Typography: Let your clothes do the talking

We have all, at some point, worn T-shirts with messages printed on them — sometimes, to add some quirk to our look, or maybe to send out a message. Whatever the reason may be, messages on tees have always been a favourite. And the style has definitely rubbed off on fashion experts for red carpet looks, film promotions and even runway ensembles. From tees to couture, speaking your mind through fashion just got stylish. For fashion designer Siddhartha Bansal, the main idea behind using ‘Shake Up Wake Up’ on the belt of one of his creations was to encourage environmental protection. “It’s high time we collectively work towards living in a better environment and stop polluting it. I have always used fashion as a canvas to address my thoughts to a wider audience. The tie-up belt is a huge fashion trend of the season, so I thought it would be fun to put a message on it,” he adds.

Not just messages, celebs have been getting their names hand-painted or embroidered on their outfits. Fashion designer Urvashi Sethi of Picchika, who recently customised the hand-painted organza sari worn by actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, feels an outfit says a lot about the person wearing it. The sari, which had ‘Bebo’ — Kareena’s nickname — printed on it, became the talk of the town. “The Bebo Sari was a collaboration proposed by fashion stylist and producer Rhea Kapoor. Bebo is not just a name, it’s an attitude. Therefore, while designing the sari, we were mindful of translating the qualities of Bebo in the style of Picchika,” says Sethi, adding, “We decided to do a bold yet delicate lettering for her name. Since it’s such a statement piece, we wanted to balance it by using a softer palette and some hand-painted elements inspired by Mughal miniature paintings. These elements were then further enhanced with gota embroidery.”

With fashion translating into a platform to voice one’s opinion, here are some unique looks that got us thinking.

Style Check

“Clothes are a way to express oneself. We always dress according to our mood or how we are feeling at that time. What you wear speaks a lot about you. So, writing slogans or writing names on clothes is a way to express ourselves better,” say Sujata and Taniya Biswas, founders, Suta. Here are some pointers to keep in mind before purchasing hand-painted saris or blouses:

When hand-painting, the fabric where the paint is applied becomes stiff. Hence, while picking up hand-painted clothing, ensure the painted side isn’t too stiff, as there are chances that the paint will bleed.

Pick wisely while selecting hand-painted saris and blouses. If the quality of the paint isn’t good, it may come off while ironing.

If you are planning to buy in bulk or are experimenting with a new brand, buy one item and check thoroughly before buying in large quantities.

Making a statement

When actor Sonam K Ahuja wore this pink Anamika Khanna ensemble with her name ‘Sonam’ and the sentence ‘Everything Is AK-OK’ on it, social media went into a tizzy over rumours of the outfit being a copy. However, Sonam cleared the air and wrote a post stating that A-OK is a common slang that is used among people in America.

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase.