Style Debate: Sporty vs Romantic

What makes fashion cycle such an exciting study is how trends arrive and disappear in an almost alchemical manner. Last seven years have seen sporty luxe becoming a major runway story what with labels like Louis Vuitton and Supreme collaborating and haute couture houses like Chanel and Christian Dior teaming their gowns with sneakers. On the other hand, there’s always been a parallel romantic current — think lithe bloom prints, floaty kaftans and an unmistakable spirit of travel. If brands like Vetements, Off-White and Z Zegna have toyed with performance wear laced with street cred, then there are design houses like Dries Van Noten, Carolina Herrera and Erdem, who have embraced age-old, doe-eyed innocence with elan. We got menswear designer Kunal Rawal to make a strong case for sportified aesthetic which is currently taking the world by storm and designer duo Hemant and Nandita Lalwani to argue in favour of the timeless power of romance...

‘Athleisure Is The Way Ahead’
Kunal Rawal 

Athleisure or sporty luxe is a comfort-based trend, which is ideal for India. All we need is comfortable clothing given our weather and traffic situation. Over the years, the Indian street style has been about ‘jugaadu’ dressing — which is seen across all stratas of society. Very often people wear a kurta and a windcheater with work pants and a pair of sneakers. This idea of clashing pieces and making every look your own is a sign of rebel chic, which is happening even globally. But it comes to us quite naturally. 

In the last five years, the sneaker culture has picked up in our country. Everyone is looking for transitional pieces, which offer you repeat options and athleisure and sports luxe are playing a key part in it. As a designer, sports luxe vibe connects with me more. I do like to invest in formal pieces also but don’t find much usability here. You break the formality by adding a fun element and that’s where that sporty touch comes in. Performance-driven tailoring in menswear stems from the thought of dressing unique. It’s more about having fun. Also, thanks to collaborations between luxury and sports brands, designers are focusing on creating an excitement, which is the result of this delightful clash — creating something unique and unexpected. It helps in developing a unique product and it’s the way forward.

I wear a lot of Vetements, but I’m done with this oversize clothing trend. I also like the dark sinister side of designers like Rick Owens and Thom Browne. Also, worth mentioning is Public School, whose stuff is wearable-yet-edgy. Off-White has developed a strong signature and they’ve not diluted their point of view over the years. Y3 is another all time favourite. That being said, you won’t get the comfort of a Nike or an Adidas in a designer brand. 

‘Romance Is Never Old’
Hemant and Nandita

Romance has always been an important aspect in fashion. Our brand has always been inclined towards it and incorporates it in our styles, especially the dainty florals and vibrant prints. Flowers are associated with romance the most, the fact that they can be played in sizes and colours makes it malleable and easy to mould into our ideas. Romance is never too old, it is how you interpret it. There are different ways to include it in the collection as it can transform from colours, to motifs, and at times it can come alive through embroidery. It is how you want to perceive it. ‘Vintage’ is often referred to as romance but it is not just limited to that title and can be so much more. Gucci is definitely very romantic, for us Temperley London, Chloe and Miu Miu are some brands that exudes vintage mystique which is classic yet modern, and is a perfect balance of the two.

The ’70s era was synonymous with hippie culture, but we feel that it was very romantic because there were a lot of sequins, gold motifs, disco and a lot of charm. If we do talk about romance in terms of florals, then ’60s with their colours and prints was definitely the time when romance was at its fashion high.

Romance in fashion will never disappear; it will transform, evolve and keep changing with time and the vision of the artists. It is eternal and will always have a place in the fashion world.