By Nivedita Sharma
New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) What's hot this summer? Flowing maxi dresses! From Deepika Padukone to Sonam Kapoor to Lara Dutta - all the Bollywood beauties flaunted them and you can slip into one as well, because imitations of the high-end designs are available at your favourite flea market at throwaway prices.
"Every style is copied and is available at a cheaper price. You can get replicas of a very popular style all over the market," said Ajay Bisht, a shopkeeper in Kamla Nagar adjacent to Delhi University, adding that they can't help copying them.
"We can't help it as this is the need of the hour as youngsters are easily influenced by these designs," he added.
Maxi dresses in trendy prints from floral to animal to plain and with elegant cuts can be worn at various events from the red carpet, to the beach, to a party or just for a causal trip to the market. They are available at Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Kamla Nagar and Janpath markets in the capital.
"Celebrities are often spotted in maxi dresses, not only for shopping trips but on the red carpet, making the garment one of the most sought after for young girls. Since it's costly to get these dresses from designer labels, we provide them with the same pattern and cuts at a much lower price," said Ashok Kumar, a shop owner in Sarojini Nagar.
Although the quality of the fabric used by designers is any day superior to those available in these markets, Ashok Kumar said, "Young girls are more concerned about looking trendy and so they throng our stalls".
"We cater to those sections of society who can't afford designer clothes. Our pricing starts from Rs.150 which is very minimal compared to hi-end labels (which can cost from Rs.7,000 to Rs.15,000). Also, there are many upper-class people who visit our shops and ask for latest designs and patterns of various designers," he added.
Maxi dresses are not only comfortable and stylish but are a must for every wardrobe during summer.
Vansh Kaushik, a shop owner in Janpath, said: "You get all kinds of latest maxi dresses in street markets at a price that will really fit your bill. You can buy it for Rs.250 to Rs.500. The dress need not be in an expensive fabric. You get nice sophisticated cuts and designs on patris (flea markets)."
How does one accessorise a maxi dress?
Designer Shalini of Geisha label said: "One can team it up with interesting, out of the box accessories to make it more stylish. Beaded crystal necklaces, corded voluminous boleros, ruffled neck ties, faux fur wraps, silk net stoles with fur edgings, crystal beaded bracelets and neck-pieces teamed with corded clutches and booties."
Talking about popular shades, she said: "Shades of mercury grey, Atlantic blue, lava red, sea green and storm violet dominate."
The five popular designs this season are - artsy, classic, romantic, tie and dye, and tribal.
"Artsy reflects the beautiful lines and colour splashes that come from the artist's canvas. Classic mixes elegance and simplicity. In romantic designs, one can look for ruffles and small floral patterns. Tie-dye consists of hippie chic with a gypsy touch to it, while the tribal collection sees an influence of African countries, as also of Indonesia," said Kolkatta-based designer Suhasini Pal.