Indian Menswear Is Having Its Moment

The script has been flipped. Gone are the days when fashion (mostly) focused on big gowns on starlets and the gentlemen, primarily in their dark suits, or prep staples, were merely the adulating accompaniments—always present, but rarely presented up front sartorially.

Today—men, their suits, skirts and menswear swerves garner as many claps (and catcalls), bagging big wins for the business of fashion. From red carpets to reels, menswear is a major mainstay. 

The movement is strongly brewing in India too. As the Fashion Design Council of India outs the fourth edition of its ambitious menswear event (House of Glenfiddich presents FDCI India Men’s Weekend 2026), its efficacious chairperson Sunil Sethi asserts — “This season, we’ve broken some rules. A heady mix of 23 leading and emerging designers showcase their collections through immersive presentations, directed by six different choreographers. We are all set to push the envelope with menswear and it’s only going to get stronger
from here on.”

TEXTILES AND TEXTURES

Despite the rich repertoire of fabrics and embroideries in the country, look around—a whole lot of men still opt for the plain and the mundane. Too much to pair up varied textiles and textures, right? Well, the designers have thrown down the gauntlet. It’s time to gather the confidence and mix it up.

For his brand INCA, Amit Hansraj looks at resist dyeing techniques (like bandhani, lehariya, shibori), and block printing with an imaginative and upbeat approach. At Til, Ankur Verma plays up big textures and bigger volume. Camouflage gets newer interpretations via thread embroideries at Countrymade and Son of a Noble. Sahil Aneja coats a coat with sparkly sequins.

What we are most down with:

The sprightly use of traditional silks— Krishna Mehta appliqués and patches it together, while Vivek Karunakaran crafts some sumptuous Kanjeevaram dhoti pants and pairs them with sharp jackets. Brilliant.

ACHROMATIC

Things are simple. Until they are not. Point in case: black and white.  Once the achromatic palette was a menswear trope associated with classic staples. Today, designers have stripped the trusted colour scheme of its risk-averse rep. From satanic graphic prints at Nitin Bar Chauhan to rosette trenches at Samant Chauhan, experimental ikats at Abraham & Thakore to textured layering at Antar-Agni — the high contrast combination of black and white is set to bolster your statement-y style moves.

What we are most down with:

Dhruv Vaish 's study of the anatomy of a suit. Think well cut suits that highlight deconstructed artisanal details and feature exposed-tailoring.

The bandhgala

There's something about the lure of the great eastern jacket—the Bandhgala—that has won the trust of gentlemen acoss generations. From Bond to the Beetles, Pataudi to Pacho, we've seen the band collared jacket assert its brilliance. Today, it's still the one that designers can't do without designing a version of.

CHECKS

Checks never really go anywhere. They always lurk around the nooks and crevices of men’s wardrobes. And then—Boom. They charge ahead, checkering our's (and the designers’) imagination strongly.

At the IMW 26: Madras, Windowpane, Gingham, Plaid—the most classic of menswear patterns— gained ground once more. But right now, checks are playing dress up. Think trim and tailored. No lumberjacks connotations, or Ska band checkers.

SURFACE SCIENCE COUNTRYMADE (BY SUSHANT ABROL)

He chars denim to look like burnt rubber. Ages, distresses and beats the fabrics to look like sundry industrial surfaces. Sushant Abrol is slowly and steadily solidifying his presence as a distinct voice in contemporary menswear. This collection is inspired by foundries, and we find it mighty strong.

HEATED REVELRY

About hisTom Ford 2026 showcase, Haider Ackermann states—“Seduction is a dialogue, ignited by a gaze. To seduce is to see and to be seen by the object of one's desire, drawing close, enticing touch.”

In times of thirst traps and click baits, the (unprecedented) adulation of the male body is far-flung.  And bare bits were on show aplenty at the India Mens Week too. The Abraham & Thakore show stood out for the menswear as much as for the muscle on show.

Kicking off with a pair of strapping models splashing out of water, reiterating  what we’ve been asserting (seen the Esquire guys above?)—the lure of the male pin up is here to stay and the focus on men’s physicality is only going to get sharper.

A THIN FINE LINE RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

Gun shots. Sirens. The dance of despair. A prayer in silence.

Like an artist working in the discipline of fashion, Rajesh Pratap Singh often uses his presentations as a way to inquire and confront the hard questions surrounding the world we inhabit. From existential dilemmas to cultural codes, idea of identity to environmental crisis, he uses clothing and performance to tell stories that are present and pertinent.

Staged in a bunker setting, and reflecting upon the perils of war, his new collection, ‘A Thin Fine Line’ is powerful (and precognitive), calling for introspection and pressing upon the now and the urgent.

IT'S A WRAP

When Jean Paul Gaultier pushed the boundaries of menswear in the ’80s (first through his show And God Created Man in 1985 which caused quite a stir, following it up with many  shows, putting men in various skirts), it was considered radical, a move that was for runways and fashion spreads, not for men’s wardrobes. 

Today, things are different. As conversations around gender and identity pursue, men are embracing fashion as a way of self expression like never before.  And after years of playing peek-a-boo—from percolating on runways to cladding the occasional rockstar, gracing a cover look here to bracing the red carpet there—today, skirts are loved and donned by so many men that they elicit more ‘normal’ not less ‘rad’. They’re legit menswear and seem officially ready to enter the our wardrobes and the mainstream.

At the men’s weekend, designers outed many updated versions of the men’s wrap skirt—a garment which, in Indian costume study finds a place of prominence.

TRADITION WITH A TWIST VIVEK KARUNAKARAN

Sharp tailoring meets luxe drapery, as Karunakaran continues his exploration of idam—a study of identity and belonging. The plushest of kanjeevaram silk temple border dhotis, embellished jackets, long tunics and some crisp flowy wrap arounds—think of it as menswear’s finest trad-chic outing.