Collage, a multi-designer boutique in Chennai hosted The Men Are Talking, their first display of men’s fashion featuring pieces by Vivek Karunakaran and Suket Dhir. Men’s fashion has evolved into androgynous territory in the last few decades in India, and this is what makes Vivek and Suket’s new collections stand out.
Walking into The Men Are Talking event, the eye-catching prints displayed by both designers catch my eye faster than it takes for me to register the Billy Joel song playing in the background. You can tell their prints apart by Vivek’s muted tones and traditional fabrics, and Suket’s bold designs and sparkling hues. With food from Pumpkin Tales, and rock music playing , the showcase feels like nothing short of a celebration.
Vivek describes his work as ‘versatile’. His collection has a fusion of traditional prints like Kalamkari and Bandhani, with athleisure,bomber jackets, and Karunakaran’s personal favourite ‘shackets’ – an amalgamation of a shirt and a jacket which he deems essential in every man’s wardrobe.
The Chennai based designer says he aims to change how traditional prints are perceived. “It is not high fashion. It is quiet luxury,” he says, demonstrating the ease with which a ‘shacket’ can be thrown on over any outfit to elevate the look. The ease and accessibility of his designs – which invite experimentation – also draw into the androgyny of the collection. Men and women both, can wear the pieces and style them in a manner that accentuates an outfit. The hand-embroidered bundy coats in the collection can be worn with a kurta or a sari. The work is detail-centric and minimalistic, and is more about the feel and adaptability of the clothing.
If versatile describes Vivek’s work, Suket’s collection exudes vibrance. The Delhi-based designerpresents a collection of eclectic prints made using natural fibres – symbolising nature which is a recurring theme. Suket uses traditional prints and storylines that demand your attention. “Every print has a backstory,” he says, creating a world with each piece.
It is not just the striking shades and designs that draw you to Suket’s work, but the subtle, intricate details woven in (literally, in the case of the different threads used to sew buttons). From miniature paintings featuring hornbills smoking cigars to cheetahs wearing helmets, the designer has made the collection a visual experience. He uses muga silk for the shirts, lined with mulberry silk on the inside – emphasising comfort on the inside like Vivek, with a bold look on the outside. Also, like Vivek, Suket encourages both men and women to wear the collection, having started as a men’s designer who then expanded into women’s fashion.
When the lines blur between men’s and women’s fashion, the arena for experimentation increases which is the springboard for the collections created by Vivek and Suket. Experimenting across patterns, prints and gender, these collections demand to be seen, and worn.
