Fashion for the rugged

After the dramatic opening ceremony that kickstarted the third edition of the India Men’s Week in the capital on Friday, both the shows – by Arjun Khanna and Tarun Tahiliani – were packed with an eager audience, and the designers didn’t disappoint with their presentations.
But despite the ample creativity on display, the front rows remained a bit lacklustre, with only a handful of known names present despite the three-day extravaganza starting on a weekend.
However, the opening night party compensated for all of it, as the designers, models and most of the guests took to dancing to music of a very different kind. Samandar Mangiar, a musician from Rajasthan took the stage, and the guests, revelling in the rustic Sufi beats, danced till late into the night.
An action-packed show
As Sahil Shroff opened designer Arjun Khanna’s show to the music of ‘Daddy Cool’, catcalls rang out in the hall. The Mens Week had started, and Arjun, who’d come to Delhi after five years, told us that his collection was a spoof on super sleuths like Sherlock Holmes and Dick Tracy.
Arjun’s show saw designers walk the ramp in pleated salwars with pockets, teamed with waistcoats. Slim-fit pants and check trousers were also part of the collection, and so were quirky accessories that completed the styling of the clothes.
He also used old HMV watches’ dials in the show, and one outfit even had the dial stitched on to the cuff of a sleeve. However, there were whispers in the crowd that many outfits were similar to what Arjun had shown at the Mumbai Couture Week last year. Designer Rohit Kamra on Arjun’s show: “The accessories completely stole the show. They were very cool.”'
Fashion for the modern fakir
Designer Tarun Tahiliani, who made his Men’s Week debut with this show, flaunted the same mastery in drapes through this collection that he does in his womenswear, but all interpreted for the modern man’s wardrobe. Tarun, who’s front row had attendees like Sanjay Sharma, Poonam Bhagat and Peter Punj, said the show was about the modern fakir or the ‘world traveller’.
Complementing the theme was live music by his friend from Rajasthan, Samandar Mangiar, along with his troupe. Tarun’s palette remained restricted to shades like black and beige, while the silhouettes were about twisted forms like collars that could be tied as stoles, or a studded belt worn with the buckle on the back, etc.
Designer Wendell Rodricks on Tarun’s show: “Honestly, when I came for the show, I expected a bit of bling, but Tarun completely surprised me. The palette and silhouettes were so restrained, yet so definitely stylish. The collection did quite a job of interpreting Indian art and style, and for that very reason, I gave him a standing ovation.”