The Hindu Business Line : A desi twist

They say you can tell a man by the clothes he wears. These days, when informal is in and it's all about Friday dressing on Mondays too, the popularity of ethnic Indian clothes seems to be on the rise.

And it is not just politicians or netas who slip into these outfits, but the average executive who has also developed an appetite for them.

Sushil Pandit, head of an upcoming ad agency, The Hive, and former national media director, Contract Advertising, believes that Indian clothes are best suited for our climatic conditions. And, they help keep alive some part of our past. "I have worn Indian outfits to evening dos even abroad, at Contract's regional conferences. And I stood apart," he reminisces.

So, it's Nehru-collared shirts, angrakha kurtas and jootis that are getting popular. The growing popularity of Indian ethnic wear is evident from the fact that not just home-grown Fabindia, but a multinational apparel company like Lacoste has also ventured in the traditional kurta-pyjama ensemble. Departmental stores such as Shoppers' Stop or Diwan Sons have all started stacking men's ethnic wear. Even local tailors who traditionally make western wear have switched to ethnic clothes.

Men are returning to wearing sherwanis, bandgalas and chudidar-achkans instead of three-piece suits says Vijaylakshmi Dogra, who retails her Indo-western line for men and women under the label Tex Indus from Delhi's upmarket Santushti Shopping Arcade.

So if it is the plain readymade kurta pyjama sets for the masses, the younger generation is turning towards big time designers such as Muzaffar Ali, Rohit Bal, J.J Vallaya and the like.

And traditional Indian wear is finding patronage among people from all walks of life. "Men of all age brackets and social strata are preferring to wear ethnic clothes. Well stitched clothes that are colour coordinated with the right accessories not only look classy but also hip," adds Dogra.

It is not just for special occasions such as shaadi that men are turning towards Indian outfits. It has become something that lends a relaxed, calm and peaceful look.

So what's in for the young man of today? The emphasis this season is on Lucknawi work with emphasis on detailing. Also more intricate and heavy embellishments are in and colours like white and fawn rule.

The new generation men also seem to be heavily influenced by the Hrithik Roshans and Shah Rukh Khans of tinsel town when it comes to the choice of clothes. After the stupendous success of movies revolving around marriage — `shaadi-vaadi' types like Hum Aapke Hai Kaun! Or Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham — young males are adopting fashion trends portrayed by the stars.

While this has been good in reviving the traditional wear industry as a whole, designer Muzaffar Ali feels that the traditional Indian menswear available at various shops have gone overboard with embroidery and embellishments.

"They seem to be inspired by the shaadi-walla films. There seems to be little difference between designing for women and men. I think clothes for men should be understated. They should be simple with a lot of detailing so that it makes you feel good. That's how I like my kurtas to be," Ali says.

Just like women who build their trousseau before their weddings, men are also paying a lot of attention towards preparing for the Big Day. Designers say that the wedding season is the busiest time of the year and they get orders in almost equal numbers from men and women.

With sales for traditional Indian apparel on the rise, designers are finding it lucrative to create clothes for men. Deepika Govind, a Bangalore-based fashion designer who recently unveiled a range of men's ethnic wear in association with Swarovski, says men's ethnic wear moves off the shelves rather quickly. "We did a whole range of summer evening wear with crystal embellishments and these went down well. In fact, there has been a greater demand for men's wear now than women's wear," she emphasises.

Also, revenues from retailing of garments for men are on the rise. Designers are now selling more men's clothes than the traditional women's wear. "It is easier to design for men because they normally know what they want. Good cuts with little embellishments are generally very popular," says Deepika.

According to R.S. Roy, Editor, Images, a trade magazine, the market for traditional Indian wear is very large. But many large branded players have not really tapped the market though there are a few local brands available. "There is potential in the segment," he affirms.

Though there is comfort factor attached to Indian attire, these outfits have still not reached boardrooms. However, executives from different professions say they would not mind wearing these clothes even to boardroom meets.

"If women can wear salwar-kameez to work and this is considered to be a formal wear, why can't men wear smart-looking chudidar kurtas," quips Ajay Khanna, a 30-something executive working with a Delhi-based multinational. He, of course, has to stick to the conventional grey, blue, brown or black suits on big occasions.

People do not wear purely ethnic stuff to work, mainly because these are not practical. Also because the dress code for men in most offices is western wear. But some youngsters are donning fusion wear — which mixes elements of traditional Indian attire and western clothes.

"Traditional Indian clothes do not lend themselves to working environments and hence western clothes are suited for office environment. I personally prefer kurtas for the evening as they has a relaxed feel — a flowing kind of a feel and the body is not tied up," Ali exclaims.

The Indian man has changed. He now seems to be eager to experiment not only with his clothes but also his appearance. So an Aamir Khan-Dil Chahta Hai goatee goes with a Hrithik Roshan K3G achkan.

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