Will the roaring ’20s make a comeback?
With the fashion industry hit harshly by the pandemic, everyone’s speculating about the after-effects of Covid-19. The aftermath of the Spanish flu (1918-1919) ushered in the roaring ’20s. After World War II, Christian Dior shook couture by introducing the fullskirted new look in 1947. At present, however, designers seem divided over the emerging style vocabulary. Designer Anamika Khanna opines she would perhaps not put excess and exuberance in the same sentence. “Exuberance will be a huge part of fashion, sometimes in minimalism and sometimes the opposite. The common denominator would be consciousness. A consciousness of investing , rather than whimsical buying,” she says, adding that ’20s spirit will be back.
However, designer Tarun Tahiliani feels the excess associated with the flapper era won’t return. “This is a moment to introspect exact consumption habits. The world is a different place and man has understood he is not invincible! We are realising the strength in what is home grown, locally accessible and what is sustainable,” he says.
Designer Nikhil Thampi seconds that thought. He observes, “When it comes to India, I seriously doubt the exuberance coming back. There will be a major shift in paradigm and in attitude. I do see the return of sensible shopping, people now on will gravitate towards more classic and investment clothing pieces.”