The country’s fashion capital recently experienced a five-day fashion blowout when Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI 2023 descended upon Pragati Maidan. But besides the glitz, glamour and influx of celebrity showstoppers, this season marked a return to the essence of style by focusing on what truly matters: design and creativity. Here’s the best menswear that hit the runway:
Ashish N Soni: When attending an Ashish Soni show, you can expect two distinctive elements: sharp tailoring and meticulous attention to detail. This time around, Soni did just that and took it a step further by infusing a playful 70s feel into his silhouettes. The collection showcased pink wide-leg trousers, double-breasted blazers, sharp overcoats and co-ords—all with eccentric elements and prints, including checks, bananas and paisley. Accessories came in by way of gold chains and bowties to further reiterate a vintage vibe. Think Ranveer Singh but if he was parading the streets in the Seventies.
Abraham & Thakore: Deciphering a designer’s vision can sometimes be a challenge, but A&T is straight up—no fuss, clean and minimalist fashion that you can instantly identify as classy. However, this time, what appeared to be a simple dot pattern on garments revealed itself as Morse code, and various pieces featured hidden numbers, binary codes and concealed words. Presented in a monochromatic palette, the collection harmoniously blended playful typography using techniques like ikat, ajrakh, brocades, badla, sequins, and intricate laser-cut work. Designer David Abraham further added, “This collection celebrates the timeless art of communication through fashion, sparking essential dialogues that go beyond words.”
Tasva: When it comes to men’s ethnic wear, trust the godfather of Indian fashion, Tarun Tahiliani to get it right. His ready-to-wear menswear line Tasva, under Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited, brought the party to the runway in head-to-toe festive wear, with modern trimmings. The garments were adorned with resplendent traditional embroidery and embellished with zardozi threads, pearls and French knots. The colour palette oscillated from ivory-gold and black to deeper lavender tones. In short, it is everything the modern Indian groom and his tribe should be wearing for the season ahead.
NoughtOne: Fact: No one does functional streetwear better than new-age designer Abhishek Paatni with his label NoughtOne. And he highlighted this by bringing in influencers, musicians (including our digital cover star Kr$na) and models to represent his ensembles that paid a spirited tribute to the thrilling world of biking and Moto GP. The collections exuded a vivacious and cozy vibe, featuring timeless streetwear staples such as utility jackets and cargo pants. Designer Abhishek Paatni expressed, “This season, we channel our utmost creative energy into a high-octane racing collection and cultivate collaborations founded on mutual respect and support with a diverse array of creative talents.”
SNOB: If Indianwear and street style had a baby, it would be in the form of Son of Noble’s collection titled, ‘Sadak Chap’. Subdued hues and relaxed silhouettes were set off by asymmetrical hemlines, patchwork achkans and geometric patterns, exuding a grunge vibe. The collection primarily featured linen; with relaxed trousers and lungi and tunic co-ord sets coming out as winners.
Countrymade: The show commenced with a man seated at his typewriter, chronicling the profound impact of war on his life. However, the designer’s focus lies on the man’s life post-crisis. How does he harness that energy? Perhaps by renouncing material desires in pursuit of solace and enlightenment. Sushant Abrol’s collection, titled ‘No Man’s Land,’ evokes a poetic essence, showcasing menswear in earthy tones and deep blues, accentuated with leather accessories.
Pawan Sachdeva: His fashion can often be a potent mix of edginess, sensuality and impeccable tailoring all fused into one. And Pawan Sachdeva delivered this with his collection called ‘INFINITY’. The Delhi-based designer used black, a colour scheme dominated by the depth of space, and put it against stardust-inspired hues of green to represent a limitless sky. Harbhajan Singh inaugurated the show, wearing a long overcoat adorned with the infinity symbol, paired with black trousers, a zippered shirt and a matching black turban. Imported materials, leatherette, mesh, knitted fabric, and Lycra-based textiles were meticulously chosen to ensure both style and comfort.
Park Avenue: Lakmé Fashion Week witnessed a standout menswear display courtesy of Park Avenue, a longstanding player in organized men’s fashion since 1986, boasting numerous stores across India. Their debut collection at LFW, “City Casuals,” catered to the modern man’s all-day wardrobe needs. Featuring jackets, shirts, trousers, and blazers in a versatile colour palette, the collection showcased impeccably tailored styles. Himanshu Khanna, CMO of Raymond Limited’s Lifestyle Business, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting the “City Casuals” range’s ability to add a stylish edge to casual wear while meeting current fashion needs. Influencers like Mohak Narang, Karron Dhingra and Showstopper Rajkummar Rao added the glam bit.
