Colour Coded

The season of fall is upon us, which also means that we can finally wear the clothes that are stacked up in our wardrobe without melting in heat. But, with fall also comes the season of fashion weeks, where we get a glimpse at what guys will be wearing next fall, with all that and more we have a few ideas as to what to expect. Utility gear, luxurious outerwear, and strange pants are just a few of our style predictions; but who better than the masters of mens’ fashion themselves to decode their panache for what to expect this season.

In the world of womenswear, animal prints don’t exactly qualify as breaking news. But for men, a tiger-striped coat or leopard button-down still feels like a risk. We’ve seen a few daring guys wear leopard and zebra motifs on the street, but thanks to the animal prints on major runways, we have a feeling they’ll catch on in a bigger way this season. But what impact do colours, prints and unique elements bring in ones dressing?

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“From classic greys, black and blue suits to rendering eccentric and unconventional designs in rich profusion of colors, is what our collection entails. They bring out the best in a man, be it an old school soul or one who is vividly flamboyant. Colours helps in breaking the monotonous style behaviour in one’s personality and lends them a new mien. The style and look one carries says a lot about a person, somebody who is more outgoing and jazzy would usually go for bright colour options than the muted tones carried by people who likes to be in zone. There are so many elements that the designers are incorporating in their collection that evokes the young spirit of our modern generation. In fact in our designs you may find a fruit printed shirt, embroidered patterns or numbers to hand painted animal motifs on ties or accessories. Adapting these trends is all about feeling good and boasting of your idiosyncratic interest,” shares Saggar Mehra, Managing Director, House of Sunil Mehra.

While menswear evolves much slower trend wise than womenswear, fashion designer and the king of kitsch Manish Arora, says now is an exciting time for guys to build and transform their wardrobes. As he puts it, more men are becoming more daring and experimental on how they choose to dress themselves thanks to a plethora of options recommended by their friends, social media, and, well, the internet. This creates a variety of large and small changes every season. Gender fluid clothes are the biggest trend this year and he thinks the trend will remain popular for the longest time. Being yourself, while standing out in crowd and not being shy of what and how you want to represent yourself is the new trend he supports the most.

He further adds, “ My work is all about colour and I have tried to create an impact as deep as possible with my collaboration with KOOVS. The range has been inspired by Tuzki, a Chinese emoticon, a special rabbit that had been customized to represent my personal lifestyle. Subtly embedded within the collection are elements of the rainbow signifying a celebration of the idea of ‘Life is Beautiful’ and ‘Love is love’. Through this collaboration, we aim to spread messages of love, happiness and hope for a brighter future.

For those who pay attention to what’s in style and what they can adapt to their own ethos, designer Gaurav Khanijo, recommends looking at what’s happening in the larger picture and figuring out how to pair it into your everyday life. “Every man should have a well cut suit whether its black or blue, it should be sharp and your size. For Indian men a black bandhgala is like an asset, so invest in it. For summers keep some linen suits. They go a long way in your life. Footwear sure makes or breaks your look, its again important to have good pairs that are there to stay in both comfort and design. Today we all have so much knowledge of what’s happening around us that we have grown out of our conservative notion. It’s the same with our clothes our ideas our individual identities that is helping fashion as well to grow in this country.

Manish Arora’s pro tip: gender neutral pieces, a white t-shirt, a cotton kurta, and a bold and fluorescent coloured piece – for special occasions – are essentials for any man’s wardrobe.