Boy Zone

When her show takes off on September 11 at the first ever Van Heusen India Men’s Week in the Capital,designer Rajvi Mohan will throw caution to the winds and bring on a collection that has vivid colours like canary yellows,aquamarines and golds. “Not the best shades for a man,you might say,but this is a fun,happy summer collection,meant for the casual and laid-back male,who is also self-assured to carry them off,” says the 28-year-old. Her purely western spring-summer line,called Presenting the Royals of Surf,has no kurtas or sherwanis in it. Instead,as a tribute to surfer chic,there are hip jackets with Bohemian elements,interesting block prints and bright highlights.

Mohan is hardly an aberration when she says she’d rather have a fun collection on the ramp than go for traditional fare at the three-day event. Designer Ravi Bajaj has silhouettes that are befitting of the metrosexual while Nitin Bal Chauhan is ready to launch his funky gothic print tees for teens at the week,that will then be retailed from mass-market departmental chains. So if you thought men’s clothes were all about boring blacks and sober suits,it’s time to do a reboot. “I am showing outfits for two seasons,so my ensembles move from comfortably draped outfits in florals and pastels to a more severe,structured and dark look,” says designer Siddharth Tytler,who has a show on September 12. Even veteran designers David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore have played around with ikat prints and hand drapes to create interesting patterns on shirts.

Brothers Shantanu and Nikhil Mehra are dabbling with decadence in their collection,called The Macedonian King. Inspired by the Hellenic universe of Alexander the Great,it’s been modified to an Indian context. The two have mostly worked on Indian silhouettes in silks,velvets and handlooms in colours like off-whites and golds,with accents of red. “It’s extravagant and luxurious,and has an old world charm re-worked in contemporary terms,” says Nikhil.

Designer Ashish Soni,one of the two grand finale designers has created a line that steers clear of the baroque. “It’s very international,aimed at young executives,mid-way up the professional and social ladder,” he says. Soni has used lightweight silks,viscose,light wools as fabrics and worked out a look that is monochromatic and structured. But what is more interesting is the way he is going to present his show. “I’ll showcase about 40 outfits,but with the recession on around the world,the emphasis is on smart dressing. So I am going to emphasize on the styling and show how a single item of clothing can be accessorised differently to fit into several roles,” he says. Get ready for the ride.