When she walked in that cyan blue gown which looked gaudy on the ramp, Indian fashion fraternity couldn’t digest it. Miss India Ushoshi Sengupta’s national costume at Miss Universe 2010 pageant, which is fusion attire and inspired by India’s national bird peacock, is facing severe criticism from Indian designers for not being traditional.
What’s exactly wrong with the dress? Firstly, a gown is not an Indian dress. Many opine that a saree would have been a better option, while some are saying that the gown lacks ‘structured tailoring’ and are also unappreciative of the dress’ colour. Designer Mandira Wirk tells a daily that there is no “subtle femininity” in the outfit. A blogger on a fashion blog writes that a national dress is not supposed to be “different”.
However, according to reports, Kolkata-based designers Dev R Nil, the creators of the costume, have defended their design and said that they wanted to come up with something contemporary and that the wings on the dress are like saree’s pallu.
Generally it happens that some countries choose national bird or animal or a famous place of their country to seek inspiration for the national costume, but in the case of India, a country rich in tradition, a saree or ghagra choli highlighting the ethnic fabrics and beautiful craftsmanship suit the best to represent the nation on an international platform.
