THE CORSET COMEBACK
THE CORSET COMEBACK
On the Indian fashion map, a new wave of experimentation is on the rise. And a singular item of clothing is unapologetically leading the charge, reports Haiqa Siddiqui
Who can deny the appeal of a corset? The wearer can wake up, eat a sugar – sprinkled doughnut and still lace herself into instant curves. Boned or seamed to fool the eye, the corset’s
interpretations (its politics? That’s another story) have recaptured the imagination of the fashion crowd yet again. While the structured saviour may instantly conjure up images from Bridgerton, take you back to Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 1996 show or Vivienne Westwood’s punk-fuelled dominion, Indian fashion history too has enough examples of lending a spicy spin to the waist-cinching bodice. Remember when designer Suneet Varma reimagined the traditional blouse as a sculptural metallic bustier back in 1992?
Yash Patil, founder and designer of corset-forward label That Antique Piece has spent ample time researching them. “We’ve found vintage photographs of Indian women wearing their diaphanous Chanderis, Maheshwaris and Parsi gara saris with corset-like structured blouses. They were ahead of their times pairing these with Indian textiles,” Patil says.
Today, it’s hard to overlook the presence of this age-old emblem of coy femininity, having been revived from its decades-long fainting spell and reinvented for the Gen Z clotheshorse. “If we don’t keep refreshing our traditional Indian styles with newer elements for modern-day relevance, they’ll eventually start to feel like costumes, not something a 21-year-old will feel drawn to,” he adds. And Patil isn’t the only one who thinks so. We’ve seen handwoven corsets paired with saris and lehengas or gowns designed for wedding receptions by Ekaya Banaras, Rimzim Dadu, Rahul Mishra and Falguni Shane Peacock. At the last season of Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI, Bhumi Pednekar closed the Amit Aggarwal show wearing a corset constructed from pre-loved saris. Layered over a white shirt paired with dhoti trousers, it’s also a look that can be easily dressed up come wedding season.Pair it with a pre-draped sari or a silk skirt for a stop-the-press sangeet look.
The versatility a corset offers in the context of Indian occasionwear is undeniable. More so, as modern brides (and their clique) seek clothes high on repeat value. “The styling possibilities are endless and that’s what makes corsets so exciting. I love seeing them layered over a sheer sari one day, and then worn with wide-leg trousers on another,” says Mohit Rai, celebrity stylist and co-founder of occasion wear label Itrh. Rai recently styled actor Suhana Khan in a striking red corset sari by Manish Malhotra, whose beaded bodice can just as easily be worn with a denim skirt, silk trousers or a lehenga, depending on the mood and moment.
Or take the Ambani wedding, for instance. Bride Radhika Merchant wore not one but multiple looks featuring this new-age choli—from a Dolce & Gabbana number paired with a custom Anamika Khanna sari to a Manish Malhotra moment at the sangeet, the structured bodice was all over her wedding wardrobe. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Janhvi Kapoor both chose Tarun Tahiliani’s India modern corsets for unapologetic glamour.
While Kapoor Khan wore hers with an embroidered sari, the Gen Z actor went for a crystal-studded off-shoulder style and mermaid skirt instead.
You could also say yes to golden breastplates and armour-like corsets inspired by Sonam Kapoor Ahuja in custom Gaurav Gupta and Ayesha Kanga in Misho. As celebrity stylist Namita Alexander says, the possibilities are endless. “Corsets carry a complex history of both control and expression, but it is this very contrast that makes it so fascinating.” Once a symbol of restriction, this updated staple is now shapeshifting (quite literally) into anything you want it to be. You do you.
