Kolkata-based designer Kallol Datta is my Lady Gaga. When I called him that in The Indian Express a few months back,he wasn't sure whether he liked it or not. After days of thoughtful silence,he sent me a polite text hinting that he had got messages from people who had read it. I like him for that noisy silence. He is a walking talking example of measured uncool that gets easily mistaken as cool. Find it ambiguous? Well,that's our friend. Today at the 14th edition of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion WeekWIFW-he was in a black Pathani suit,some silver trinkets,his favourite accessories and dark glasses. One of the 141 participating designers,Datta,under his label Kallol Datta 155 showed a line that he called Hazing. I had to look it up in the dictionary back in office because I couldn't believe that the designer had chosen a word that stood for abuse and humiliation to name a line. Hooded tops in dusty whites,3D folded aprons in bright orange and black,3D skinnies and flap jackets,braided underskirts,dresses with black and white geometric designs and what he called Towel Dry series came seriously down the ramp. Black bands of protest sat on the arms of models as the girls walked in stony silence. Quite like the recent noise in Kallol's head which he attributes to his 1st fashion residency at Khoj,New Delhi which encourages an ongoing fashion dialogue and idea interaction. Kallol wants to carry on research and construct clothing that is seen as a social commentary. He wants to yank out the word fashion from his clothing,adding,in his precisely written press note that there is much dross and frivolity in the word's usage. Hazing is my way of saying Don't say that it is Fashion. Was Kallol's Unfashion collection suited to the season he was showing forAutumn-Winter 2011? Few could figure out as the audience become resident rebels inside his narrative,either disinterested or too distracted. Either way,his clothes were forgotten. The use of black polythene garbage bags to mask sneakers was be a bright thing to do but it symbolised the collection which was mired in dark philosophy instead of a clothing idea. Fashion week is also business time buddy,why must you fight with the word fashion and still participate in a fashion week?
