Fashion Markets of Metropolitan Cities
In a society where beliefs are rapidly changing, and where ideas and methods change daily, the subject of fashion is not left untouched. As soon as a new fashion begins, another one starts to stir alongside it. The question arises: is fashion also a taste that goes stale....? Perhaps yes...!
Behind this question lies the mentality of women who want to establish a new identity for themselves, different from others. They do not want to get lost in the crowd by looking like everyone else!! The expectation of appreciation from others, especially from the male class, by creating a distinct identity and the desire to be the center of attraction is the biggest reason for fashion constantly going stale. Perhaps that is why, due to women's desire to look different, new dresses along with stylistic items in line with folk traditions and fashion are launched in the market every day by major fashion houses. However, it is not within everyone's reach to go to these big fashion houses and taste the flavor of fashion. Therefore, keeping the reach of a common person in mind, every city has some market that caters to their fashion needs. Although there are many such fashionable markets in the cities of Delhi and Mumbai, Delhi's Janpath and Sarojini Nagar markets, and Mumbai's Linking Road are made for such fashion enthusiasts who like practical and traditional attire.
In the dresses sold in these markets, the influence of Western style glamour along with traditional style can be clearly seen. When young women wear the clothes found here with Indian adornments like Nagra shoes, colorful glass or metal bangles, anklets, and colorful earrings, the grace of Indian traditional fashion along with modernity is visible in their appearance. When young women wear these same dresses with a wide leather belt at the waist, long leather gumboots or colorful belly shoes on their feet, a hat on their head, a scarf around their neck, glasses on their eyes, and danglers in their ears, the grace of modern fashion is visible in it. In fact, this type of fashion gives a sense of today's era in which there is a desire to look or wear something new and different from others.
In today's era of fashion, the desire to look completely different in a crowd is increasing so much among young men and women that they do not hesitate to look or wear something bizarre in the name of fashion. Very tight or loose-fitting tops, which we call "jhangole" in common Hindustani language, are molded into fashionable styles by young men and women with their creative thinking. But to adopt or wear something new every day, a place is also needed where everything that fashion enthusiasts need to wear differently every day can be bought.
Actually, the fashion in these markets is not something you would consider very sophisticated or regular. Here, you buy a dress from one shop, various kinds of jewelry from another, a scarf from somewhere, a belt and glasses from somewhere else, and a sling bag or bag to hang on the shoulder from yet another place!! Overall, boys and girls wear all these things according to their own taste in such a way that it looks very interesting and new, or you could say, fashionable. The cycle of fashion keeps rotating here by seeing each other, so is it so easy to get colored in the hue of fashion in these markets? Not only easy, but also very cheap.!! If everything here were not so cheap, the identity of these markets would be lost!! But despite being cheap, is there a lot of bargaining here too? In fact, there is so much bargaining here that these markets are known internationally as bargaining markets. Not only Indians, but also a large number of foreigners who come here daily, bargain. They quote a price of 20-25 rupees for an item worth 150-200 rupees, and believe it or not, while bargaining, an item worth 150-200 rupees can be had for 40-50 rupees. If you see, even if a shopkeeper quotes a high price for an item, it is still very cheap compared to fashion houses, and after bargaining, it feels like you got it for free.
The common perception behind things being cheap here is that the goods here are either hand-me-downs from foreigners or are clothes and things provided as aid to the poor from abroad, which are secretly sold in these markets instead of being made available to them. No, this is not true...! The clothes sold here are those that are produced in abundance by exporters, or are rejected in quality control for a minor reason, or are made as samples, or the exporter's export order is canceled for some reason. In such cases, a large quantity of clothes and accessories are sold in these markets by the exporters. The prices in these markets are low due to high competition, not for any other reason!! No matter what other controversies are associated with these markets, it cannot be denied that these markets attract foreigners in addition to Indians. The allure of cheap Indian jewelry, clothes, and shoes and sandals draws them in. It is as pleasant to see foreigners here dressed in Indian colors as it is strange to see our own young men and women dressed up like hippies in Western colors. But the desire to be colored in fashion has become so prevalent all over the world that fashion no longer seems strange.
It is very difficult to estimate where and when the change in fashion begins. No market can make such a claim, but it has to be admitted that thousands of Indians and foreigners come to these fashion markets every day. Some like modern things, while others like traditional ones!! When they adapt both styles to suit themselves, a new wave of fashion emerges from the combination of tradition and modernity, and this wave, tossing and turning in these small fashion markets, seems to make fashion new every day.