Men’s fashion underrated

Fashion designer Amit Aggarwal, who is venturing into the world of fashion for males, says men's clothing line is a bit under-challenged. Asked if he feels that men's fashion is underrated and should be taken seriously, Amit said:

"Yes, I do think that barring a handful of designers, men's clothing is a bit under-challenged." The designer, who started his eponymous label in 2012, says men are not apprehensive to explore their creative sides when it comes to fashion.

"Men at this particular time are very experimental in their clothing choices. I think we are going to push the envelope even more. That's what people can expect from our collection," he said.

Aggarwal, who worked as a ready-to-wear assistant designer with celebrated stylist Tarun Tahiliani before venturing out on his own, says androgynous is a trend that men are looking for when it comes to fashion.

"Androgynous is a trend that we believe is going to be a major big this year. Even with menswear, feminine aspects will be incorporated, and we are doing just that. Using innovative textiles in enthralling silhouettes with exquisite details, it will be approachable to a man, but also experimental for them to know that they are wearing a high-fashion brand with a unique aesthetic for them to stand out," Aggarwal said.

An androgynous person is a female or male who has a high degree of both feminine (expressive) and masculine (instrumental) traits. A feminine individual is ranked high on feminine (expressive) traits and ranked low on masculine (instrumental) traits.

Aggarwal will be showcasing his collection in collaboration with NEXA. He says more than being nervous about venturing into menswear line he is excited to launch the range. "It's an extension of our aesthetic into a new silhouette and that challenge always drives me," he said.

Talking about the collection, he said: "Our visual inspiration for this collection has been kinetic movements and energies, often interpreted through dynamic and vigorous compositions of lines. The iconic 'NEXA lines', in its various forms and orientations, played a key influence in developing this aesthetic framework for our collection. Taking this forward, the colour palette comprises arctic and pearl white, granite, silver grey and radiant black." Aggarwal will be showcasing 40 looks -- both for men and women.

Asked what prompted him to get into menswear, Aggarwal said: "We have used a lot of androgynous material in our women's wear and thought it would be interesting to take the textile story to menswear by refining the silhouette story to blurring the lines between gender identities. I truly believe that we have a unique product to offer to the market and there has been a rising demand for men's fashion."

Durga Chakravarty