Beachwear, a growing market in India

From wearing anything to the beach while on a vacation, the upwardly mobile Indians have now opted for trendy beachwear. New Age Indian travelers are conscious of beachwear styles trending around the world and are making an effort

to adopt to the latest fashion sensibilities. Now their travel plans begin with purchases of latest in swimwear, loungewear and resortwear from leading designers. Successful editions of Indian Resort Fashion Week are an example of the growing prospects this category in the country.

But some still believe that though today’s generation has become modern enough to flaunt bikinis, mod dresses or sexy gowns, the nation is still bound by the age-old culture and traditions holding it back from taking on the world of resortwear and cruise collections. A cruise collection is an inter-season or mid-season of ready-to-wear line, which is worn by tourists on vacations and Indian designers are seeing this as an opportunity to explore but it is still being considered on experimental basis since there is no permanent demand for such collection in the country.

Resortwear in demand in India

So Indian resortwear lines are mostly a blend of western outfits having a traditional and ethnic wear twist, with global standards, these are a set of either badly crafted bikins or Indian wear gone wrong with pastel or bright colours, lighter fabrics and untried silhouettes. But designers still foresee an opportunity in the Indian market. They are banking upon the young Indian traveller, who is keen on riding the fashion wave. No wonder, a growing number of designers like Shivan & Narresh, Rocky S, Anjalee & Arjun Kapoor and Wendell Rodricks are joining the resortwear brandwagon. They are dishing out Indianised versions of dresses, bikinis, sarongs, gowns, cruise wear and party clothes. The resortwear market has emerged as a strong independent industry with its own annual resort week in Goa testifying its popularity and potency.

People are buying all sorts of garments for cruise parties, clubbing and casual wear. Given the tropical Indian climate and sea shores, the light fabrics, flowy structures and soft textures of resortwear make even plus-size women slip into them and turn into beach babes.