NY beckons Indian designers

Indian designer Babita Malkani participated in a New York fashion show with her collection,

Boh-Aum. Since then her life has moved into high gear. Within five hours, her entire collection was sold out. People were excited to see such a contemporary collection that blended traditional Indian and Bhutanese prints and embroidery with modern silhouettes. The shoes, especially, got plenty of attention. Held in association with the Indo-American Arts Council, the show drew designers of Indian origin from around the world.

In fact, Indian designers are being accepted in a big way in the Big Apple. Most high-end department stores in New York, like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks 5th Avenue, are carrying garments with Indian colors and prints. Among these are bandhini and peheriya prints and traditional Indian garments like the flowing sharara skirts. When Malkani started exporting garments to the US a few years ago, she created a line of layered chiffon skirts that were a huge rage for two years. Though New York has been traditionally known to favor dark garments and classic styles, today the bright colors associated with India are making a big splash everywhere.