It’s likely that human beings have been conscious of their bodies ever since Eve took a bite of that apple. Fruit references, some politically correct terms, some not so politically correct terms—we are own worst enemies when it comes to describing the shape of our bodies. We may have come to accept a variety of shapes and sizes through the years, but even in the last half of the century, there was a premium on a certain body type—despite the unsurprising fact that the shape differs basis race, and fixating on one ideal was and remains absurd. Attuned to finding our way through US, UK or European sizing, Indians have grudgingly made their peace with clothes that may or may not flatter their body types, owing to a lack of alternatives. Does the average Indian woman with her wide hips find a pair of jeans in the first go? Does the thought ‘will I fit into this dress?’ stop her from even trying it on in the confines of a changing room?
The truth is that sizing gets trickier as soon as you venture out of the average body territory—whether you’re on the petite end or larger. Union Cabinet Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani recently made an announcement that would change the course of history—a statement that is not farfetched given the impact it will create: India will have its own standardised apparel size, which will be based on a survey that will be undertaken shortly. “I hereby present the central government’s resolve that ‘Size India’ project will soon be rolled out for the entire country, the first-of-its-kind project in the Indian history,” said Irani at the ‘Textile Conclave’ at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. What would this mean for the Indian fashion industry?
Rajesh Pratap Singh, the thinking man’s designer, spoke about the hurdles in the enterprise. “The anthropometric study for India has always been a challenge. I was part of one in the mid ’90s, [and] there is a lot of diversity in our country. Having said that, it is something that is really required for the industry, and it will be great if we could have a standardised sizing which the country could follow.” David Abraham of Abraham & Thakore, shared his reservations on the matter. “I think it’s an excellent idea to map sizing in India, just to study the differences in each region of India, but it is rather ambitious. You have people from the North East, from Tamil Nadu, from Maharashtra, from Punjab—everybody has a different body type. I don’t think there can be a ‘standard Indian size’, because there is no such thing as a standard Indian.
Meanwhile, Amit Aggarwal, whose aesthetic is best described as futuristic, thinks the move will change the game for Indians everywhere. “With India being the leading country in the global textile industry, it is about time we have our own standardised size that is recognised globally. I think it will definitely boost our domestic and international market and put Indian consumers on the world map,” he said. Gaurav Gupta who marries avant garde construction with bridal couture said, “since the [Indian] fashion industry is now seen in the light of a proper industry, standard sizing is a welcome step. I am really impressed and grateful for this move. It will cause much less confusion not only among the consumers but the designers as well “
The post What it means for India to get its own standardised apparel size appeared first on VOGUE India.
from Fashion – VOGUE India http://bit.ly/2MmnEo6
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