Brown and golden kurta with cowl, also from Crazie Needle. That is the in thing this season. Salim Ganguly
Linen blazer with metal buttons paired with linen pants from Crazie Needle Salim Ganguly
Yellow khadi kurta with kalamkari patchwork from Tantuja Salim Ganguly
Who said men don’t shop! Come Durga puja and you will see the streets lined with shoppers. Most of them are women yes, but men too don’t lag behind when it comes to looking good these days.
This shift in popular consciousness of men has happened for a variety of reasons. Some believe it’s the corporate lifestyle which has brought about this change in Bengali men, whereas others think it is the comfort of online shopping portals which have made men discover the elusive pleasure of shopping without going out into the sun.
“Men are in a mood to experiment with their looks this festive season,” says Ujjwal Kemka of Crazie Needle on EM Bypass. “They are putting together separate looks for day-long festivities, evening soirees and cocktail adda with close friends and family.
When it comes to patterns and cuts, the cowl is in this season. Every designer in town is going for cowls in kurtas, be it in monochrome or kalamkari. Sleeves are also on the radar where men are showing a lot of enthusiasm about highlights and contrast. Other popular items are Nehru jackets and bundees.
Gatha at City Centre has been doing a lot of experimental designs with dhotis and kurtas. “We have a lot of block prints on dhotis and of course kurtas. A lot of people are looking for printed dhotis which are ready-to-wear for any occasion. “The trick is to look traditional but without any hassle. Fuss-free clothes always work best with men,” said a spokesperson from Gatha.
Tantuja in DD Block is all about ethnic wear for men this season. They have a new collection of block- printed kurtas, Nehru jackets in embroidery and silk and also patchwork in kalamkari and cotton.
“People usually come to us for kurtas. We also do khadi and linen shirts and this time we have dabbled in jackets meant for Friday dressing. They would look brilliant when teamed with a simple shirt,” said a spokesperson from Tantuja.
This season in fact most men are trying to break away from their comfort zone. While some want to try new sleeves others wish to work with collars and buttons. Some have a fascination for metal buttons while others can’t do without geometric patterns or asymmetrical cuts.
Manish Jain, a TCS employee who lives in BD Block, said: “During the festive season a lot of people buy shirts and cufflinks separately. They use different ways to accessorise the look. It is good to see people trying to work out of the nine-to-five look or the Friday dress mode.”