Historians believe Nefertiti was the greater ruler so why is it that we are more familiar with Cleopatra?” wondered Runa Laha, model and actress who featured in the 2021 film Bob Biswas, before answering it herself: “It’s because of her glamorous image.”
Laha was speaking at the panel discussion “fashion as an expression” at NIFD Global Saltlake, where she cited the example of Egyptian queens to highlight the importance of always being well-dressed. “People talk about inner beauty, but for that, one must know you well enough. In reality, the world is judgmental, and you can only make a good first impression if you are well-groomed,” she said.
Parijat Chaudhuri, who played the young protagonist in the web series Indubala Bhaater Hotel, asked the audience to wear that which makes them happy. “Some girls long to wear spaghetti strap tops but hesitate, concerned about their arms appearing bulky. Don’t worry about it! If it makes you happy, you will be comfortable in it,” said the actress who had worn what she likes wearing the most — a sari.
Actress and director Aparajita Ghosh spoke of how her personal style revolved around nature. “Since it’s monsoon, I’ve worn green today,” she smiled. “But when we shoot, of course, actors must dress as per character.”
The conversation then veered towards the influence of cinema, and costume designer Sabarni Das recounted what a rage Didi tera dewar blouses were in the 90s. “But society would not allow middle-class women to wear the backless blouse that Madhuri Dixit wore in the Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! song, so roadside shops would sell regular blouses with a tiny diamond-cut opening behind,” said the National Award winner, who has designed costumes for films like Paromitar Ek Din and Jaatishwar.
After the discussion, the DD Block campus hosted Explodia 2.0, an exhibition by fashion design students. “Since sustainability was the core theme of the exhibition, students showcased their coursework from the entire semester instead of using fresh materials to create new pieces. Students need such platforms to showcase their creations,” said John Sengupta, head of the fashion department.
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A section was dedicated to dyeing techniques that students had learnt in workshops at Santiniketan. “We used hammer printing, that involves placing actual leaves between pre-prepared cloth and then hammering them, and bundle dyeing, where leaves are rolled within the fabric and processed. They result in unique designs,” explained Shalini Poddar. “And we used only cotton textiles and natural dyes to promote sustainable fashion.”
This group nailed its theme of evening couture infused with insect motifs. “We crafted gowns from raw silk and used rich, deep colours to evoke a sense of opulence,” said Swagata Ghosh. Some of the outfits featured large, embroidered dragonfly motifs, while others were adorned with rainbow sequins — small, reflective discs that shimmered like glow-in-the-dark insects. The entire room had been transformedinto a forest-like setting too.
The kalamkari hut displayed art from the southern state of AndhraPradesh. “Kalamkari is not easy to create. The black ink used, for starters, needs ingredients like buffalo milk and jaggery. The red colour used is extracted from the manjistha flower, blue from indigo and brown from khoir. For brushes we use bamboo sticks,” said Mursalin Mondal on behalf of the team.
The Victorian room featured a living, dining, and dressing room from the era, complete with mannequins. But what truly stood out were their garment files, where students had created miniatures of all the outfits. Models were drawn but dressed in actual fabric, giving them a 3D, pop-up effect. “Shades of beige were the most popular back then, and the gowns reflect this colour. The designs included the sweetheart neckline, which resembles the heart shape, and the leg-of-mutton sleeve, which is wide at the shoulder and upper arm, resembling a mutton leg,” explained Nandini Jaiswal on behalf of her team. “We re-watched the web series Bridgerton for inspiration, as it features similar outfits. We even played its soundtrack to create the ambience.”
