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Style quotient
Rahul Agasti on men's fashion
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Rahul Agasti's collection:
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Design Houses:
- Tarun Tahliani
- Rohit Bal available at Vama's Peddar Road
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To get a glimpse into this intriguing fashion ethos of the Indian male, especially when gearing up for that all-important day of your life when you stop being single, Shaaditimes caught up with contemporary men's fashion designer Rahul Agasti, and surveyed a few retail outlets to find out what was available, popular, and affordable.
Located in Mumbai's seaside suburb of Juhu, the mood at Rahul Agasti is understated, yet elegant. The exclusive fashion house, spread over three floors, has a spectrum of fabrics and assortment of woolens for classic suiting. The individual pret pieces and accessories are also carefully selected and crafted by Agasti himself.
A Graduate of National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFT),  the thirty-something designer, who recently got married, believes in the importance of personalising his designs with unusual combinations of intricate detailing, fine embroidery work and rich fabrics. He personally attends his clients, who include NRI professionals as well as local business people. "Over the last five-odd years people are paying more attention to the attire of the smarter film stars and sports personalities and have a sharper sense of dressing," he says. His foreign clients request suits worn by George Clooney or Brad Pitt and he is able to provide them with an almost identical replica of the original. At times it makes good business sense to realise that imitation is a part of life, as long as it makes for happy customers.
"This year there seems to be shift, with many of my clients requesting classic suits to wear on formal occasions. It's smart and trendy and if you change your shirt or tie, it changes the entire look of the outfit," he explains. Agasti admits he has taken the concept of the classic British Saville Row Suit and adapted it to the Indian fashion context. His fashion house creates anything from a simple kurta to made-to-order tuxedos for foreign clients. Although he offers an elitist luxury line, he tries to accommodate the more economically conscientious clientele as well, trying to be all things to all people.
"We have a collection of export quality Dormeuil suiting fabric which is the official supplier to fashion giants such as Armani and Jaegar." Agasti believes in maintaining quality at all costs. Does he feel the influx of international name brands will be a hindrance? "No, on the contrary, I stand to be a winner. Till date, there are very few establishments that make custom suits fitted especially for the Indian male physique," he says and continues, "If I am paying Rs, 50,000 for the same quality that is available as a ready-made international label but am able to get a custom fit than I think the consumer stands to win."
The hot-sellers:
The favourite in ethnic wear is the sherwani according to Agasti. "It's a traditional Muslim dress harking back to the age of the Mughals and is the preferred choice for important events by politicians such as Imran Khan and President Musharaf and our very own Faroukh Abdullah," he says. His latest collection also incorporates elaborate jacquard sherwanis embedded with swazorski crystals. There's an eclectic scope of buttons to choose from in different sizes, shapes, set with semi precious stones, etc.
Mantra for Y2K5
"This year the hues are earthy with tones of burgundy and deep maroons, and there is more innovation. Men are supporting brocade suit jackets, wing tipped shirts, and cravats, bandh galas with neck embroidery and jamavar fabrics." He continues, "And they are also trying unconventional pastel colors such as baby pink. Pink shirts, ties, stripes and paisleys with breast pocket handkerchiefs is one of the hottest influences this year," he adds. "I guess being an Indian is the in thing right now on the global stage," he concludes happily. We agree and, presumably, so do Armani and Cavelli, who used Indian themes in their Fall 2004 collections recently.
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Rohini Bhatia-Singh
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| | Cotton Kurta with Gold Print | Spykar's Denim Jeans For Women | Applique Work Stripes Kurti | Rs.1,000 ($20.77) | Rs.1,999 ($41.52) | Rs.1,380 ($28.67) | | Rs.769 ($15.97) | Rs.1,899 ($39.45) | Rs.1,200 ($24.93) | |
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