Gargee Designers is a name to reckon with when it comes to prêt-a-porter ethnic fashion for the North Indian man. Focusing on menswear like sherwanis, tuxedos and kurtas, the label was founded by couturier Shyam Gupta in 1980 in Delhi. The label is now quite the favourite with celebrities like Rajkummar Rao, Arbaaz Khan, Guru Randhawa and Shreyas Talpade and is a groom’s favourite during wedding season in the capital city. The label just launched their latest festive edit, Meraki, and we caught up with creative director, Ravi Gupta — who took over the reins of the company in 2013 — to find out more about the vivid 58-piece collection.
Tell us about the new collection; what was it inspired by?
We are currently witnessing a shift in the preferences of our customers. As the world is again returning to attending events, they are looking for dressier options that help them stand out from the crowd in their elegant best way. Our new collection showcases a blend of ethnicity with modern elements.
How different is this collection from your previous ones?
We are a men’s ethnic wear brand. Unlike our usual collections in the past, our newest collection Meraki has been intricately curated by using modern designs. Gargee is known to offer a plethora of design options under a single roof for men looking to experiment with the classics. Whether it is traditional or western wear, we have incorporated ongoing trends in our newest apparel collection. Hence, we are trying to become a one-stop destination with a wider range of options for men who want to experiment with their wardrobe.
Are there any motifs or designs that are specific to this collection?
With simple designs like geometric motifs, stripes and floral traces, the Meraki collection features very elegant pieces for the man of today. Our motive was to offer men a different variety of prints to break the fashion monotony of wearing solid colours. Since we are a fashion label, we want to bring a different tone to their fashion, something different from what they usually wear. Our menswear separates collection also features a medley of lacework, embroidered bullion, French knots, hand-strung drapes and textural appliqué that showcases the incredible artistry of Indian artisans.
Do take us through the colour palette used in this edit and please specify colours as our readers love the details:
Our collection majorly has menswear in pink, denim blue, sage green and classic ivories. Our team of designers made sure to include colours that are not available easily. We usually see menswear feature colours like grey, black, white and brown. Hence, we made it a point to include such colour options for men that wish to break the stereotypical colour ranges offered for men in the market.
What are the fabrics you have chosen for this collection?
Being an ethnic fashion brand, people usually expect us to come up with heavy and uncomfortable attires. On the contrary, we usually prefer to include light and comfortable fabrics. Our collection mostly features comfortable fabrics like cotton silk, the best of rayons and polyester viscose. We do not believe in making fashion just stylish. We want you to enjoy what you wear, both in comfort and style.
INR 15,000 onwards. Available online.
romal@newindianexpress.com
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