The third edition of Van Heusen India Mens Week (VHIMW) 2011 kickstarts today. Designers are ready to showcase their menswear collection for the modern Indian men who don’t hesitate to shell out a handsome amount for bespoke attire.
Perhaps it’s the lure of the emerging menswear market in our country that is now attracting many designers to venture into this segment. This year, designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Ankita and Anjana Bhargav, Abraham & Thakore, Rajesh Pratap Singh who are famous for their fine womenswear, are associating themselves with the menswear and experimenting in this sector.
Talking about the transition from womenswear to menswear section, designer David Abraham say, “Though this is our first show, we have always had a shirt and kurta collection for men in our stores. This is a small but steadily growing segment of our business. We have been selling men’s shirts overseas and in a few selected stores. For menswear, it is a large market here which is slowly expanding.”
Designer Sanchita Ajjampur also agrees on the untapped market of menswear and opines, “It is extremely essential for a creative designer to keep in sync with constant experimentation and expanding one’s line of sight. It’s also important for a brand to keep up with the needs of the market and expand the brand umbrella. It is the creative effort that keeps one alive. As men’s tastes grow more sophisticated, they are providing a new avenue for much-needed growth in the industry. Indian consumers are embracing the idea of fashion as a form of self-expression, and not merely as a functional purchase.”
Designer duo Rohit and Abhishek Kamra, who are known for their menswear, are also participating in the upcoming week. Designer Rohit informs that menswear is a very niche but profitable segment and says, “We have done womenswear and our women’s collection is very structured and custom-made, so there’s not much profit. However, with menswear we have a bigger section that we can tap. Modern men like women are spending more and if the clothes are good they are happy to spend a fair amount of money. So, for designers it is as profitable as it can get.”