Netas shed khadi to don the cool linen

White swadeshi khadi has been the trademark of netas across the country for decades. But it seems to be losing out to linen, which has become politicians’ preferred choice now. And their supporters too seem to be following suit.

Khadi is a hand-spun fabric made from cotton, silk or wool. Linen is made up of flax fibres, which are imported from France and China, and prepared on modern looms.

High-end linen has been available in the Indian market for quite a few years, but it apparently became a hit after politicians gave it a thumbs-up. “The trend started with young MPs (wearing it) in the Parliament, and soon spread to other netas in Mumbai,” says an MLA. The fabric has a high demand despite being three times costlier than khadi, reasons being its soft feel, rich look and the fact that it wrinkles slower than khadi.

Madhav Men’s Mode at Bandra has been popular among politicians across India for 30 years. Owner Madhav Agasti says, “Eight out of 10 orders are for linen kurtas now.”

Akbar Shahpurwala’s Gabbana also caters to many politicians. Store designer Raman says, “It’s natural, as Mumbai is humid and hot throughout the year.” Sagar Zede, a salesman at Aditya Birla Group’s Linen Club, at Thane, says, “Corporators, MLAs, and even their supporters, are our main customers.”

Owner of a 75-year-old khadi store at Charni Road Dinesh Maheshwari says, “Khadi ranges from Rs60 to Rs1,500 per metre, while linen is Rs400-Rs2,500. Yet the latter’s sales surpassed khadi’s last year.”

MNS MLA Pravin Darekar said that out of his 30 to 40 kurta-pyjama sets, nearly 20 are linen. Congress leader Nizamuddin Rayeen says, “Many from the younger lot, like Milind Deora and Naseem Khan, have been wearing linen and the trend is growing.”