New Delhi, Dec 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sartorial taste continued to create waves as multiple designers made a splash in the growing segment of menswear and 2015 turned out to be a year for the style-conscious male to rejoice.
Modi's style statements - from the US to China - have been inspiring many men, says designer Troy Costa, who was roped in to create some outfits for the PM last year.
"He's a leader. People are getting inspired by what he is wearing. He has started a trend of his own," Costa told IANS, referring to Modi's jackets which he has made popular globally by flaunting them during international visits.
Designer Raghvendra Rathore said that Modi "has opened up the walls of the mind of the youth".
"I don't believe in this or that party. I believe that the most important thing is to unlock the imagination of the youth. He has done that by creating an appetite for what I think is the Indian look...11 years from now, we will remember this day. It's like a Renaissance of a sort.
"It is about reaching out to weavers and using our resources. It's the revival of classic clothing. Why do we always need a three-button suit or a tuxedo when we can do a good job with a bandhgala jacket," Rathore, known for the iconic Jodhpur style Bandhgala suits, told IANS.
Several fashion events plugged the gap between women and men's fashion. Even the country's fashion galas this year gave a push to the booming menswear segment, which saw experiments with cuts and colours.
Joining the wagon was renowned designer Manish Malhotra, who has completed 25 years as a costume designer and 10 years of his label. He showcased his debut menswear line titled 'The Gentlemen's Club' at a fashion week in Mumbai in August.
The collection had suits and jackets in abundance with embroidery and intricate detailing, and much more.
Actor-comedian Vir Das surprisingly displayed another creative side by showcasing his debut collection as a designer on the runway this year. He launched a quirky clothing line under his company Weirdass Comedy. There were also boxer shorts, which Vir had conceptualised himself. He even created T-shirts dedicated to Bollywood's star comedian Govinda.
Later this year, Gionee India Beach Fashion Week (GIBFW) 2015 soared the temperature of Goa with bikinis and bold resort wear for women. But it was the menswear that stole the show. Ace designers including Wendell Rodricks offered more options for men through their collections that consisted of bright coloured swimming trunks, shirts with lungis and sherwanis with palazzo pants.
Popular magazine for men GQ India and Van Heusen, a premium lifestyle brand for professionals, commemorated the best of menswear in India through an event - Van Heusen + GQ Fashion Nights. It saw designers like Raghavendra Rathore, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Shantanu & Nikhil -- who are set to launch a menswear store in Kolkata soon, showcasing trends that are sophisticated and sharp, catering proficiently to the urban Indian men.
Delhi hosted L'Homme, Men's Weekend, which was first launched in 2013, and introduced a fashion show exclusively for men, in December.
"With a lack of men-centric activations in the country today wherein all major activations are targeted towards women like Amazon India Fashion Week and wedding shows, we at DLF Emporio, aimed to plug-in this gap by growing our brand property L'Homme with men's fashion show that highlighted DLF Emporio as one stop destination for menswear from international and Indian luxury brands," said Dinaz Madhukar, senior vice-president, DLF Emporio.
