Simple is stylish: Sonia

Sonia Gandhi gave fashion advice to 38 students graduating from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Rae Bareli on Wednesday. What she said

DON'TS

Sometimes a single garment will have zardozi, beads, sequins, patchwork and crystals. Apart from completely overshadowing the wearer, such garments are very uncomfortable to wear. In my view, fashion does not mean opulence.

DOS

To find the right colour combination, cut and proportion in a garment and to ensure that it is comfortable as well is more challenging for a designer, but it results in a garment that is timelessly stylish and elegant. Indians have a very highly developed aesthetic sense… which can be seen in the vibrant colours of a rural woman's saris, her lehenga, ohrni or the cut of her choli or the myriad wonderful ways in which men wear their turbans. Every state has its distinct tradition of weaving, dyeing, printing, embroidery and beadwork. This is a heritage that is truly unparalleled in its beauty, its richness and diversity. I hope that you will take inspiration from this.

ROLE MODEL

Sonia looks no further than mother-in-law Indira Gandhi's "innate sense of fashion", whose simplicity and elegance was admired the world over, she said.

HOW SONIA FARED

"Sonia Gandhi is blessed to have inherited her mother-in-law's amazing collection of saris. She wears them well too. She's handed out practical advice. But nothing, I'm sure, the NIFT kids don't know", said  Kiran Uttam Ghose, Fashion designer.  "I personally completely agree with Sonia Gandhi…. Again, as she says that it is very easy to put in everything and make it opulent and larger than life, but actually god lies in the detail", said Dev of fashion designer duo Dev R Nil.