The mere thought of patchwork brings flashes of colorful quilts and curtains to our mind. What was once Grandma’s hobby has now returned as a runway trend brought alive by the top fashion designers of the world. Yes, patchwork is back in vogue and everyone from Sabyasachi Mukherjee to Roberto Cavalli are patching their way through their designer collections connecting fabrics and colors that are an indulgence for fashion lovers across the globe.

“Patchwork” is an age old art of sewing together different pieces of fabric into a more prominent and larger design that is generally based on repeated patterns constructed with different kinds of fabrics. This theory was an economical way of making use of old pieces of cloth and reconstructing them with patchwork and come up with something new. In India, it was usually quilts and wall hangings that our moms and grandma’s created magically using patchwork. Also the vintage art of sewing patches over rips and holes in clothes is still kept alive in many houses. It’s great to know that this Indian tradition has now taken the fashion world by storm.

The fashion industry has welcomes the technique of patchwork with open arms and the runways have seen some of the most elegant and trendy designs featuring the patchwork technique. Be it street style fashion or ethnic designs, patchwork is back with a bang! Let us see how patchwork has transformed our clothes and accessories and given it a modern twist!

Skirts

Long flared skirts sync well with the patchwork design. The chic patchwork skirt is a current favorite of youngsters who can team them up with simple tees and spaghettis. Minis with great patchwork is also a runway hit!

Winter wears

Patchwork is best done in heavier fabrics and so many fall collections have incorporated this technique giving us some trendy designs of overcoats and suit jackets. So patch your way this fall with fashionable winter wears featuring patchwork!

Jeans

The patchwork jeans come in all fits, colors, lengths and budgets. A style most popular in the 70s has been revived recently by the Fashion Gurus and you can hit the crowd looking unconventional yet classy in a pair of cool patchwork jeans.

Indian Ethnic Wear

Where to start from when it comes to Indian ethnic designs! Thanks to our fashion designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Payal Singhal, Ritu Kumar and Manish Malhotra that our traditional clothes have taken an all new avatar even on the international circuit. Patchwork detailing has been a distinct part of many ethnic collections of our top designers in recent times. This craft goes really well with all kinds of fabrics, textures and color palettes.

Bags and clutches

Patchwork bags are trendy and fun to carry. You can try from a rainbow of designs in all sorts of bags right from drawstring to handbags to totes and clutches. These match up to any kind of look and are apt for regular use.

Shoes

Even the luxury labels are getting crafty with patchwork designs featuring on shoes. Be it high heels, wedges or tie-up, patchwork is indeed here to stay!

Picture courtesy- vogue.it, papercitymag.com, treehugger.com and footwearnews.com