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Star designer Neeta Lulla is promoting the Sufi look in her spring-summer 2005 collection through Isha Sharwani, the newly-famed heroine of Subhash Ghai’s Kisna. “Isha is a passionate dancer like the Sufis and has a spiritual face,” she says. No wonder then that Neeta – who is the originator of Aishwarya Rai’s Osho look in Taal, her rich-zamindar’s-wife look in Devdas and her woman-bereft look in Raincoat – has launched her new collection with Isha Sharwani and Antonia Bernath - the two heroines of Kisna.
Isha Sharvani, star of Kisna, models a shining red layered skirt, Sufi style, with a black bustier by Neeta Lulla.
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Neeta Lulla – Aishwarya Rai’s ‘Preferred’ Designer
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Neeta is a veteran of Bollywood. A choreographer’s assistant for 20 years, she became a lecturer in the fashion co-ordination department of a well-known university and learnt designing. “I began designing for Sridevi in Yash Chopra’s Chandni,” says Neeta, “Here she needed elegant clothes in white with lots of bangles for her nau nau chudiyan number. After that, I designed for almost 300 films and became the preferred designer for Aishwarya Rai for all her films. In my career, I have dressed almost all top heroines of Bollywood and some royal women. Among my star clients are Aishwarya Rai, Amisha Patel, Juhi Chawla and now Isha Sharwani and Antonia Bernath for Kisna. This year, the Sufi Darvesh look of flowing abayas, kaftans and poncho tops is sweeping India. This is the look that Isha Sharwani shows in Kisna. I personally love it. Of course, I have added Indian embroidery and a typical hill-village swirl to my styles!”
Isha Sharwani shows off a magical black saree with a flying pallu Sufi style and a black boob tube by Neeta Lulla.
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Payal Singhal Promotes Sufi Look Internationally
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Yet another designer, closely connected with Bollywood, is Payal Singhal. She too has used the Sufi Darvesh look in her collection for spring-summer 2005. Payal began her career in designing a decade ago. “I was always surrounded by art and fashion. My grandfather J. P. Singhal is a famous artist and photographer. My father Dinesh Singhal owns London Fashions,” says Payal, “I went to the Parsons School of Design in New York and worked as a stylist for MTV for some time.”
Payal Singhal’s mini abaya in jewel colours worn by top model Saira Mohan.
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At 22, Payal launched her own label. She set up her base in Mumbai with her boutique and began to expand her marketing in other cities. Today, her clothes are stocked in Delhi and Kolkata by Ogaan and by Origins in Hyderabad. She sells through Sanskrit in Hong Kong, Designers Lounge in Dubai, Stream in Miami and Shenaai and Indomix in New York. Payal is known in all these countries for her funky designs, her palette of shining jewel colours and her black silhouettes. This year, Payal has launched her new collection of Arabic and Moroccan styles.
Sufi Abayas And Shawls Doing Well In U.S.A.
“Sufi abayas are flowing robes like kaftans,” she says, “I have used Indian embellishments – even gota and kundan – on abayas, kaftans and ponchos to add value. The colours? Black, brown, turquoise, emerald green and other jewel tones. I was married two years ago and now live between Mumbai and New York. I market my clothes through many stores in New York and hold many shows through which my designs are sold. This season, I have had a fantastic response to my clothes. Because in the drab winter in Western countries, my abayas, kaftans and ponchos – all made with rich pashmina shawls – look gorgeous and give comfort. Embroidered shawls are also a great hit this year. American women are enamoured with Indian embroidery and the Sufi look. I have sold shawls in large numbers in India too. More and more women are style conscious and like to show off their best clothes in every season.”
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