Loosen those Purse Strings

Over five years ago,fashion pundits stated haute couture was dead in the world and only 200 women wore it. They were right,even as one couture house after the other shut shop making way for more economical ready-to-wear lines (Goodbye Saint Laurent).

Watch the shop girls at Mumbai’s Ensemble chuckle at this,as they stick pins into a lehenga custom-made to match earrings once worn by the wearer’s dearly departed grandmother. The wearer is probably their twentieth client this week. After her fitting at this store,she’s headed to the nearby Oberoi hotel to check out the new range of shoes by Jimmy Choo and Salvatore Ferragamo,in colours so bright they may have been induced by hallucinogens. She may purchase three pairs — the cheapest is at Rs 32,000 — just because she can’t make up her mind which one to step into for the evening’s soiree.

India and extravagance are the same thing. Our propensity to beautiful things is unparalleled. Everyone here,across economic rungs,wears precious jewellery every day. Elaborate Indian cuisine is what the West now reveres as “slow food”. Our weddings can only be described as acid parties—with enough shimmer and shine to outdo the Versailles Palace.

Luxe shops in India have already brought out the bling-bling. The usually nondescript Tod’s brings us an orotund pair of golden sunglasses for just Rs 18,000. Match them with Roberto Cavalli’s gold chain sandals (Rs 40,500) and Dior’s gilt houndstooth bangle (Rs 22,000) and look as if you’ve been visited by an epiphany.

And handbags,the mark of any self-respecting woman of august society,need not be budgeted either. Break your bank with more than one one-lakh-plus day-bag a year. Louis Vuitton’s resort-line arm candies will make you want to buy a yacht to wear them to. Gucci comes with a revival of their classic Jackie O bags that are bigger and shinier.

There are few cultures that wear their wealth well and India has never been known to be shy in its style. Handbag-makers,the biggest movers of fashion markets,have been coming out with alluring homage to India (and all of them glitter effulgently). Bottega Veneta’s India Knot Clutch is outstanding and versatile; Suneet Varma has topically signed up with Judith Leiber to make India-inspired minaudieres; Cartier’s India Marcello bag has paisley motif printed on metallic kidskin and John Galliano created a fuschia-gota confection that captures the opulence of our country.

Aren’t we ladies ever going to cut corners? Sure,we don’t eat dinner.

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