The Fashion of Chiffon

Chiffon fabric is associated with romance and comfort. A major material adopted by fashion designers in the design of high class fashion is Chiffon.

Chiffon is originated from the French word for cloth which has reflected its importance in fashion history. Chiffion fabric is very popular during summer time mainly because of its cozy feeling and delicate softness. So it's now a fashion material for many designers.

Most chiffon nowadays is made from polyester (for stain resistance). Silk chiffon is regarded as the premium type of chiffon. It is dry cleanable and does not suffer from the same level of degradation and tearing as polyester chiffon.

The romance of chiffon

Chiffon is quite the rage on the international fashion scene. Women Love Chiffon Fabric. In India it remains an eternal favourite. Say chiffon and you can see Yash Chopra movie heroines drifting down innumerable dream sequences in a sensual haze. The pallu of the sheer fabric going over the hero's face, while the camera pans in to his expression of longing and adoration. With any other fabric the idea doesn't work as well. That's the beauty of chiffon, it is perhaps the only fabric that conveys that sensuous and dreamy feel. Just like the Switzerland tourism industry, the chiffon fabric industry certainly owes a big one to the Yash Chopra banner, he has single-handedly brought in a lot of takers for this fabric. Check out any of the innumerable rain songs in our movies, nine out of ten times the wet saree is chiffon! Remember Sridevi in the sensual rain dance in Mr India? Raveena Tandon in Mohra? Madhuri Dixit in Beta? The list is endless.

New age chiffon
Today on the international fashion scene too chiffons scores high on the style meter. But not chiffon as in see-through, dreamy or romantic variety, but as chiffon that’s young and adventurous.

The new way for chiffon in the west to be is completely un-baby doll like and very unexpected.Cavalli, Paulo Andersson at Chloe, Stella McCartney, Alberta Ferretti are some of the big names that have given chiffon a whole new twist. Literally.

While McCartney and Andersson teamed up jackets and cardigans to counter the see-through wispy mood of chiffon, Ferretti’s chiffon creations are stiffened with drapes and pleats.

Indian designers’ fabric
Back home, Vineet Bahl's collection ‘Autumn Affair’ at LFW featured kurta dresses, kimono tops, jodhpur churidhars and kaftans in chiffon in addition to other materials.Designer Swapnil Shinde too went for chiffon to achieve fluid effects for his dresses. His opening creation at LFW was a deep blue chiffon gown with black floral appliqué down the front. Swapnil also teamed net with chiffon to achieve that dreamy effect that is popular in India. As I said earlier give us our chiffons flowing, diaphanous, feminine…highly romantic!