Zip Code

“Designers are always trying to see old things in a new light. Ever since biker jackets and sports apparel started featuring this closure in abundance,the strong persona of the zip has added character to garments as more than just a fixture. Designers have tried to use this very versatile detail in their own way. Some do Zen,some do punk. I applied it in a Bohemian-desi way,” says Kanoi,who created an interesting interplay of the feminine and the masculine by constructing pieces in flimsy chiffons and georgettes with heavy metal zippers used as trims,seam inserts,edgings and closures.

And while Kanoi focussed on the tool’s decorative aspects,Kapur of DRVV chose to explore its functionality. His LFW Winter/Festive collection “Half Alive” was all about imbalance and deconstruction,and the linear flow of his monochromatic gender-neutral silhouettes was punctuated by long exposed zippers. He may have derived the zipper inspiration from sportswear trends but his usage of it,with luxurious fabrics like silk,angora,wool crepe and double georgette in stark tailored shapes,took a surprising turn. “The idea was to derive from something that already exists,make it your own and give it an unexpected twist,which is the basis of our design philosophy,” says Kapur. For him,using the zipper was a means to add “both functionality and design detail into one element”,lending the garment a utilitarian as well as creative edge.

In comparison,Alpana Neeraj’s “Fairytale of Goth” saw the duo’s trademark dramatic silhouettes and vibrant prints highlighted with artful zipper detailing at the latest Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. The designers utilised antique brass-toothed zippers on column gowns,flared dresses,leather corsets and fishtail skirts. “Apart from functionality,zippers were also used for decorative purposes like contouring panels and creating textures and mermaid-like silhouettes. The metallic teeth structures on them went well with our inspiration of nocturnal,serpentine creatures,” says Alpana Mittal.

And while womenswear specialists are using zips to introduce novelty and androgyny,menswear lines by Rajesh Pratap Singh,Troy Costa and Rajat Tangri are also using the hitherto hidden fixture as a visible style statement. Costa says this is in answer to a growing demand for detailing in menswear. “We’ve seen the emergence of what I call the ‘ubersexual’ male,who is fashionable,yet wants to maintain a level of masculinity in his dressing. The metallic element in zippers underlines this masculinity,” says Costa,who used zips on double-breasted jackets,in collars and fasteners of shirts,on the front of vests,in the waistband of pants and on the bone of pockets for his unmistakably male LFW collection.

As for nailing the trend off the ramp,Mittal recommends adding a zipper trimmed scarf or zip detail jacket to your ensemble. “Feel the vibe of the pieces. Your body language can’t be too pretty or girly if you sport this trend. Being cool yet casual works,” says Kanoi.