How the breastplate is becoming a new fashion statement accessory for women

Its de rigueur for celebrities and other mortals to post their Diwali outfits on social media But trust actor Sonam Kapoor Ahuja to do things differently Styled by sister Rhea Kapoor Ahuja paired a khadi lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla with a breastplate handmade of Multani clay and red soil from KarnatakaThe armourstyle piece was designed by Bengalurubased art and design studios The Vernacular Modern and Made in Earth Collective The original piece was exhibited at Milan Design Week in April A very Indian iteration of an international runway and red carpet trend this clay breastplate received thousands of positive comments onlineIncidentally actor Bhumi Pednekar was seen in this trend before Ahuja in a glass armour plate with snake details by Raw Mango for an awards night in September However Pednekar was heavily trolled online her look mocked as ldquonaagin corerdquo Post the meme barrage art historian Deepthi Sasidharan shed more light on the subject of breastplates and how designer Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango has been inspired by and credited traditional Theyyam and Bhuta Kola ritual performance featuring dance mime and music outfits from Kerala and Karnataka respectivelySydney Sweeney PicGetty Images Nicola Coughlan in Misho PicInstagram Uorfi Javed PicGetty Images Sonam Kapoor Ahuja in a breastplate handmade of Multani clay and red soil from Karnataka designed by The Vernacular Modern and Made in Earth Collective Bhumi Pednekar in a glass armour plate by Raw Mango PicsInstagramItrsquos not just these two states breastplates are found in several cultures in India and appear in traditional paintings and sculptures too says Sasidharan Founder Eka Cultural Resources and Research This derivative of body armour is also seen on idols of gods and goddesses ldquocelebrating our inner Devi and Devrdquo as Ahuja wrote in the Instagram captionCelebrity stylist Isha Bhansali whorsquos worked with stars including Ayushmann Khurrana assures that this isnrsquot a ridiculous trend and can be tried by people beyond red carpets and runways ldquoIt celebrates sculptures which are so sensualrdquo she says ldquoIt sculpts the body in a great way and wemdashand fashionmdashare all about loving ourselves and celebrating our body form today There should be no qualms about wearing a breastplaterdquoFor some reallife inspiration Bhansali suggests a look at Suhani Parekh the creative director of jewellery brand Misho ldquoSuhani is a great inspiration I have seen her wear it with a skirt pants sari layered with blazers sometimes just as a bustier which is comfortable to sit inrdquo shares Bhansali Parekh also wore a 22karat goldplated bronze breastplate and stomach plate with a sari to the NMACC Gala when pregnant last AprilThe strong statement was also the choice of musician Rihanna who wore a red cropped breastplate by Loewe for her return to the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show last year which also made for a very public announcement of her second pregnancy In 1969 French designer Yves Saint Laurent had sculptor Claude Lalanne create breast and stomach plates for his AutumnWinter collection A glimpse of it is seen in the recent works of Pakistani artist and fashion designer Misha Japanwala who has chosen a breastplate and other body casts to express dissent against societal pressures on womenrsquos bodies Her custom art works have been worn by several known faces from Oscarwinning actor Lupita Nyongrsquoo to rapper Cardi B who also coincidentally made a public announcement of her pregnancy like Rihanna by wearing Japanwalarsquos breastplate in the music video for her song Rumours Other early designers who showcased breastplates on the runway were Japanese designer Issey Miyake and French designer Franck SorbierFashion influencer Uorfi Javed wore a similar piece DIYed in her true style paired with a sari for an awards night last yearBefore Uorfi in India it was designer Suneet Varma who first showcased a golden breastplate in his Greekinspired collection in 1992 In a campaign shot by the late Prabuddha Dasgupta supermodels Mehr Jesia and Shyamoli Varma paired Varmarsquos sarees with breastplates ldquoThe breastplate design was inspired by my love for sculptural art and the rich history of costumesrdquo Varma tells us ldquoI wanted to create a statement piece that merged traditional Indian aesthetics with modern bold designsDrawing heavily from Greek mythology and Botticellirsquos The Birth of Venus it represented a fusion of strength elegance and femininitymdasha unique wearable work of artrdquo he says of the iconic campaign shots in which the models posed like Venus in the painting with the sarees draped around them much like her hairThe fluidity and timelessness of the sari were the perfect juxtaposition for a structural breastplate feels Varma Producing it in the rsquo90s though posed significant challenges due to limited manufacturing capabilities Today Varma is happy to reintroduce them for custom ordersFor the Met Gala in New York industrialist Natasha Poonawalla wore a Sabyasachi sari with a handforged metal bustier by Schiaparelli in 2022 Recently in addition to Schiaparelli inspired by YSLrsquos pieces other couture houses to showcase breastplates include Balmain Gabriela Hearst LaQuan Smith and Tom Ford Actor Alia Bhatt wore a version of a metalcast silver breastplate from Indian designer Gaurav Guptarsquos 2024 spring summer collection showcased at Paris Fashion Week in JanuaryGupta is fascinated with blending mythology and wearable art and chose a breastplate for Bhatt to embody strength and empowerment for her international runway debut The intertwining snakes and birds on the plate symbolize transformation and resilience ldquothemes deeply rooted in Indian narratives but reimagined with a futuristic lensrdquoldquoIt took over 50 hours to craft the breastplaterdquo he says ldquoWe began by hand sculpting the design to ensure that the metal cast would contour the body perfectly Each snake and bird was individually moulded to add depth and movement creating a dynamic almost surreal effectrdquoI believe a piece like this deserves bold yet minimal styling to let it take centre stagerdquo says Gupta on how to make the breastplate onersquos own ldquoThe black flared sharara trousers on Alia offered a modern twist on traditional Indian wear For an alternative look it can be styled with a long structured skirt and keep the accessories simplemdasha sleek clutch or subtle earrings work bestrdquoBhansali recommends pairing it with skirts a sari draped in different ways even with a blazermdashmuch as you would a corsetAnd no need to break the bank to get one Head to the Instagram account of DIY creator and actor Shweta Mahadik who has shared a detailed video with 175 million views on how to make one on your own