Hats off to men's fashion

Hats dominated the ramp on Day II of the Mens Week, which saw both quirky and conventional, but immaculate designs
Rajesh Pratap Singh.
Rajesh kept his line very simple, and yet, there was this hint of bling, as kohl-eyed models wore golden accessories like bracelets and chains. Rajesh focused on layering - crisp shirts with waistcoats that at times had a crinkled coat over them.He also had the models’ faces covered with stoles, with only the eyes being visible. And there was Sapna Kumar in his show - as a showstopper of sorts. Designer Anand Kabra said, “I loved the subtle bling in such simple outfits and muted colours. Plus, that one girl always adds spice to things.”
Krishna Mehta
Krishna’s show opened with remixed Bollywood music setting the tone for the clothes. It was a fun collection with fun styling. Each model in this show wore hats, and the feel of the collection was decidedly fusion. There were Indian uppers with western silhouettes in lowers. Apart from Kabir’s really distressed jeans, the models walked with the bottoms of their trousers folded up, wearing high boots. Finally, Krishna herself took a bow wearing a hat!
Ashish Soni
Ashish presented a chic and breezy collection, very summery, in very vibrant colours. Not every designer would dress men in baby pink and aqua blue, not to mention colour blocking suits in such colours with purple and orange shirts and socks. But Ashish did just that and earned kudos too. There were bold silhouettes, shorts with dropped crotches and formal lounge pants with turned up hems. “Ashish is an old designer, but his collection is young,” said designer Suneet Varma. At the end of his show, Rohit Bal hugged Ashish, saying, “No one else could have pulled off an orange after a pink like that!”
Sanchita Ajjampur
The remarkable thing about Sanchita’s collection was the colours - bright blue, yellow, green and mustard. And the fact that the clothes didn’t require ironing. Most of the models were wearing glasses, and the clothes were inspired by 20s and 30s art deco. Said Sanchita, “A guy’s outfit should look like it was put together in five minutes.”
Abhishek Gupta
Abhishek presented a collection that focussed on the cuts of the trousers and jackets. There were slim fit trousers, scarves and cargo pants, with the chequered cargos quite grungy looking, teamed with hats for accessories. Said designer Anju Modi, “The outfits and the way he has combined them look smart, and there is a very Western appeal to the designs.”
Ankita & Anjana
Ankita and Anjana Bhargav were two of the few women designers in the India Mens Week 2011. Their collection, a modern take on classic silhouettes, had socks with laces and big glass frames. According to Anjana, the socks were meant to be like booties, to be worn at home, a break from boring old socks.
Abraham & Thakore
The duo presented an easy-on-the-eyes collection, and though they kept the designs classic - which is their forte, actually - they also gave the traditional Indian silhouettes a twist by adding a playful touch to the cuts. Designer Manoviraj Khosla loved the collection, and said, “It was very refreshing. The silhouettes were very different.”
Zubair Kirmani
Zubair’s clothes seemed not to have one specific theme, but ranged across a variety of cuts, with various inspirations. What was common to them all was the use of Shibori techniques with a predominantly earthy colour palette. Many of the models wore chappals with trousers, in yet another fusion innovation. Said Manish Gupta, “The cuts were quite impressive.”
Rajvi Mohan
Rajvi’s show was called ‘Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani’, and the reason was obvious because of the Indo-western feel of the clothes. It displayed a mix of traditional influences, featuring kurtas with slim fit pants. The well-known Jea Band from Delhi, the shaadi wala band that’s been in a few movies as well, ended the show. Some friends of Rajvi walked the ramp, including Shiv Karan Singh, Vikrum Baidyanath, Sanjay Sharma and Sid Tytler. Reemma Sen said, “The colour palette was quite nice.”
Rohit-Rahul
It was an urban, mix-and-match collection that this designer duo presented. There were cool blues and earthy tones, hinting at both the retro and the funky. And then there were colours so vibrant that they bordered on the dandy. But the duo did not deviate from their love for cuts and constructed garments. They had also played a bit with textures. “I always love their collections. They are simple yet complex, and so easy to wear,” said designer Manoviraj Khosla.
(Contributed by Jyothi Prabhakar, Garima Sharma & Kashika Saxena)