Indo-Western Fashion
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Indo-Western clothing is the fashion of
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
and
South Asian South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, ...
fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...
.


History

Until as late as 1961, the beach city of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
known as
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
was still under Portuguese control. In fact, the Portuguese did not even formally recognize Indian sovereignty over the city until 1975. Throughout the years India was home to many
European colonies The historical phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Turks, and the Arabs. Colonialism in the modern sense began w ...
, but the two most influential have been the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
and the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
. The event that began the colonization process of India was when famed Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...
discovered a trade route into
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
linking Europe and India. The Portuguese created a lengthy relationship with India that was predicated on the spice trade. Due to the Portuguese occupation of Goa, the Goan culture and people were heavily influenced by the Portuguese culture. In 1510 Goa experienced the
Portuguese conquest of Goa The Portuguese conquest of Goa occurred when the governor Afonso de Albuquerque captured the city in 1510 from the Adil Shahis. Goa became the capital of the Portuguese State of India which included possessions such as Fort Manuel, the territ ...
, which resulted in a heavy Christianization of the region. Events like this helped shape the culture of contemporary Goa. Then from 1782 to 1800, the people of Goa underwent the
Goa inquisition The Goa Inquisition ( pt, Inquisição de Goa) was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in Portuguese India. Its objective was to enforce Catholic Orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of Rome (Pontifex). The inquisition primaril ...
. During this time you could be heavily persecuted if you were caught performing non-Christian worship, rituals, or clothing. Goa continued to receive strong Portuguese influence until their decline in the region during the 1800s. Although Goa is now a sovereign state of India, it still retains its Portuguese history and culture. In 2012, Goan designer
Wendell Rodricks Wendell Rodricks (28 May 1960 – 12 February 2020) was an Indian fashion designer and author based in the Indian state of Goa. He was also an activist for social causes, the environment and gay rights. In 2014, the Government of India co ...
stated that “Indo-western clothing originated in Goa.” On December 31, 1600,
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
formally allowed trade in the East Indies to The Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies. This was a strategic move to compete in the
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
controlled spice trade. In August 1858, the British crown formally gained control of India. At this time, Britain had control of most of India, through either direct control or
vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. W ...
kingdoms. In 1858, the historical
Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
began, which lasted until 1947. At midnight on August 15, 1947, the Indian independence movement comes to an end as the Indian Independence Act is signed. The days following the signing of this bill are filled with bloodshed between the different religions of India. Educated women that held important positions during the
British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, began to create and wear early Indo western designs. These Indian women began to wear sarees with blouses that had puffy sleeves. These sleeves were much the same as puffy sleeves that were popular in Europe during the
Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
. After independence, India entered the Golden Age of Cinema, which began to influence fashion and culture. During the 1960s, Indian culture was being influenced by the West, and this was very apparent in films at the time. In movies like
An Evening in Paris ''An Evening In Paris'' (Hindi: ''Paris Ki Ek Shaam'') is a 1967 Indian romantic thriller film produced and directed by Shakti Samanta, with story by Sachin Bhowmick. It revolves in the French capital city of Paris. It stars Shammi Kapoor, Sha ...
, the Western influence is very visible through the clothing and setting of the film. The main male protagonist wears Western-styled suits, while the female protagonist wears some Western dresses and some Indo western clothing. In the
1960s File:1960s montage.png, Clockwise from top left: U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War; the Beatles led the British Invasion of the U.S. music market; a half-a-million people participate in the 1969 Woodstock Festival; Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...
and
1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War i ...
, at the same time as Western fashion was adopting elements of Indian dress, Indian fashion also absorbed elements of Western dress. This practice of mutual appropriation continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as multiculturalism in fashion design took hold, with Western designers incorporating traditional Indian crafts, textiles and techniques at the same time as Indian designers allowed the West to influence their work. While middle-class Indian women in migrant communities originally tended to favour Western styles for all occasions in the 1960s and 1970s, they gradually began to wear stylish Indian dress for special occasions as a status symbol equivalent to chic Western fashion. One example of a traditionally Indian garment that has been heavily influenced by Western fashion is the
kurta A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...
suit, a reversal of the established tradition of Western fashion being influenced by Asian design. Geczy noted that an Indian woman wearing traditional clothing might find herself said to be "imitating" Western fashion, and that the boundaries between East and West in fashion were becoming increasingly blurred.


21st century

By the first decade of the 21st century, Western styles were well established as part of Indian fashion, with some professional Indian women favouring Western-style dresses over saris for office wear. Fashionable Indian women might take the traditional
shalwar kameez Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia. ''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
and wear the
kameez Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afr ...
(tunic) with
jeans Jeans are a type of pants or trousers made from denim or dungaree cloth. Often the term "jeans" refers to a particular style of trousers, called "blue jeans", with copper-riveted pockets which were invented by Jacob W. Davis in 1871 and paten ...
, or the pants with a Western blouse. Among the youth, there appears to be an enthusiastic approach to combining traditional clothes with a western touch.Bollywood Vogue July 8, 2014
Indo-Fusion Look and Bollywood Prapti Bagga Arora
/ref> With increasing exposure of the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
to the
Western world The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and state (polity), states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.
, the merging of women's clothing styles is inevitable. Many Indian and Pakistani women residing in the West still prefer to wear traditional
salwar kameez Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia. ''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
and sarees; however, some women, particularly those of the younger generation, choose Indo-Western clothing. The clothing of the quintessential Indo-Western ensemble is the trouser suit, which is a short
kurta A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...
with straight pants and a
dupatta The dupattā is a Hindu shawl traditionally worn by women in Indian subcontinent to cover the head and shoulders. The dupatta is currently used most commonly as part of the women's shalwar kameez outfit, and worn over the kurta and the gharara. ...
. Newer designs often feature sleeveless tops, short dupattas, and pants with slits. New fusion fashions are emerging rapidly, as designers compete to produce designs in tune with current trends. Additional examples of the fusion that Indo-Western clothing represents include wearing jeans with a choli, salwar or kurta, adding a dupatta to a Western-style outfit, and wearing a lehnga (long
skirt A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards. At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as pareos). However, most skirts are fi ...
) with a tank top or halter top. For men Indian traditional Kurta with sports shoes and scarves.


