Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
New names in men's fashion
The best men can choose.
WHO IS responsible for keeping the nuts and bolts of men's fashion tight? An attempt to answer this question is most likely to take us to the people who cater to exclusive men's wear. Not mere designers, but the brands which wield a considerable influence on today's men who take pains to look good.
The emergence of new brand names in exclusive men's wear has been a frequent thing in the State. Apart from the dozens of established brands as well as the lesser-known names which cater to the sartorial needs of Kerala's male, many more large brands are currently waiting in the wings to enter the State's wardrobes. They are all emboldened by the studies done in Kerala market by various agencies.
"Kerala has a strong and promising market for men's wear... be it formal or casual," said Vijay Kapoor, the managing director of Derby Clothing. He was delineating the trends in men's fashion wear in the State, ahead of the opening of Derby's exclusive men's wear shop on MG Road in Kochi.
"Fifty-fifty," he said, answering a question about the brand-consciousness of the working men in Kerala. That itself, according to leading male garment makers, is an enticing proposition. Little wonder even the little towns of Kerala have begun to have exclusive shops of branded clothing. Major brands are flooding the cities, concentrating on the hubs such as MG Road.
Derby is, of course, the latest to hit Kochi. This name from Chennai is soon to appear in Thrissur and Kozhikode. "Ours is a functional fashion apparel brand," said Mr. Kapoor, adding that their punch line would be to help a man to `get that unusual experience'.
He has a funny story to tell about his foray into men's clothing. On a Saturday night back in the 90s, Mr. Kapoor had a freak experience of finding not a pair of properly fitting trousers all across Chennai. The brand Derby was born out of a resolve he took on that night.
It has a fairly wide range of business casuals, all in cotton and cotton-rich fabrics. The shirt range consists of solids in twills, poplins, structures, linens and checks, as well as slubs, dobbies and indigos in pleasing colours of the season. The trousers, considered a major strength of the brand, come in cotton and cotton-rich khakhis, chinos, wrinkle-frees, imported polyesters both in flat-fronts and pleated.
For a discerning man, the choice of his colours will have knowingly or unknowingly something to do with the season. The way some of the brand outlets in the city give accent to some colours according to seasons is plain enough to underscore this argument. Even the Raymonds, the country's ultimate and complete dressing haunt for men, will agree with this.
However, men's exclusive shopping does not get limited to single-brand shops. Multi-brand exclusive centres too are on the rise. A trend set by Globers at Padma Junction about a year ago by providing under one roof everything a man needs from clothing to toiletries, is being carried forth with an increased verve by others. Apart from providing everything to strengthen a masculine wardrobe, Globers still enjoys a rare niche in exclusive men's shopping. Besides clothes, it has a wide range of perfumes, belts, buckles, shoes, wallets, pens, and almost everything that vies for a position in the male bathroom.
Fads might come and go, but the thirst of men to attract women would remain forever. Wearing clothes to match the occasion counts more than any, because seldom one gets a second chance to leave a good first impression. And dress sensibly. That's exactly what all men's brands have to tell a man ultimately.
By Abdul Latheef Naha
Photo: Vipinchandran
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
|
