Shot at the gilded 18th-century State Central Library in Mumbai which is flanked by pristine white pillars and staircase was emblematic of designer Kunal Rawal’s neo-vintage couture collection. The collection titled, Hide & Seek showcased at the India Couture Week organised by the Fashion Design Council of India in association with Hindustan Times saw a wide variety of colours such as olive greens, deep marsala, whites, pinks and pastels that were accentuated with gold and oxidised silver for that understated bling look.
Keeping up with the present circumstances where re-wearing garments, seasonless fashion and timeless fuss-free pieces are reigning the fashion radar, Rawal’s collection saw the trend aping with shirts teamed with bandhgalas, blazers layered over kurtas, and cropped embroidered jackets over dhotis and kurtas. However, he stuck to his aesthetics of men in monotone looks. What took the collection a notch up, was the intricate, delicate embroidery such as French knots- his signature style.
Moreover, bridging the gap between the customer and menswear market that is usually squished and has minimal options, there was something for everyone here. With special attention paid to detailing such as buttons on the shirts, bandhgalas and sherwanis.
