Move over, ladies. If you think bright neon jackets, floral shirts and skinny red trousers are not for your man, you probably haven’t noticed the metamorphosis of the fashionable Indian man.
From playing safe with ‘masculine’ colours, textures and designs to raiding your closet with aplomb, the chic Indian male of 2012 has undergone a dramatic makeover. Electric body hugging tees, tartan plaid shirts with loud prints diluted with classy cotton or linen jackets and teamed with tapered parrot green or blood red trousers, he is unabashedly pushing the envelope.
Inspired by the Olympics
The Indian man has embraced the latest Spring-Summer collections of international fashion moguls Dolce and Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Bottega Veneta, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Ermenegildo Zegna and Roberto Cavalli, with unprecedented panache. With the London Olympics on, Spring-Summer sought its inspiration from the Olympic spirit. The colour palette consists of cheerful oranges, yellows, purples and turquoise. Tobacco brown diluted with neutrals emerged as one of the more conventional combinations while bold horizontal stripes and loud prints were the talk of the season.
Monica Oswal of Monte Carlo Fashions says, “The horizontal stripes have been well received by the Indian market because they cast an illusion of a broader and larger upper body and look terrific on thinner men.”
Stripes have turned bolder and wilder while the floral and foulard print have made a sparkling entry. Model Rishi Miglani says, “I love wearing floral printed shirts teamed with casual denims.”
Victoria Sharma, editor at Rock.in says, “Varying from shades of red to electric blues and vibrant greens, the relaxed feel and sharp silhouette of the chino has caught the fancy of our boys.” Actor Rajneesh Duggal agrees with Sharma. “India has become an experimental market and our men are no longer shy or conservative about sporting chic footwear, accessories and hats,” says Duggal.
Model Prayas Mann believes bright suits compliment the skin of the Indian man. “The trousers have also undergone a reinvention. They have become wider from the top, tapered at the bottom. A lot of European designers have drifted away from the straight tapered fit to a wider tapered one. I love this new trend as these trousers are far more comfortable than their predecessors.”
Actor Mukul Dev identifies most with the dressing sense of South Europeans. “I wear a lot of crisp cotton shirts, bright tees and shorts. I love the latest collection of Polo Ralph Lauren, Gap and United Colours of Benetton.” Sujal Shah, CEO of Freecultr, an online shopping portal, feels moccasins, and bright blue loafers have been fabulously received in India.
The season’s show-stealer
Whether teamed with a bright T-shirt, or matched with a double-breasted summer blazer, shorts are an unmistakable show-stealer this season. “Teaming Bermudas with cotton tees or tartan shirts makes for the ideal Summer look,” adds Oswal.
Actor Shahwar Ali too loves casual chic dressing. “White still has a strong hold on the latest collections. White pyjamas teamed with a white shirt or a V-necked white T-shirt work for me. The more minimalistic and nude the look, the hotter,” suggests Ali.
Model turned actor Tarun Arora is on the same page as Ali. “Less is more. Linen pants teamed with soft airy T-shirts and chic loafers work well for formal, semi-formal and informal occasions. Add a classy linen jacket,” recommends Arora to make the nude look formal.
Fashion plays on lengths this year. This means shorter jackets and cropped trousers take centre-stage. “Make a statement with a pair of plain coloured slim ones that fit like dress pants,” says Shiraz Bhavnani of FCUK, India. “The slim fit cargo pants are a classic. You may already have an army green one: now try one in slate blue, cement or a dusty colour,” she suggests. “Check out the new breed of thinner and lightweight biker jackets with contrasted sleeves or no sleeves.” “It’s a versatile hybrid between the smart and casual look,” sums up Sharma.
