Fashion
Black Magic:
Sahiba J. Singh, The Chic Couturier of Chandigarh
by JAGMEETA THIND JOY
Would the power of a little dress or the elegance of a bandh-gala or, for that matter, even the chic appeal of a pair of stilettos diminish if they weren’t in the colour black?
Thoughts like these have flooded Sahiba J Singh’s mind many times over the last few months.
The Chandigarh-based designer and stylist who specialises in Sikh trousseau-wear for women and men (she also designs Sikh wedding accessories such as kirpans, turbans, juttis, sehras and kalgis), has loved working with black in all her collections.
“I am personally fond of the colour and it has consistently showed up in my designs every season. Depending on how it’s styled, black can make a bold or a subtle statement,” says the designer, who, given her penchant for the colour, has launched a new signature line called ‘SJS Black’.
“Dedicated” to the hue, the new line presents formal wear - subcontinental, as well as western - for both genders. All-black achkans with salwars, crisp pin-tuck black shirts in silk, flowing anarkalis with ornate gold embroidery, bandh-galas with a hint of colour in the pocket square - Sahiba’s been true to her signature style with sharp cuts, fitted silhouettes and traditional embroidery but has used black almost like a canvas.
“I do a lot of custom orders and have to play around with colours. However, with ‘SJS Black’, I am getting to do my own thing,” quips Sahiba, who after having dressed up the likes of Vikram Singh Chatwal for his traditional wedding; designed silk turbans for singer Malkit Singh; and politician-anchor Navjot Singh Sidhu, has plumped up her menswear line.
In fact, the ‘SJS Black’ line sees a lot of styles for men that make the most of a royal Sikh look, which she is proud of. There are achkans teamed with salwars for men to be paired with custom-made juttis, and short jackets to be worn with riding breeches.
Velvet and silk, in black, seem to be the fabrics of choice this season. The outfits under ‘SJS Black’ are priced Rs 20,000 ($400.00) onwards.
To avoid monotony, Sahiba says she will pick one colour annually and coordinate with black. For Autumn-Winter 2011, for example, she had picked up a shade of wine, which shows up in coat linings, as pocket squares, on hemmings and also as shirts.
But given the warm summer months when pastels rule, won’t ‘SJS Black’ feel a little out of place?
Sahiba replies, “Actually, I am already working on ‘SJS White’.”
Parallel lines of fashion seem to be her forte.
[Courtesy: Indian Express. Edited for sikhchic.com]
February 2, 2012
Conversation about this article
1: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), February 02, 2012, 6:20 PM.
If you are what you eat, you are also what you wear!. Fashion makes you confident and is an extension of your whole mental make up.
2: Daisy Singh (U.S.A.), February 05, 2012, 9:41 PM.
How can we contact this designer?
3: Ruby (Canada), February 07, 2012, 11:21 AM.
Sahiba, please contact me, I want you to design my daughter's first birthday party clothes for our whole family.
4: Sahiba J. Singh (Chandigarh, Punjab), February 08, 2012, 11:22 AM.
This is Sahiba J. Singh from Chandigarh. Just wanted to say, good job on the website! Keep the good work going. Thank you.
5: Khushjiv Singh Sethi (Mohali, Punjab), February 09, 2012, 10:25 AM.
Good designs.
6: Kuljeet Singh (Bathinda, Punjab), November 27, 2012, 11:17 AM.
I love her work.