Oh organza, you beauty!

Have you ever wondered what could possibly be more delicate and opulent than silk? A fabric called organza, known for its crispy, diaphanous and lightweight nature that can accentuate any ensemble with its unique sheer qualities. It is very popular in luxury wear segment because it adds an expensive look due to blends of silk yarns, and thus gives an instant touch of femininity. This season, be prepared to see a lot of sheer organza jackets, blouses and big organza sleeves as designers across the globe are reinventing it with groundbreaking silhouettes for high-street brands.

It is something that one can easily incorporate in your daily wardrobe without much effort, so more designers are opening up to this trend. Designer Rajdeep Ranawat believes that the sheer and the slight stiffness of organza helps in creating stunning pieces that can be mounded into sculpted separates or layers in the form of various other techniques because its fluid and light. “Organza in any colour lends translucency, which adds a sense of depth and sensuality with the right play of light and layering. When blended with materials like viscose and polyester, it becomes more durable for daily wear. A light sheer shirt, or a blouse or even a jacket in organza as a separate would work well. An organza scarf or a stole too looks lovely with the right coordinates. A big no-no would be using heavy embroidery and embellishments on it, as it will weaken the yarns and deform the shape as well.”

The fabric works well with both Eastern and Western silhouettes, and some of the key pieces to invest in this season could be organza throws and capes, or overlays and skirts. Designer Saaksha of the duo Saaksha and Kinni, finds it to be an amazing fabric and says, “Personally, I think it’s perfect for layering due to its fluidity and can be flawlessly accessorised with statement jewellery pieces (to offset the delicateness of the fabric) and easily mixed and matched with prints due to its versatility. Organza throws over kurtas and organza capes over dresses are the easiest way to incorporate this fabric into your daily wear. A big no for me is over-layering, so stick to a maximum of two layers because even though it is lightweight the stiff composition can add bulk.”

Gwyneth Paltrow

One can sport an organza top or jacket with flared pants, pair it with jeans or belt it at the waist with a long skirt inside. Since the fabric is sheer, you can always play around with teaming something interesting underneath. Some organza variants tend to be fluffy and voluminous, so make sure to style it with narrow bottoms and tight silhouettes inside, recommends designer Pooja Shroff. She adds, “Organza is a crisp and lightweight fabric that is very easy to dye in different colours and is irresistibly gorgeous. It’s easy to create different garments like pants, blouses, and jackets with them. One of the key pieces that one should invest in this season is a nicely embroidered organza jacket that can be paired with both western and Indian silhouettes. A jacket can be combined with a bustier, worn over a sari, or even be worn as a blouse with a belt to cinch it around the waist.”

While the fabric is enjoying its fair share of attention on the runway, it is important to understand that organza is too delicate to be used roughly and with heavy embellishments. For daily wear, the best way to use it would be as a colour block organza dupatta, which can be teamed with a white kurta or draped as a scarf around solid colour tees and jeans. A shirt dress or a sari in organza is also a smart addition to your wardrobe, which can be used multiple times. However, avoid organza sleeves as the fabric is too delicate and can tear easily while moving hands, so for regular use replace them with something stronger, suggest designer duo Rishi and Soujit. The designers add, “A lot of people were skeptical about investing in an organza sari due to the stiff pleats, but these days the new blends offer some fine quality variations that are flowy, sheer, and so easy to drape. One can choose from silk, satin, georgette or Italian blend organza, which can also hold embroidery and look dainty in pretty prints and colours. Buy high-quality fabric and multi-functional pieces that can be layered and worn in different ways.”