By Durga Chakravarty
Mumbai, Aug 25 (IANS) Menswear fashion designer Kunal Rawal is happy to see the changing perspective of men towards fashion. He says that men are more aware of their personal style now.
Asked if the perspective about men's fashion in India has changed, Rawal told IANS here: "Yes, the scenario is very different from what it used to be about five years back. I believe in do what you know best, so I've always stuck to my guns when it comes to menswear."
"I'm definitely going to do androgynous women's wear in 2019 and have showed that in the past but that all stems from my love for menswear. The market has also changed since the time I started. Even then lots of people told me to venture into women's wear because the market for menswear was not that big.
"But there has been an evolution in the market today," added Rawal, who will be showcasing his collection titled 'Perspective' at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018.
"It is a great time to be a part of the menswear fashion story in India," he said.
Rawal feels that more designers are coming out with menswear line now.
"The way men approach fashion and personal style is very different today from what it used to be. Men today are far more aware of their personal style and what works for them and what doesn't and have far more of a say in what they wear as compared to a few years ago even.
"It was the lack of designers putting fun, versatile options out there, today you have a lot more younger designers putting out their aesthetic that cater to the different needs of the modern man," he added.
However, Rawal, who will present over 60 looks starting from light versatile pieces to the festive looks at the fashion gala, is convinced that Indian men are no more nervous about experimenting.
"It used to be a phenomenon earlier. I guess it was (due to) lack of options. For really long it has been super opulent clothing for occasion wear and super simple looks. People today realise the gap in the market, which a lot of younger designers are filling today, which is having really detailed and versatile menswear that is adaptive to style and preferences," he added.
Ever since he launched his label in 2006, the designer has been a favourite amongst Bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan.
Do celebrities play a big role in driving any designer's popularity these days?
"Oh, of course! We are living in a global world and celebrity endorsements are big all over and have an unparalleled reach with the wider audiences.
"The way we perceive Bollywood has changed in the last decade. I think, all the Bollywood actors today have their style game upped. They all have very interesting personalities and are trend drivers today and also have a lot to do with the market," he said.
(Durga Chakravarty is in Mumbai at the invitation of the Lakme Fashion Week organisers. She can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)
