Carving a Niche

Whoever said fashionable clothing is just for the ladies clearly has never seen these top fashion designers for men. Designing and producing the top looks in men’s shirts, pants, shoes and accessories, this fashion label has made its mark at the top of the industry for men’s clothing in a short span of time. From the classic, global brands of Prada and Dolce & Gabbana to the newer styles from Alexander McQueen and Michael Bastian, the top men’s clothing designers are dressing today’s sharp dressed men around the world.

One such designer that has caught our attention on the Indian front is Arjun Saluja, with his deconstructed Indian silhouettes and a sharp eye for detail, Arjun makes for the perfect avant- garde designer who plays a pivotal role in shaping up the design aesthetics for the new-age Indian rebel who speaks his mind. Edited excepts... How did the journey of fashion designing begin for you?

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Well, I actually wanted to be a theatre actor and a dancer and my mother was into designing. When she passed away, I took up design and tried to incorporate movements and emotions in the silhouette and that is how I created an amalgamation of the two.

There’s an unconventional magic in your colour palette that mesmerises each one of us. According to you, what impact do colours and unique elements bring in one’s dressing?

In my opinion, colours denote a very personal and psychological choice, its what you see, how you interact, it is also a conversation within. Colours for us are incredibly important, we adjourn to colours that work well with our shape, form and highlights the details and pattern making that we want.

Your label is known for its contemporary perspective and fluid creations. Take us through your design process.

There is a method to the magnets which I cannot explain, but what we try to do is deconstruct Indian silhouettes. We work on ideas that are historical and reconstruct them, to make them more contemporary and relevant. We try our best to create clothes that are genderless and androgynous. The contradiction between structure and drape is basically the philosophy of the time.

In India where there a few menswear designers and bridal often overtakes. How are you creating a niche for yourself?

I think it is very important as a designer, to have a vision for your brand, how do you see your brand, what is the language that your brand should have, what are the quotes you want to work with. I think it’s very important to understand and follow that. We do not demarcate the shape and form, rather we focus on designing versatile pieces that could be worn during the day or in the evening. So utility plays an essential role in our work as well.

How does your love for structure feature in your designs?

I think it’s a love for architecture. By looking at the classic heritage buildings and spaces, is what inspires me the most, it drives the narrative and emotion of my ensembles. They further work together to create a certain idea, that aids to our technical development.

The season of Fall is upon us, bringing with it more trends, styles and silhouettes. In the realm of menswear, what would be the biggest trend this year?

Dress according to what you see and what you are comfortable with. I think that is the most important trend. I don’t think that men or women need to follow a trend. When you are wearing something that you are comfortable in then that exudes confidence.

Menswear fashion has made its mark in the industry in a short span of time. What according to you are the staple pieces that every man should have in his wardrobe?

Menswear I think has just erupted in India over the last few years and that being because there are younger designers who are taking up menswear. Today 60 per cent of Indians are below 35, which has resulted in a varied league of audience requirements. We have to realize that there is another voice that is developing. We have to realize that the occupations are changing of the younger people today. So when the codes are changing within society, the expression changes too, and I think that has given birth to a new form and shape and expression. And as far as the staple pieces are concerned it’s great to have an amazing pair of straight pants that you can pair up with a t-shirt, kurta, blazer, biker jacket or even a bomber.

Do you think the younger audience in India is gravitating towards the modern and edgy silhouettes or are we still awing the westernised shape and form. What according to you is the shift as of now?

The shift is social media, the freedom of being able to buy online, the factor of accessibility. That’s the major shift and from there tends people aesthetics. Today they are able to look at any designer’s work on their phone. They can buy any silhouette, form, shape, and be inspired by it. So, it’s very important to understand where they are at today. I think they want to express themselves and individuality is the keyword. I don’t think anything is clear cut at the moment but I think voices, revolution or changes only happen through destruction and when that happens there is chaos which leads to something substantial. I think that is the transition we are in at this moment.

Could you give us a hint of your upcoming collections?

We are focusing on an essential collection which would be your everyday wear line. We are working on right now is continuing our process of deconstructing silhouettes that are Indian. The street is a huge inspiration for us and we derive a lot from every day and the mundane and its a process. We don’t cut off the design in the next collection, it is an ongoing language that we are trying to create. For us it is not just about one collection, I think it’s about the broader vision and language that we specialise. I think that is what our focus is really on.

From the November-December 2019 issue of FHM India.