Celebrating Elegance

Both Ferreira and Jon are widely known and appreciated for their resort wear. But as Tina Tahiliani-Parikh,owner of Ensemble and long-time fan of both designers,explains,“I’d always acknowledged that no-one else quite does resort-wear like these two,but when they wanted to extend the look to the cocktail hours,I thought it was an idea worth trying. After all,their clothes are so utterly feminine,while also being comfortable,and I think that is a winning combination,whether for a cocktail dress or anything else.”

It is clear that both designers delight in upending conventional notions of what fits the bill for the “After 8” look. Jon’s collection of loose shifts and dresses,with asymmetrical hems and seams turned inside-out,look deceptively plain. But once worn,a simple silk dress,by the mere act of highlighting a delicate collarbone and hiding ungainly flab,transforms into a sensuous garment. It’s not an easy feat,and Jon says,“The key lies in knowing how the garment is going to fall on a real woman with real curves.” The designer has mostly steered clear of surface embellishments and limited them to some understated brocade patchwork at the neckline of some garments. He’s also created a line of statement necklaces using rough stones and even zippers.

Ferreira,on the other hand,has perked it up a bit by incorporating the Parsi Gara embroidery into one section of his collection. This section,which comprises his Indian-wear collection,is the designer’s attempt at breaking the mould for the cocktail look. “There are no rules which say that it’s only Western wear that is appropriate for a cocktail party,” he says,“A beautiful sari or a well-cut kurta or tunic can look just as well.” The other section comprises what has become Ferreira’s signature look —draped dresses in opulent jewel tones.

The effort this time,once again,for both designers,is to encourage Indian women to dispel their set of ideas of what is or isn’t sexy and glamorous. It’s a hard task,Jon admits,but the idea is spreading. “Most Indian designers had already established the idea that it’s the opulent,over-the-top look that works for the evening,” he explains,“And one can’t blame them,since until very recently,it was mostly only the bridal market that brought into fashion. But now,more and more women are beginning to accept that you don’t need to wear a short,tight dress to look good. At one point,our designs may have been considered more cerebral and less accessible,but as fashion becomes more mainstream,the lines between the two are blurring.”