Kunal Rawal with Ram Charan

Kunal Rawal’s festive capsule collection is all about his signature silhouettes and styles

Expect kurtas, bandhgalas and jackets with embroidery in the shades of beige, wine and blue

Hyderabad recently witnessed a special showcase of 12 ensembles by menswear designer Kunal Rawal at his showroom. The event showcased some of the brand’s classic silhouettes and styles like kurtas, bandhgalas, jackets with tone-on-tone embroidery and 3D heavy geometric hand embroidery in the shades of beige, wine and blue. The designer created a unique experience for all his guests in attendance. The show highlighted the various aspects of how a collection is put together and finally culminated in a runway show.
We caught up with Kunal on the sidelines of the show to chat about his collection and his love for the city.

Tell us more about your connection with Hyderabad.
I love Hyderabad and can’t believe it took me a while to come back to the city. Here people believe in living life king size and that resonates with me. Work hard, party hard, love hard — I absolutely love that energy.

Tell us more about this special showcase.
This show was about bringing the KR experience to Hyderabad where the selected guests got a close look of what the label is all about. On the runway, models showcased the 12 outfits, each telling a unique story, one of the ensembles was a glow-in-the-dark outfit in which the embroideries emit light when in a dark room.

How do you define the KR style?
People must be able to wear KR clothing multiple times. We believe in customisation. There are some designers who like to stick to the look of the season but we do not go by trends. After Covid, it is very important to wear what you enjoy and be who you are. The more we do customisation, the more we get the opportunity to be creative. Going through the whole experience with the clients is very immersive and it brings out a different side of me. Men choosing what they wear at all occasions and the luxury of optionality are the pillars of the KR label. Our pieces made in interesting shapes and silhouettes can be worn together or individually, which I think is very important.

The men’s fashion industry is booming. Your thoughts.
I have stuck to my guns to be in menswear for 15 years now and I had people telling me that it is not lucrative all the time. Earlier, it was a little restricted in terms of styling but in the last few years, things have changed. There are so many young designers coming in and there is such a freshness in the wedding wear and occasion wear segment. Now is a great time for Indian designers, there is so much happening and I believe that the next big designing sensation on the global platform will be from India. The karigari and the handwork that’s done by Indian artisans can’t be in any other country.

5 must haves in my wardrobe
Black sneakers
Black t-shirt
Backpack to carry essentials when I am out and about
Accessories. I am a metal freak,
I love rings
Mask

Rs 13,000 upwards.
Available online and at stores.

— reshmichakravorthy@newindianexpress.com

Twitter: @reshmi190488