From using red to make an impact to exploring foliage and a royal past, three menswear designers are set to make a sartorial statement at Amazon India Fashion Week’s first dedicated menswear show.
THE Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has announced a line-up of three designers who will showcase their collections in a specially curated, first menswear show at Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2016. Here’s what Antar-Agni by Ujjawal Dubey, Divyam Mehta and Rohit Kamra will present on day three (March 18) of the fashion week. “Twenty-four male models will also get an opportunity to debut at AIFWAW 2016 through this valuable addition,” informed Sunil Sethi, president, FDCI.
Royal Look
In 1990, Rohit Kamra didn’t clear the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) exam, realised he had no drawing skills, and decided to drop his dream of becoming a fashion designer altogether. A short stint in the family business, and after suffering financial losses, Kamra found himself at crossroads again. What began as a trend of designing clothes just for himself soon turned into Kamra creating uniforms for heritage hotels. And finally in 2007, he set up his own menswear label, which he runs from Jaipur. At the upcoming fashion week, the 43-year-old aims at reinventing the Maharaja look. “The collection is younger and wearable. You don’t have to be born royal, you just have to feel royal,” he says. Bandhgalas, achkans, jackets and slim-fit breeches, among others, will be a part of his range.
Kamra has earlier showcased his menswear range at Lakme Fashion Week and India Men’s Week. “I have used fabrics such as flannel, wool, wool silk and linen wool. Then there’s also Rajasthan khadi, which is wool khadi and is made in Bikaner and Jaisalmer,” says Kamra. He has stuck to a colour palette comprising black, grey, white, red and green. He has also created a line of shoes and jewellery to go with his Autumn-Winter 2016 collection.
Colour Code
The Autumn-Winter 2016 collection Antar-Agni by Ujjawal Dubey is titled “The Red in Us”. True to its name, the collection, explains the 28-year-old designer, explores the varied emotions that red exudes. “It’s a strong colour but this collection has saturated tones being used in fabrics such as handwoven khadi and cotton silks. There’s a controlled use of oxidised red and an interesting play of stitch lines. Volume has replaced motifs this season,” explains Delhi-based Dubey, who launched his label in 2014 in the GenNext category at the Lakme Fashion Week and is also the recipient of the “Best upcoming designer for menswear” at the Grazia Young Fashion Awards in 2015. He is a design graduate from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kolkata, where he specialised in textiles. Known for his modern silhouettes and drapes, the designer’s Autumn-Winter 2016 line-up will have long coats boasting of asymmetrical hemlines, double-breasted jackets and anti-fits.
Natural Beauty
It wouldn’t be the first time that a designer has put together a collection that is inspired by trees and their textures. But it would be unique to see a menswear line that highlights natural designs created using shibori, the Japanese tie and dye technique. Delhi-based designer Divyam Mehta’s collection for Autumn-Winter 2016 titled “Into The Woods” combines Japanese fabrics, silk, merino wool, linen knits and khadi denims with shibori, further highlighted with Indian embroideries such as kantha. “The collection has been designed for the urban nomad who embraces the contemporary and still has deep love and understanding for the traditional. The overall look should appeal to a younger audience, even though individual pieces can be worn in a very classic way as well. It’s a versatile collection,” explains 33-year-old Mehta who made his debut at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in 2010. He graduated from the Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi in 2004 and was awarded the “Most avant-garde designer” of his batch. Mehta’s debut menswear collection for AIFWAW 16 comes in earthy hues and includes Samurai trousers, Nehru jackets, long shirts paired with desert boots and Oxford shoes.
