Having dressed the likes of Pharrell Williams, Edouard Guerrand Hermès of Hermès, comedian Hasan Minhaj, and more, Bollywood costume designer Kunal Rawal has seen the growth of menswear and was asked by MoneyControl to opine on the subject.
When asked about how menswear has changed from when he started 15 years ago, Rawal said, "When I got into menswear, my goal was to create relatable occasion wear and peek at the core interest for menswear. What I realized very early on is that men weren’t involved in the design-making process when it came to occasion wear, and I wanted to change that. I wanted men to have the power of optionality. Over the past 15 years, the landscape of menswear has changed. Grooms are far more involved today."
Rawal was asked if he feels people are being more experimental with their fashion these days, to which he said, "This past year people have been feeling very restricted and as a result, will see a lot of rebellion when it comes to fashion in the coming year. People will now seize the opportunity to stand out. I would use the word experimental though I believe that men, in general, are just taking more of an initiative in the garment choosing process. Back in the day, there were fixed moulds and preconceived notions of how a man or woman should dress and I think fashion has become far more democratic today which is why men are getting more involved in the process and are using fashion to express themselves..."
When asked to give his top five tips for the upcoming wedding season, Rawal obliged, saying, "I have a few pieces of advice for a would-be groom starting with: Never pick an outfit for a brand, because a brand could be big tomorrow and could lose its popularity tomorrow. Be true to your aesthetic and pick an outfit that amplifies your personality. You only get married once, so wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident. The second is: Today’s events have become so intimate and personalized, it is important to dress appropriately to the occasion. The third is: Keep your body type in mind while choosing your outfit. When creating outfits for grooms we make sure to customize the linings and hems so that the outfit's fit and fall is perfect for the person wearing it. In my case I prefer micro motifs because bigger motifs tend to make one look bigger. And the last one: Consult the designer while accessorizing your look because sometimes brooches and other accessories can take away from the look rather than add to it, you don’t want your wedding day outfit to look too busy."
Information originally sourced from MoneyControl.
