Amid the growing clamour surrounding the ill effects of wearing skinny jeans, some of the trendsetters of the fashion industry feel that it has no "negative impact" on the body if people choose the right fabric and keep a check on the body type.
On Tuesday, an Australian woman was reported to have collapsed after the pair of skinny jeans that she wore cut off the bloody supply to her calf muscles.
However, fashion designer Niket Mishra felt that that there is "no negative impact" of wearing skinny jeans among girls if comfortable fabrics like "lycra and cotton" are used.
"It depends on what fabric you are wearing. Whether it is a cotton-based fabric, satin-based or lycra stretchable. Girls prefer lycra because it is comfortable and much softer," Mishra told IANS.
The designer also added that climatic factors also come into play while buying skinny jeans.
"In summer, people don't want to go with skinny jeans because of the heat. It also depends on person to person," Mishra, who is known for his wearable and comfortable designs, added.
Leading Indian model Lakshmi Rana, who has walked the ramp for reputed designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Suneet Varma and Sabyasachi Mukherjee, noted that "if you wear extremely tight clothes and are trying to fit into them, then that's a problem".
The duration of wearing jeans also matters a lot, the model said.
"It depends on how long you wear it. It is a part of fashion, but you don't have to kill yourself to wear it. The problem lies when people restrict them to a diet in order to fit into a dress. That's wrong," Rana told IANS.
Anurag Saxena, senior consulting physician, Primus Hospital agreed with Rana and said that skinny jeans should be worn only two-three hours in a day.
"If you are wearing it for a long time, which is touching your body so you are more susceptible to have skin problems. The airing is restricted. There can be sweating problems. The hair on the skin gets removed due to the constant friction," Saxena told IANS.
Skinny jeans have been in vogue among fashionistas since long. From Bollywood celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone to Hollywood style icons like Charlize Theron and Gwen Stefani have carried off this outfit with panache.
However, Mumbai-based fashion designer Nachiket Barve felt that international fashion trends may not necessarily work in India.
"Whatever trend works internationally, it doesn't necessarily work in India. What works in Paris may not work here," Barve told IANS.
Highlighting the importance of individual body types, Barve said: "A person's physique and body structure matters a lot. What looks nice on a French or East European person may not look as good on Indian bodies."
Noted menswear designer Paresh Lamba reiterated Barve's insight on the body types while choosing skinny jeans, and said: "Skinny jeans work, but not for everybody."
The designer advised youngsters against "blindly" following every fashion trend.
"Every fashion trend can't be followed blindly. One man's food is another man's poison. Please understand your body type, age, structure, stature and even job profile. You have to see what fits in your body type", Lamba told IANS.
Gurinder Bedi, senior orthopedics consultant at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, emphasized on the positioning of the garment on the waist.
"The jeans should ideally be kept above the pelvis. Most women wear it very low waist. It can impinge on the lateral cutaneous nerve because of the tight pressure. It does not cause any weakness. It can give the odd tingling sensation, a numbness on the thigh," Bedi told IANS.
(Ankit Sinha can be contacted at ankit.s@ians.in)
