Rock ultra-voluminous party dresses like a pro!

From supersized evening wear to pronounced balloon sleeves - this party season is all about volume.

With the world at large embracing social distancing norms, Autumn Winter 20’s ultra voluminous numbers couldn’t have been up for grabs at a better time. From Fendi and Simone Rocha to Comme des Garçons and JW Anderson to Falguni Shane Peacock and Amit Aggarwal back home - AW 20 is all about scaling up the drama and owning every room you walk into with the sheer prowess of your supersized outfit. The likes of Richard Quinn, Alexander McQueen, Christopher John Rogers and Area too succumbed to the allure of scaled-up proportions and dramatic silhouettes.

In India, Falguni Shane Peacock’s cancan lehengas and Amit Aggarwal’s metallic structured skirts with his signature polymer detailing come to mind. While they look terrific on the runway and in editorials, styling them could be a tad tricky.

Stylist Mohit Rai suggests locating one flattering point in the dress. “Find that one figure-enhancing point in the dress, for example, give a complimentary cinch at the waist with a drawstring or a belt and keep the accessories minimal. Let the dramatic dress be the talking point. While accessorising the look, opt for sustainable pieces,” says Mohit.

A voluminous metallic dress from JW Anderson AW 20 collection (Photo: JW_Anderson)

This season JW Anderson toyed with metallics and reinterpreted them in exaggerated shapes and Simone Rocha gave playful touches like the billowing sleeves. One of this season’s highlights - Alexander McQueen’s silk taffeta and organza dégradé dress in an entwining love heart fil coupé jacquard with a Watteau back proves that how an alchemical play of volume could be visually arresting.Stylist Divyak D’Souza suggests that an interesting way to play with volume is to stop being fussy. “Team it with tailored pieces like layering a kurta or an angarkha with a sharp blazer. Anti-fit is the new voice of young Indian brands, who are showing the way on how to work that trend,” says he.

manish.mishra1@hindustantimes.com