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Fashion world glints with Rajasthani silver
By Uma Nair, Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) Rajasthani silver chains, spherical pendants to fall lithely on the forehead, bangles...it's the new age signature at fashion shows. Old silver designs, bursting with the rhythm of rock and roll.

In fact, silver never had it so good.

For Sangeeta of Trinetra in Paharganj, silver exports have tripled in the last six months. "Buyers come from all over and suddenly everyone wants jewellery to adorn their heads, their hands and their necks," she says. "So Rajasthani style chains with ball-like pendants are being ordered a dime a dozen even by stores in the West, Europe and Southeast Asia. Bangles, bracelets, chains and pendants, everything and anything from Rajasthan is taken."

"One buyer from Paris was actually ordering a set of pendants with chains to be worn for a fashion show in Paris," she says.

In India too, the silver story is getting to be a recurring factor in fashion accessories.

At the Fashion Week in Mumbai, Ritu Kumar's models too played out their range with Rajasthani jewellery, specifically the little chains and pendants dangling from their heads tantalisingly.

Not that the likes of Tarun Tahiliani get left behind. His models too sashay along with a great deal of Rajasthani silver antique jewellery, obviously sourced from the inner parts of Rajasthan.

At Khazana outlets in Taj hotels and resorts all over the country, silver sales have gone up.

"Khazana retails some of the most exquisite pieces in silver," says Rema Balasundaram who has been a compulsive Khazana shopper for silverware for the past 10 years and comes down from Washington to buy them. "The pieces that I have found in Khazana, no one has ever had," she says. "In the olden days, Cottage Industries used to keep some unusual pieces but not any more."

"Silver is all about making a statement that cuts across barriers and times," says Sangeeta. "I have found that of late even men want to wear silver jewellery.

One of Sangeeta's regular clients is artist Paresh Maity who is known for carrying off a robust silver pendant against a black Fabindia kurti. "My silver pendants are always admired when I go to Europe and New York," says Maity who wears it for dining out and other occasions all over the world.

In Washington D.C., the accessories showroom 'Kindred Spirits' does brisk business with Indian silver in varied designs.

Imagine Rajasthani silver appearing with elegant stiletto-heeled shoes with a subtly shaped chisel toe, which recalls the fantasy footwear designed by Roger Vivier for Dior at the cusp of the '60s.

Another grab is the silver Rajasthani belt worn over a trouser, evoking the designs of the swinging '60s and a stylised art nouveau motif. So if dainty is not your thing, heavy duty antique silver might be a good substitute.