The will to lure

CONTEMPORARY FASHION is about expression. With clothes you express not just your lifestyle and taste but also your attitude. The latest brand to hit fashion highway with this attitude-driven design philosophy is Wills Sport.

Launched by ITC Limited as part of its Lifestyle Retailing Business Division, the Wills Sport range of Western casuals and formals for men and women is painstakingly created like couture, but available just off the rack. No fuss absolutely, be it design, size or display. Introduced in association with the San Francisco-based American Design Intelligence Group, Wills Lifestyle will be inaugurated at 25 centres across the country by year-end. In Chennai, the recently opened clutter-free showrooms at Khader Nawaz Khan Road and Anna Nagar, display apparels for work, leisure and party.

What instantly strikes one about the clothes is the premium yarn, impeccable tailoring and refined styling. Here, you can witness how even humble linen and cotton with subtle accents can change the very face of fashion! Linen, for instance, breaks away from tradition to resurge in vivid colours and sleek cuts.

With comfort as the quintessence of the latest Spring-Summer 2001 line, the in-house designers seem to have focussed on airy fabrics and a refreshing palette.

So there is a whole range of trousers, T-shirts, tops, shirts, shorts and skirts in wrinkle-free twill, pure cotton, cotton blends (rayon and lycra), 100 per cent linen, emerised poplin and yarn-dyed single jersey. As for the colours, they move gradually from off-whites and pastels to the flamboyant. Yet another speciality of Wills Sports is the sizes. There are in-betweens and open lengths to suit varied requirements.

While the workwear is understated, Wills designers seem to have mastered the art of effortless chic when it comes to clothes for leisure or parties. With them you can feel glamorous without looking as if you tried too hard. Subtle accents here and there on the collar or the sleeve, are sure to add a dash of drama to your after-dark indulgences. In the collection of tees for women, the neckline is a certain highlight. There are mock collars, Johnny collars, scoop neck, boat neck, open placket, V-neck etc. (Rs.295 to 995). Truncated trousers, boot cut cargo, regulars... the range is contemporary in the legwear section too.

As for men, the range spans from radical sleeveless, hooded tees to classically-cut shirts in fine two-toned cotton. The 100 per cent linen shirts are a big hit, adds the salesperson. All-day outdoor pants, comfortable double-pleated trousers in wrinkle- free twill and trendy trekker pants with multiple pockets make the men's range interesting.

The simple and well-constructed tees and shirts wrap and twist around the body as softly as sweaters. Just right for those who love couture but refuse the futility of excess!

On the occasion of the inauguration of the showrooms here, Wills had also organised the launch of "Fashion Guru" (a special feature of its website www.willsport.com) and a fashion show to display its creations. Fashion Guru is a consultancy service designed to help customers make their choices depending on age, lifestyle, skin tone etc.

Fastidious about fashion? Then this showroom is the right place for you. For with Wills, you'd never feel out of place or time ... anywhere in the world that is!

T. KRITHIKA REDDY

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