Menswear embraces maximalism with an impressive display of structure, shape and embellishment at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI
Menswear embraces maximalism with an impressive display of structure, shape and embellishment at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI
Jio World Centre, the sprawling convention space that hosted the recently concluded six-day Lakme Fashion Week, scores high on infrastructure and location, though I find it sterile and convention-like for an event driven by creativity and fashion. Put. Mumbai’s first major fashion week after the pandemic, however, marked a major change from previous fashion weeks due to socio-cultural talking points such as gender-fluid silhouettes, plus-size models and diverse skin tones that did not diminish For tokenism only. Joining the sustainability club this year were labels like Pikes, Swati Kapoor and Studio Medium. In the case of menswear too, this season was very strong.
high on production
Amit Agarwal, Gaurav Gupta, Satya Paul and Rajesh Pratap Singh were edgy in terms of set design, music and choreography. As far as the collection is concerned, established designers like SVA by Gaurav Gupta, Shantanu and Nikhil, Sonam and Paras Modi, Payal Singhal and Anushre displayed consistency in terms of stitching and cuts. Emerging menswear designers like Delhi-based Son of a Noble (SNOB), Khanijo and Noida-based CountryMed hit it out of the park with their unique take on kurtas blended with athleisure.
A model demonstrating the design of designer Shyamal Bhumika. Photo Credit: Lakme Fashion Week/Special Arrangement
We also saw an impressive display of structure, shape and ornamentation. Celebrity stylist Akshay Tyagi says, “Indian menswear has made a strong statement this season. It goes beyond the standard shirt, pants, shorts look. Long silhouettes, cropped, fitted, oversized… literally everything is represented. ,
Veteran designer Rajesh Pratap Singh wrapped up the season with its finale, an ode to the French opera Lakme. His highly manufactured collection of Khadi with his signature pleats, stainless steel elements and much more.
goodbye, minimalism
“For me, the most extraordinary trend and movement in Indian men’s wear, is more. It’s all about maximalism. It is more masculine, but also more feminine and more fluid. It’s not shy. The men’s fashion repertoire is finally growing with great confidence,” says Akshay.
Vijay Varma in Nirmoha outfit | Photo Credit: Lakme Fashion Week/Special Arrangement
On the subject of maximalism, Shantanu and Nikhil’s a cappella collection is a definite change from the sartorial, cool-hued minimalism we admired last season. Nikhil Mehra tells me, “We went more maximalist than last season. For example, this season, we presented our cross-over drape, which can be worn individually for a simple evening out or layered with a sherwani for a more formal look. This season, it’s all about laying out the pieces correctly. ,
Emerging menswear label CountryMade dabbled in tailored textured denim and camouflage overcoats, a collection that was widely praised by the industry.
fleece kurta
A model dressed as Anushree Reddy. Photo Credit: Lakme Fashion Week/Special Arrangement
insider perspective
“Organizations are going strong in terms of colour, print or shine, as we saw for Gaurav Gupta. Nirmoh worked in fun, candy colours, while Sakshi and Kinni did flashy prints. My only reservation is that everything is dying because of social media. All the new trends you see are already there. In my opinion, this can lead to fashion fatigue. In recent times, due to the pandemic, people have been forced to perform on digital platforms in their private studios or for non-fashion week productions in smaller formats. Now normalcy has resumed.”
Isha Bhansali, the celebrity menswear stylist behind Ayushmann Khurrana and other actors.
Seen in several iterations – classic ethnic, in wear over neckers or a coord set format – the kurta is clearly in focus. Anushree Reddy from Hyderabad, whose menswear we haven’t seen before at Lakme Fashion Week, made quite the statement with a bold floral kurta, elegantly layered with sherwani.
Payal Singhal, who is known for her contemporary takes on prints and kurtas, did not disappoint. This time, his collection, inspired by Mughal miniatures as well as abstract art, saw kurtas, coordinating sets and jackets in a variety of pop color motifs. “I see Indian menswear becoming more advanced with more structure, exaggerated silhouettes, large prints, prints with embroidery. The typical zardozi sherwani is no longer the norm.” Singhal’s collection saw a denim kurta with a bomber jacket, short sleeves and even jogger pants, playing with proportion and comfort.
Main Silhouette: Coordinating Set
Often seen as a matching kurta-pajama set on the ramp, the designer has really jumped on this bandwagon. SNOB showcased a range of lavishly tailored, easy-to-wear printed coordinating sets by designer Mani Shankar Singh, and so did Countrymade. SVA Couture by Mumbai-based husband-wife duo Sonam and Paras Modi eschews a traditional approach to Indian men’s wear.
“Indian men are loving the print these days, as they can layer it and take it from casual to formal quite easily. Coord sets for men should be looser and not oversized. As per the prevailing trends, they can be layered with a smart trench coat or even a shawl,” says Sonam Modi of SVA Couture.
Similarly, veteran designers Abraham and Thakor decided to transform the traditional suit into a coordinating set consisting of oversized shirts, jackets and tailored pants, which were interpreted in their signature black and white style.
athleisure again
While athleisure has been a major fashion staple in recent times, this season we saw it making an appearance in the Indian silhouette. Shantanu and Nikhil embellished sweatshirts with sherwanis, Payal Singhal embroidered bomber jackets, even Gaurav Gupta’s highly sculpted silhouettes saw a slew of athleisure influences. Kurtas worn with sneakers, as we saw at SNOB, are the new trend.