Pants On Fire

In London,the hoodie has become the dress code of protest and dissent. What was largely the utilitarian uniform of American sports stars and eventually adopted by fame-hungry rappers,the street style is now the sign of rioting,almost evil as a British newspaper called it,“a criminal cloak”. Both the hoodie and the Anna topper are feared and derided today.

What should not be misunderstood or overlooked is a gentle but firm insurgency that’s taking place in menswear today. Men’s clothing is currently the biggest market mover,it is where most of India’s retail wealth comes from.

We may adore the glamour that women’s fashion brings with it,shamelessly ape the trends women’s designers set for us,pay big bucks for big bling and drool at the celebrities pumping the image of couturiers for a fee. But men’s fashion will hear nothing of it. It’s strictly business and don’t you dare call it boring. Men’s retail is far more organised than women’s. Studies that track dressing styles of men are far more accurate than women’s,and by extension,the development is far more genuine and distinct. It’s almost a science project. From basic tailoring by suiting-shirting labels,men’s fashion has moved to several lines and labels by one manufacturer,each one for different social,economic and age classes. Raymond,for example,owns Raymond Premium Apparel,Manzoni,Color Plus,Park Avenue and Parx.

Amidst the frou-frou and the fights that beleaguer our many fashion weeks,the quietest and most sincere effort is just around the corner. India’s only men’s fashion week,the Van Heusen India Men’s Week,is already three-steady-years-old and only the fourth organised men’s fashion event globally. This year’s (in New Delhi from September 2-4) sees such a commendable list of participants: Arjun Khanna,Tarun Tahiliani,Abraham & Thakore,Ashish N Soni,Rajesh Pratap Singh,Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna,Zubair Kirmani and Karan Johar and Varun Bahl. It’s almost as if the riff-raff has been kept out of the weekend-only event. Besides,there are some women designers partaking of this too: Sanchita,Krishna Mehta,Rajvi Mohan and Anjana Bhargav.

Menswear trends are also very interesting for fashion watchers. The slim-fit jacket has just given way to the box-shape,check Lanvin for more. The rolled-up trouser cropped just above the ankle is still hot,and has put shoes in the front of fashion. British Prime Minister,David Cameron,made news for going without socks,Harrod’s is opening a gargantuan men’s shoes salon and Jimmy Choo is about to make its debut in men’s footwear.

From the staid to the outrageous,the inventive to the activist,men’s clothing is finally getting its place under the sun.

namratanow@gmail.com