Popular styles of women's Indo-Western clothing

* Indo-Western kurtis are available in various styles and silhouettes, such as A-line, Angrakha,
Anarkali Anarkali () was a legendary woman said to be loved by the 16th-century Mughal Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir. According to some accounts, Anarkali was the nickname of the courtesan Nadira Begum or Sharf-un-Nisa, though scho ...
, C-cut,
trail cut A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...
, shirt-style, tail cut, asymmetrical, and so on. * Indo-Western
evening gown An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), tea (above the ankles), to full-length. Such gowns are typically worn with evening ...
s are one of the most popular choices for women of all ages at festivities and social gatherings. *
Palazzo pants Palazzo pants ( en-GB, palazzo trousers, Indian English: pantada) are long women's pants cut with a loose, extremely wide leg that flares out from the waist. Palazzo pants are popular as a summer season style, as they are loose and tend to be fl ...
are a Westernised form of the
salwar Salwar or Shalwar is cloth worn from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately. It is the lower-garment of the Shalwar kameez suit which is widely-worn in South Asia. It is known for its lively hues, rich fabrics, and embroidery. It ...
and similar Indian trousers. * Indo-Western tops include Indo-Western styles of kurtis and tunics, various colors, prints, patterns and styles. They may be paired with jeans, leggings, jeggings and various other women's bottom wear.


Popular styles of Men's Indo-western clothing

*Indo western Jodhpuri Suit set is the modern version of traditional men's jodhpuri suits and it is an ideal outfit for festivities *Indo western Angrakha kurtas are not just available for women, you can find a various version of this clothing for men as well. Ideal for casual family gatherings and small functions. *Indo western kurtas with jackets can be paired with various lower body clothing to achieve a different look every time. One can find various colors, shapes, prints and patterns of this style of Indo western clothing. *Indo western Achkan looks quite similar to traditional sherwanis but, they are completely different. Good style of achkans could be paired with jeans and other men's bottom wears.


Distinctive elements in Indo-Western fashions

*Sleeve length - The traditional salwar has long or short sleeves. An Indo-Western design might forego sleeves altogether, or replace the sleeves with spaghetti straps, resembling the style of a tank top or
halter A halter or headcollar is headgear that is used to lead or tie up livestock and, occasionally, other animals; it fits behind the ears (behind the poll), and around the muzzle. To handle the animal, usually a lead rope is attached. On smaller ...
. There are also poncho-styled tops and one-sleeve designs that follow contemporary Western trends. *Shirt length - Indo-Western kurtas and salwars tend to be much shorter than those traditionally worn, so that they resemble Western-style blouses. *Necklines - Some Indo-Western tops are available with plunging necklines, in contrast to the traditional styling of salwars and kurtas. *Color - Traditional salwar and sari include bright and bold colors and patterns. New Indo-Western designs choose lighter and more subtle colors and patterns. The traditional patterns are less in use, and colors like soft pastel colors, and plain patterns with statement jewelry is more in use.


Popular brands of Indo western clothing

There are various brands popular for manufacturing indo western clothing for men and women. The most recognized brands are Saffron Lane Co, Manyavar, Masaba Gupta, Rahul Mishra, Manish Malhotra, Nicobar and Anju Modi. For a budget friendly option one can shop from Global desi, Missprint, Jaypore, Bunaai, S&F, Mehar and Utsav Fashion.


Well known wearers of Indo-Western fashion

A few who are well-known enthusiasts of the hybrid fashion are Indian actress
Shilpa Shetty Shilpa Shetty Kundra (born Ashwini Shetty; Née Shetty; 8 June 1975) is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi-language films. Shetty made her screen debut in the thriller ''Baazigar'' (1993) which garnered her nominations for two Filmfare ...
, English actress
Dame Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...
, Bollywood actresses
Aditi Rao Hydari Aditi Rao Hydari is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi and Tamil film industry. She made her film debut with the Malayalam film '' Prajapathi'' in 2006. She went on to have major to minor supporting roles in several Hindi films, includ ...
and
Sonam Kapoor Sonam Kapoor Ahuja (; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She has won a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award, and from 2012 to 2016, she appeared in ''Forbes India'' Celebrity 100 list based on her income and ...
.


Indo-Western Fashion Designers

*
Pooja Motwani Pooja Motwani is an Indian fashion designer from Delhi known for Ajrak organic wear kaftans and Indo-Western clothing. Career In July 2013, she launched her wedding collection store named 'JAS' in Delhi. Motwani is involved in many events, incl ...


See also

*
Fashion in India India is a country with an ancient clothing design tradition, yet an emerging fashion industry. Though a handful of designers existed prior to the 1980s, the late 1980s and the 1990s saw a spurt of growth. This was the result of increasing expos ...
* 1945-1960 in Indian fashion * 1960s in Indian fashion * 1970s in Asian fashion * 1990s in Indian fashion * 2000s in Indian fashion * 2010s in Indian fashion


References


Further reading

* * Los Mahal
"Indo-Western Clothing: A Beautiful Fusion of Cultures"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Indo-Western Clothing Indian clothing Pakistani clothing History of Asian clothing