Fashion designer Kunal Rawal is the go-to man for the Bollywood’s young. The 29-year-old Juhu boy chatted with t2 on his celeb clients and why it’s a “great time to be a part of the fashion story in India, especially the menswear story”. 

You are designing Ranbir Kapoor’s look in Jagga Jasoos. How’s that going?

Ranbir submits himself to a film completely. This film is no exception. He gets into the character even physically. Ranbir is very classic with his dressing. He has an enviable collection of sneakers and high-tops. He also has a huge range of baseball caps. He experiments with his personal style too. I have been working with him for a while. He loves blues. It suits him. I like using blue on him a lot too. The younger lot of actors today are absolutely fabulous. They are experimenting with their style. They are open to trying out new things. They are fashion educated and know what’s happening around the globe. 

Arjun Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor rocked the ramp in your kurtas at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015...

It was fabulous that I could go all out with the look, including make-up and hair. I was also lucky to have got Arjun and Shahid at a phase when they weren’t stuck in any continuity for any film. We gave Arjun a haircut. They were both open to going the whole hog. I am glad that the guys today are far more confident in what they wear and are up for experimentation. 

You have been working with Shahid for quite some time...

I like to work with people I enjoy working with, specially because it is a creative process. When two people are working together over a period of time, there is some kind of a connection, which does translate beautifully professionally. Shahid, again, loves trying out new things. Classically, he is such a good-looking guy, a lot of things look good on him. So, you can experiment all that more. He looks absolutely stunning in classics. If you just put him in a plain black suit with the right white shirt, he will rock the look. 

How is it styling Arjun Kapoor?

He is, in fact, one of my oldest friends. We know each other from school days. It is great to see him develop his personal style. He has also changed his body type a lot. He is someone who is comfortable in his skin. There are certain things he really likes. He never compromises on comfort. When I was doing Tevar with him, there were times when we would sit and literally fight for inches. He would like it more comfortable! 

Does Arjun have a fashion soft spot? 

He likes blazers and he has an enviable collection. He loves his T-shirts. Even Varun (Dhawan) likes his tees. Shahid is more of a ganjee kind of a guy. Due to Shahid’s liking for vests, I end up making so many more vests, which I am glad that I also get to use. 

Tell us about Varun Dhawan’s style…

I did Main Tera Hero with Varun. I have also styled him for performances, shoots and ads. I think he is super stylish. He is someone with so much energy and he is so vibrant that I think with a personality like his, you can do a lot, like play with colours. 

Have you ever felt limited as a menswear designer?

I see it as challenging. In menswear, the parameters to play with are narrower and that’s what makes it more exciting. I have found my pace in menswear. Doing menswear today is as exciting as doing womenswear. I would love to do womenswear too but I think menswear is the need of the hour. My next range is a unisex one… the patterns are cut such that it works well for both men and women. There will be a lot of shirts, jackets, bombers, bloomers, blousons, kurta-shirts and a lot of things in between the Indo-Western range. I am very excited about the back-zipper kurtas for men this season. That’s an interesting silhouette for summer, in lighter colours and fabrics. 

Your flagship store in Mumbai is getting bigger…

I am expanding my studio. Mumbai is my first priority. Slowly I will expand my retail. The ideal situation would be to juggle films and retail and I would at least try to do that. 

Top trends

• Try linen and cotton. You have such lovely blends nowadays. 
• Fresh colours always work better but then darker colours never go out of style, specially black. If you are going for darker colours, choose lighter fabrics. Big colours for me this season are lemon yellow and mint green. Vanilla is my favourite. 
• Even if you are wearing a jacket or a second layer, you can style it with a white tee or a white shirt. 

Who is the most stylish GenY Bolly hero? Tell t2@abp.in