Male fashion weak?
I’m sure all Mumbaikars are agog with excitement at the sensational news that in addition to the existing Fashion Weeks there will now be the Male Fashion Week!
I’m sure all Mumbaikars are agog with excitement at the sensational news that in addition to the existing Fashion Weeks that so enrich our lives and enliven our social calendar there will now be an additional seven-day sartorial extravaganza dedicated solely to men-the Male Fashion Week!
The urban Indian male should take a bow immediately. For this is an exceedingly healthy sign that there are enough preening peacocks with fat bank balances amongst us who will patronise and make an unqualified success of such a momentously manly event.
Last week, Mumbai witnessed the launch of not one but two high end international designer stores — Canali and Kenzo.
It is interesting to note that whilst Canali solely does menswear, Kenzo has elected to launch only their men’s wear in India forcing our fashionistas to still buy this label abroad.
Indian dandies meanwhile are increasingly spoilt for choice as more leading international designers like Paul Smith are poised to open stores solely for men in our major metros.
The Indian male has certainly come a long way sartorially these past few decades.
I remember a time not so long ago when Smash T-Shirts and Flying Machine jeans were de rigueur and a pair of imported Levis or Wranglers bought from the friendly neighbourhood smuggler at Heera Panna was the absolute last word in making a powerful style statement.
The middle class would aspire to locally made but exotically named Louis Philippe and Van Heusen shirts. They paired this with Zodiac ties and perhaps got a suit stitched every five years at Kachins or Bada Saab — the very epitome of fashion extravagance.
The more adventurous city slickers would buy funky shirts from Charagh Din and the ubiquitous CD logo was worn as a badge of honour amongst the swish set who frequented the original China Garden and the 1900’s at the Taj.
Those fortunate enough to travel to London would invariably make a pilgrimage to that legendary bastion of the British middle class — Marks and Spencer’s. Whilst Indian women shopped maniacally for bras and panties the men bought mass produced polyester suits and shirts and flaunted them proudly back in India as haute couture clothing
Over the years with increasing international exposure and the advent of satellite television the urban Indian male started not only to dress up but also to dress differently..
Slowly but surely Indian designers realised there was a fortune to be made from outfitting Indian males and we witnessed the rise and rise of Rohit Bal, JJ Vallaya, Wendell Rodericks, Narendra Kumar, Arjun Khanna, et al who not only created designer wedding wear but also natty prêt clothing for men.
And with liberalisation and increasing affluence came international players like Zegna, Gucci, Bruno Magli, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Canali, Kenzo, all with designs to make us look good whilst we parted with our paychecks.
Today our homegrown Beckham, Mahendra Singh Dhoni endorses the use of styling hair gel amongst Ranchi metrosexuals and exhorts the middle class to change their appearance to keep pace with a changing India. “Desh badla, ab bhes badlo.”
You’ve come a long way, Baba!
fahad@dnaindia.net
The urban Indian male should take a bow immediately. For this is an exceedingly healthy sign that there are enough preening peacocks with fat bank balances amongst us who will patronise and make an unqualified success of such a momentously manly event.
Last week, Mumbai witnessed the launch of not one but two high end international designer stores — Canali and Kenzo.
It is interesting to note that whilst Canali solely does menswear, Kenzo has elected to launch only their men’s wear in India forcing our fashionistas to still buy this label abroad.
Indian dandies meanwhile are increasingly spoilt for choice as more leading international designers like Paul Smith are poised to open stores solely for men in our major metros.
The Indian male has certainly come a long way sartorially these past few decades.
I remember a time not so long ago when Smash T-Shirts and Flying Machine jeans were de rigueur and a pair of imported Levis or Wranglers bought from the friendly neighbourhood smuggler at Heera Panna was the absolute last word in making a powerful style statement.
The middle class would aspire to locally made but exotically named Louis Philippe and Van Heusen shirts. They paired this with Zodiac ties and perhaps got a suit stitched every five years at Kachins or Bada Saab — the very epitome of fashion extravagance.
The more adventurous city slickers would buy funky shirts from Charagh Din and the ubiquitous CD logo was worn as a badge of honour amongst the swish set who frequented the original China Garden and the 1900’s at the Taj.
Those fortunate enough to travel to London would invariably make a pilgrimage to that legendary bastion of the British middle class — Marks and Spencer’s. Whilst Indian women shopped maniacally for bras and panties the men bought mass produced polyester suits and shirts and flaunted them proudly back in India as haute couture clothing
Over the years with increasing international exposure and the advent of satellite television the urban Indian male started not only to dress up but also to dress differently..
Slowly but surely Indian designers realised there was a fortune to be made from outfitting Indian males and we witnessed the rise and rise of Rohit Bal, JJ Vallaya, Wendell Rodericks, Narendra Kumar, Arjun Khanna, et al who not only created designer wedding wear but also natty prêt clothing for men.
And with liberalisation and increasing affluence came international players like Zegna, Gucci, Bruno Magli, Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Canali, Kenzo, all with designs to make us look good whilst we parted with our paychecks.
Today our homegrown Beckham, Mahendra Singh Dhoni endorses the use of styling hair gel amongst Ranchi metrosexuals and exhorts the middle class to change their appearance to keep pace with a changing India. “Desh badla, ab bhes badlo.”
You’ve come a long way, Baba!
fahad@dnaindia.net