New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS): The third edition of the Van Heusen India Mens Week (VHIMW) will bring in some hidden surprises when it comes to having celebrities on the ramp, but the three-day fashion extravaganza is focused more on forecasting trends with some some exclusive collections and generating business.
One will witness the best of designs from creative geniuses like Rohit Bal, Abraham & Thakore, Ashish N. Soni, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna, Karan Johar+Varun Bahl, Rajvi Mohan and many more at the fashion fete that will kickstart Sep 2 at the Grand hotel.
"The only thing is that some designers wait for this fashion week because they are the ones who specialise in men's wear. Look at Ashish Soni, Rajvi Mohan, Arjun Khanna - you won't see them showcasing everywhere," Sunil Sethi, president of the Fashion Design Council of India(FDCI) that organises the event told IANS.
"This being the only platform for menswear in India, it surely sets some trends for men who no longer shy away from looking good. Just like last season jodhpurs were the trend, just wait and watch what the creative minds come up with this time," he added.
So, be it reviving classic silhouettes or using hand-dye techniques, smart slim-fitted shirts or bomber jackets, cool shorts or twill pants - there will be handsome men walking the ramp in their stylish avatars!
Not-just-that, designer Sanchita Ajjampur, who is a regular at VHIMW, has plans to accessorise men with collapsible shoes, bags, casual hats, geek chic glasses and hand-knotted scarves.
"Accessories were never considered relevant in men's fashion. But now menswear designers are changing this notion. There is a flourishing market for accessories now. Menswear is no longer limited and we all must hail the change," she said.
And when the sole motto of this event is to generate business, Sethi revealed that around 30-40 domestic buyers will be present at the event.
"Right now the idea is to first penetrate into the domestic market and get going. A lot many international buyers are showing interest, but we are very much clear what we want right now," said Sethi.
"Another interesting thing is that a lot many designers are planing to open their solo shops, and some of them have already tied up with retail chains to reach out to spread their wings. So, yes, good things are in store for everyone," he added.
Even young Mumbai-based designer Troy Costa, who specialises in menswear, and is planning to open his first store soon, agrees with the FDCI president.
"The menswear market in India is growing at the rate of 40 percent per annum. This is my second time here, and I am anticipating good business. As I believe, men are slowly but steadily getting fashion conscious. So, they are ready to lap up latest fashion trends," said Costa.
As they say, fashion and Bollywood go hand-in-hand. What about the celebrity quotient?
"To be frank, as of now we have no idea. As we have always believed that designers are the real celebrities and they shine with their collection," said Sethi.
The other participating designers are Tarun Tahiliani, Zubair Kirmani, Krishna Mehta, Anky by Ankita and Anjana Bhargav, Abhishek Gupta, Shantanu-Nikhil, Manoviraj Khosla and Rohit and Abhishek.