Crisp, smart and trendy- these words will sum up your visuals the moment you hear the word ‘Linen’. One of the oldest fabrics known to mankind this eco-friendly material is woven from the fibers obtained from flax plant. Given the rising inclination towards sustainable fashion, linen has been on top of the list for experimenting fashion designers across the globe!
Linen magic spreading beyond shirts
Until a few years ago, linen fabric was mainly confined to menswear and especially shirts. Given the firm fall and crispy look when ironed well, linen shirts were and still are an integral part of most men’s formal wear collections. But today, with such a highly varied fashion industry one can spot linen in the form of office-wear and party-wear saris, casual kurtis and tunis, salwar suits and also western style blouses, dresses, shorts and skirts. As linen has managed to spread its magic across different clothing categories given the plethora of fabric options available today, there’s certainly something special about this fabric to have an increasing number of patrons with each passing season!
Special characteristics of linen
After cotton, linen is one of the most breathable fabrics available today. It has a high moisture absorbing capacity which can smartly keep you sweat-free for a longer time. The fabric is also highly resistant to heat which makes it a boon for people struggling with the hot and humid climate hovering over a major part of India for almost two-thirds of the year!
The availability of linen suits, tunics and saris in tempting colour palettes of pastels, neons as well as muted tones and neutrals has redefined linen outfits as comfort fashion clothing. Hence even though chiffon sarees have an inherent oomph and with georgette sarees one can strut like a runway pro, a lot of women in urban India prefer crisp linen sarees for their work-wear wardrobe as well as for semi-formal parties. These days given the trend of contemporary clothing, you can sport a bright or neon coloured plain linen saree with a contrasting designer blouse for your friend’s wedding ceremony. Pleat the pallu neatly and secure it with a belt. Put a pair of sunnies and you’re all set to rule the crowd!
The durability of linen is another important factor contributing to its growth. Combined with its longer life span is its increasing scale of softness. With every wash, your linen garment will feel softer and more comfortable. That’s quite a tempting reason which offsets the higher price range of linen garments.
A growing trend
Apart from being summer and monsoon friendly the aura of suaveness surrounding the fabric suggests that with every changing season, linen will be more commonly spotted on fashion runways. In India, designer Anavila has most of her collections designed with this easy breezy fabric and gets well appreciated at events like Lakme Fashion Week. A lot of other designers too have been experimenting by blending linen with silk, jute and other fabrics to make their unique signature collections.
When it comes to my wardrobe, I would love to posses a linen palazzo suit with fusion details and a few linen tunics as well, what about you?
