Fad for Bombay fashion

Fad for Bombay fashion

WITH Deepavali around the corner, Little India in Penang has exploded with colour, music and life.

Shops around the Indian enclave, covering a compact square in the heart of George Town, are literally spilling out into the streets in the run-up to the Festival of Lights.

While both modern and traditional Tamil music can be heard blaring from giant speakers outside stores, tasty traditional treats are seen on almost every street corner and the sweet smell of incense fills the air.

Adding to the carnival atmosphere are cars, motorcycles, trishaws, bicycles and people, many laden with bulging shopping bags, weaving in and out of the old, narrow streets.

Inside VKN Sivasamy & Sons on Market Street, sarees of every colour of the rainbow can be seen stocked from floor to ceiling.

“This year is all about Bombay fashion. Both our boutique sarees and Masakali Punjabi suits are selling like hot cakes!” declared company director P. Ramalingam.

He said the boutique sarees, also known as ‘part-ly sarees’ for their half-and-half design nature, were the latest craze among the younger generation.

“The part of the cloth that covers the top of the body is see-through, while the bottom is rich with designs.

“While the more traditional sarees hide most of the belly from sight, the younger generation don’t seem to mind showing the belly off,” he quipped.

“The boutique saree is the number one saree style of the year and we’ve sold over 1,000 of these since the middle of last month,” Ramalingam said, adding the handsewn sarees from Mumbai were priced at about RM280 each.

‘Bombay fashion’ has also penetrated the Punjabi suit market with a fresh style called ‘Masakali’.

The suits, made of stretchable materials, all come with unconventional long sleeves.

“However, short sleeves are also separately attached to the outfits, so people can send them to the tailor if they want shorter sleeves,” he said, adding he had sold over 2,000 Masakali Punjabi suits for the festive season.

Over at the B. Mathavon Store, colourful garlands and altar decorations are being snapped up quickly.

Store owner M. Kanagaratnam, 59, said these decorations from Madras and Bombay were very popular during Deepavali.

“Business is good so far, but we’re expecting the crowd to swell from Friday to Sunday when shoppers from Ipoh and Kedah come down,” he said.

And while shops continue to erect canopies around Little India, the Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) Penang is keeping an eye out for outside traders aiming to make a quick buck.

Its executive secretary R. Sethupandian said dozens of outside traders had been seen setting up shop in Little India during the Deepavali season in recent years.

“Most of them are licensed with the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to trade on other parts of the island, like Lorong Kulit or Penang Road, but come to Little India during this time to take advantage of the crowd,” he said.

He said outside traders, who did not pay assessment, quit rent or even electricity and water bills, could afford to sell products at cheaper prices than the shops.

“This had affected the business of the shopowners who even have to pay special fees to set up tents outside their shops and covered parking bays,” he added.

Sethupandian said MICCI had sent a letter to MPPP several weeks ago requesting for stronger enforcement during this festive season.

“So far, we have not seen outside traders yet and we hope MPPP will keep tabs,” he said.

MPPP licensing department chief Rafiah Mohd Radzi said the council would continue to monitor the situation until Deepavali on Nov 5.

“We will be sending enforcement teams to conduct checks over the next two weeks,” she added.

-News courtesy of The Star-