en vogue

By now every major designer has held a show in this city, whether it's Shahab Durazi, Tarun Tahiliani, J J Valaya or Manish Malhotra. And ...

By now every major designer has held a show in this city, whether it8217;s Shahab Durazi, Tarun Tahiliani, J J Valaya or Manish Malhotra. And do you know what they all had in common? The Swarovski stone. This stone is used by international designers like Gianni Versace and Christian Dior to dress up evening gowns, handbags and even shoes. Here the Swarovski stone is mainly used on sarees, lehengas and formal dresses.

And this year, Swarosvki8217;s presence in Indian fashion has been stronger then ever. Probably because this crystal stone blends well with most traditional Indian embroideries like badla and chikan, as well as the fact that the crystal company has finally set up shop in India.

But the use of Swarovski stones, which are considered to be the champagne of all crystal stones, is no new phenomenon. Daniel Swarovski, who invented an electrically-powered crystal-cutting machine, began producing crystal stones in 1895, in Wattens, a small town in Austria. Today, Swarovski makes 10,000 different types ofstones that vary in size and shape. From the 62 kg Centenar which was released to celebrate Swarovski8217;s century year, four years ago to a 0.8 mm stone, all Swarovski stones shine like diamonds, thanks to the way they are cut. Even their smallest stone has 17 perfectly cut facets.

Swarovski-adorned garments are definitely for those who like to be dressed in an opulent style. Coco Chanel used Swarovski trimmings as early as the 1930s and glamour queens of the golden era, like Marlene Dietrich, favoured Swarovski-encrusted gowns. Even here, Indian designers have been using Swarovski stones for several years. Which is probably why Swarovski, this year, decided to come to India. At the moment, Swarovski8217;s only office in India is in Delhi8217;s Hauz Khas village, but the company hopes to have a base in Mumbai soon. Though many believe that Swarovski makes only expensive stones, a Swarovski transfer can, in fact, be bought for just a couple of rupees.

And these stones can be added to anything from jeans to a plainsari. An old pair of denims can be jazzed up with lace and crystal to be turned into funky evening wear. Attaching a few stones to a plain black chiffon sari can make it look both sexy and formal. Or, stick Swarovski transfers to your accessories to add some shine and sparkle to your look. Just one stone on your neck or carefully placed on a handbag is enough.

Be careful not to use too many Swarovski stones as the effect is lost and the garment just looks gaudy. If you are wearing a Swarovski-encrusted outfit, it is best to keep the accessories minimal and not use too many colours otherwise you may end up looking like a Christmas tree. It is the season of merriment, but you don8217;t want to end up blending in with the decorations.