CLASSIC LOOK

Harems made with the combination of Lycra fabric with invisible seam , finely tailored, dark tones gives an elite classic look.

What is a harem pant? The word harem comes from haram, which means "forbidden" in Arabic and was used to denote the secluded area of the womenfolk in royal establishments. "This is where men were not allowed to enter the female quarters of the home, which were separate from the male quarters. When women socialised, they found ways to entertain themselves. One way was by dancing. The loose garments or pyjamas the dancers wore became known as harem pants."

VARIATIONS

One fashion designer describes harem pants as the pyjama-type pants, which are tied up at the ankle and which, when teamed up with an exotic top, belt and a pair of embroidered chappals, gives the wearer the look of a sensuous Arabian belly dancer.

The renaissance of the harem pant in the 20th century was due to the ballet. In 1909, Paris was gripped with a passion for "orientalism" — a style that was in fashion due to the arrival of the Ballet Russe of the famous Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow. Their choreographer Leon Bakst designed and made flamboyant exotic colourful costumes for the ballet.

ORIENTALISM

Innovative Paris fashion designer Paul Poiret — who had already produced fashions that evoked eastern styles of dress — introduced "harem pants" in fashion, and it became one of his signature pieces. In Hollywood, harem pants became a signature style of the modern "new woman" and were worn by Hollywood "flapper" icons such as Louise Brooks.

URBAN COOL

Harem pants worked out with sequins, zardosi, crochet in damask, satin etc gives a cool conventional touch to the urban fashion.

The gay angle When you see these girlie clothes, you can’t

help but notice how ‘gay’ they look. Ace designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee says that most

of these designs look gay because they are often targeted at the homosexual man. “The

international press constitutes many gay men. Gay men spend maximum money on fashion and because they are so well groomed, they

look great in designer clothes.”

CARGO HAREM PANTS

A futuristic approach to harem pants

Roopa Sood, Shabina Khan, Nandita Hegde, Manish MalhotraSTYLIST

Kareena kapoor popularised harem pants in the movie “Jab we met”