Model Dipannita Sharma flaunts an Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla ensemble at India Fashion Week 2005 and (above) Vidisha Pavate sports a Wendell Rodricks creation at a fashion show in the city

It can be ethereal and pure or elegant and dignified or cool and serene. Whatever the words, the appeal of white is hard to ignore for couturiers across the globe. The classic hue continues ? year after year ? to weave its magic into many a collection and steal the limelight at many a fashion show.

The eternal white, for instance, shone the brightest at the India Fashion Week, amidst the clutter of colours on the ramp this year. Be it in Rohit Bal’s sparkling winter white line called Sheen Mubarak, inspired by the celebration of the first snowfall in Kashmir, or Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla’s Lotus Pond collection with their trademark dreamy drapes.

“The creative community sees white as the perfect template to express itself,” says designer Raghavendra Rathore.

“A collection goes through a lot of evolution after it is showcased on the ramp. An all-white collection gives the buyer the opportunity to understand the basic clothes and then he or she can choose to order the same line in a brighter hue,” he explains.

White also has an edge over other colours when it comes to ramp shows, where the psychedelic lighting often tends to alter the nature of a particular hue. “The colourful lights used during ramp shows alter the shades of most colours. White, or even for that matter black, lend themselves to brilliant presentation,” adds Rathore.

White also scores particularly well with designers who focus more on cuts and shapes than surface ornamentation. Says Goa-based designer Wendell Rodricks, whose passion for the colour has always found strong expression in his creations: “White has always been the mainstay of my creations. Since I concentrate on cuts more than embellishments, white works best for me. It shows off cuts to great effect. I have used white in all its forms and aspects, explored its opaqueness and transparency equally.”

It’s the emotions of white ? “purity, softness, innocence as well as the sadness” ? that draws Rodricks to its glow.

City-based designer Sayon Mitra’s passion for the hue is based on the same principle. “White is very pure, serene, soft and hence visually very comforting. It’s crisp, dignified and very elegant. It’s tremendously stark in its colourlessness,” says Mitra. “Since I do straight-forward clothes without much drama or embellishment, white shows off the cuts best,” he echoes.

Working with white requires a fair amount of expertise with cuts and finishing, stresses Mitra. “You simply can’t fool around with white. The slightest flaw will stand out, which would probably go unnoticed in brighter colours,” he warns.

The versatility of white works to its advantage. “There’s a lot of scope to play around with white, both for the designer and the buyer. You can accessorise it in various ways and team it up with any colour,” observes Mitra.

Another reason why white finds favour with Indian designers is because it suits Indian skin. “White goes best with Indian skin tones. It reflects light and makes the complexion look brighter,” says Rodricks.

Fashion exponent Prasad Bidapa agrees. “Not only does it suit Indian skin tones best, white is the colour for Indian summers. It’s perennial and classic and never goes out of fashion,” feels Bidapa.