The festive, wedding and seasons of celebrations are approaching; a saree comes in handy for women. Be it the bride or the guests at the weddings or functions that sometimes require a saree.
Women love to wear the five and nine-yard saree, originally was a garment of the Indian subcontinent, which is typically draped around the waist and one draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. Adding to the saree is the jacket, back then women didn’t wear a saree blouse, it was the pallu of the saree covering the chest.
Today the saree blouses/ jackets are worn in various designs for different occasions and for casual wear. Designers and stylists have experimented with multiple designs to craft the unique blouse to standout. One such designer is Aslam Hussein, under his designer brand Geebees Designer Studio. He believes in adding a twist to the beautiful drape, and that can be achieved by choosing the right blouse from the many options available, and it can be from the new trends or trend inspired from the past, and giving it a new look.
“For the saree blouse to standout essentially it’s very important to have the right fit and cut, wearing an expensive saree or a favourite saree, and not doing justice to it by getting a proper blouse done is very wrong”.
Aslam has mastered the art of observing his clients’ personality, and with that the body structure. This is one trait he has carried on with him since he started his journey as a designer. “I respect the body structure of the client and do my best to enhance the best attributes through the blouse specimen.
The Zip story
“When I created the zip, I found it stylish and more than that it was convenient. Actually, it was the convenience factor that let me do more of the zip design blouses. The concept behind is the hooks don’t let the fabric spread evenly”. He has already started to experiment with other creative methods to raise the bar of the blouse, adding it’s in the process.
Inspiration from the 40s and 60s
“Inspiration is the key to creativity, I get inspired by people and things for my designs. Even the jackets I do, I go back in time to the 40s and 60s and few of my jackets have been inspired from that era. People have said you should start an exclusive jacket boutique, but I am happy with the clothing boutique I have, yet I am open to new ventures”.
The Blouse Master
“The perfect fit is important to me. I give a lot of prominence to the fit, it’s pointless doing a jacket or wearing one without a fit. Another thing is the comfort, I don’t want the client to feel uncomfortable wearing my designs. He likes experimenting with his blouses, will he experiment with his saree collection as well? Well, if customers want me to add a zip to the saree why not and I won’t hesitate to do it.
Aslam is celebrated for his creative brilliance in fashion, both in Sri Lanka and India. His designs have caught the attention of many. Having been in the company of high profile celebrities and designers, such as Indian legendary designer Manish Malhotra.