The Changeling

Fitness first: So you thought looking trim and fit was just the gym enthusiast’s prerogative? Well,not really if you want to look dapper in this season’s latest fad,slim pants. Be it formal trousers or casual capris or long shorts,the onus is on wearing body-flattering silhouettes that accentuate the toned physique. The same goes for ethnic wear. “In India,men’s fashion is still a niche segment,and it goes without saying that those who follow it,like to indulge themselves and work towards it. The silhouettes are just one manifestation of this,” says designer Ravi Bajaj,whose collection Dandy March at the recently-concluded Van Heusen India Men’s Week,worked on similar lines.

Finer points: The briefcase was the man’s best friend before the laptop generation arrived. But the fashionable man is stocking up on accessories this season — scarves,hats,caps and big leather hold-alls in bright colours. From in-built scarves on jackets created by Bajaj to golfer caps to velvet ones with built-in ear-muffs showcased by designer Rohit Bal in his latest autumn-winter collection Badmaash,The message is clear—How well you carry yourself depends on what you carry! Oh,while you are at it,hang on to those aviators as well.

Print medium: So you thought paisleys and florals were girly stuff and velvet was not something that was ever intended for the macho man? There’s certainly enough going on to make you do a double take on this one. Designers like Siddharth Tytler and Bal have dabbled with paisleys,churning out shirts and clown pants,while velvet jackets and waistcoats have been woven into formal wear by designers like Ashish Soni and Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna. “Urban men are slowly learning to mix,match and play around. That’s what this collection is all about,” says Khanna.

Colour-coded: If the metrosexuals made pink fashionable a few years ago,it’s time to take things further. Put together a wardrobe that goes beyond the boring blacks and greys and pinstripes and pump in some fun quotient with colours like aquamarine blue,canary yellow,rusts and reds. “If you are confident and know that you can carry it off,then go for it. Why should girls have all the fun?” laughs designer Rajvi Mohan,whose vibrant collection played around with the palette. Why indeed?