect," adds Barve.

Semi-saris

Wouldn't you love a sari that looked edgy, made a statement and didn't have to be draped all the way around? Well, they're a reality this year -- beautiful drapes that wind around churidaar pants or petticoats without going the whole nine yards.

Going sporty

Chic, sporty casuals are where it's at now. If you don't want to opt for a feminine, wispy bit of a sun dress, you can head in the direction of zippered jumpsuits, sleeveless hoodie jackets, capris and metallic sneakers. Sportswear is a big part of this season and there's plenty to choose from, but make sure to opt for light fabrics that allow you to breathe.

Rocky S and young designer Amalraj Sengupta both agree that cotton and linen will be the fabrics to look out for this summer. Rocky also adds that other breathable fabrics like chiffon will do well too.

Sengupta, whose collection was linen-based explains, "It is the most ideal fabric for Indian summer. A good design in linen can be carried off from morning to night," he says adding, "Its very pattern gives a rugged feel, which I like a lot, personally speaking."

Sheer is sexy

See-throughs made their presence felt at practically every showing -- kaftans, kurtas, backless gowns, all of them sported sheer fabrics used in a variety of ways. And the best thing you could do is wear a bikini top underneath to show off the peek-a-boo effect to perfection.

Says Barve, "Summer layering will be big -- for instance a chiffon-wrapped jacket over a slip-dress that gives you a peek-a-boo effect is sexy."

3D silhouettes

Not content to showcase run-of-the-mill tailoring, a number of designers opted for 3D silhouettes at the LFW. "Stand chic and smart in garments making architectural forms, from origami to drapes and 3D structures," says Gambhir.

Garments no longer need to be conventionally cut -- an avante-garde projection here, a ruffle there and voila! You have a unique ensemble that is sure to receive more than a second glance.

Abstract florals

Foliage and flowers burst forth in all their glory on the Lakme runway. After all, what says 'summer' better than a riot of blooms cascading down the front of a maxi or embellishing a light, shimmery cocktail sari? Inspired by nature, you can't help but feel all summery when you're wearing a wispy floral.

According to Barve, bold colours that are not gaudy are fitting for these garments -- "Oceanic and botanic motifs and colours will be hot."

Rocky S believes that coral is the hue of 2010 and he's not far wrong -- almost all the designers favoured the hue on the catwalk.

Adds Gambhir, "Get innovative by using various ways and forms to get that abstract form of floral art...from hand painting to digitally printing, everything is great for anything from a dress to a jacket."

Thigh-high slits

Short or long, skirts or dresses, kurtas or kaftans -- the majority sported thigh-high slits. You could be clad from head to toe, all it takes is a little hint of leg to set off your clothing and your figure. So make sure to stock up on a couple of slit-sporting outfits for 2010.

Hair accessories

Hair accessories are all the rage at the moment. Hairbands with big, bright bows, gleaming butterflies, pastel flowers -- nothing is too much for your mane. So celebrate the trend in all its feminine glory while it lasts -- just make sure not to overdo it.

Footwear

Gladiators continue to rule the roost on this front, but instead of sleek pencil heels and delicate straps, shoes seem to be moving in a chunkier, more dominatrix direction. Platforms are the preferred style and metal-tinged footwear can't go wrong.

Handbags

And finally, we come to the accessory a lady can never get enough of! Envelope clutches are making the rounds on the formal circuit and casually, large totes continue to remain popular. Also, applique work is a big handbag trend for 2010, whether on leather or fabric.

Says handbag designer Karishma Shahani, who's been keenly following the accessory trends at the LFW, "Malaga (accessories label) used this technique (applique) for flowers on their clutches and Crimzon for butterflies. Asmita Marwa and CellDSGN both made use of roses on their women's handbags while Shantanu & Nikhil for Adidas had sporty envelope clutches. A lot of the designers incorporated traditional Indian embroidery on large totes and jhola bags. Manish Malhotra's gold backpack certainly made a bling statement."

"Another trend I noticed was that manbags or murses made a huge presence. Designers like Manish Malhotra, S&N for Adidas and Lecoanet and Hemant all had male models sporting different styles of handbags. In fact, under my label Lord K we have launched a line of manbags."