All the stars are preening

Actress Shilpa Shetty wore it for her birthday, actress Priyanka Chopra flaunted it on a magazine cover and Delhi entrepreneur Charu Sachdev was seen in one at a social do.

Sushmita Sen

Actress Shilpa Shetty wore it for her birthday, actress Priyanka Chopra flaunted it on a magazine cover and Delhi entrepreneur Charu Sachdev was seen in one at a social do. Fashion label Preen’s “power dress” is the new must-have for style divas. Fans of the style include Bipasha Basu, Amy Winehouse, Sushmita Sen and Rihanna.

Designed by British designers Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, the dress is tight on the waist and takes a tulip shape on the hips with front pleats. It’s uniqueness, Selfridges buyer Laura Larbalestier told

Guardian.co.uk

, is that “it somehow makes small boobs look bigger and big ones look smaller; it forms you into this incredible shape.” The dress sells on net-a-porter.com for $772 onwards.

While the high-end label is popular with celebs, Delhi designers say affordable versions is the upcoming trend in India. Designer Gauri of Gauri-Nainika says, “It’s a flattering cut even for those with a little heavy derriere and gives wearers the illusion of a curve.”

Designer Sanjana Jon, who had actress Sushmita Sen wear a tulip-shaped dress for her show at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, said “It’s a short dress that focuses on the neck and legs ... that’s why only slim women should try it.”