Thanks to traditional and textile-driven ensembles, the grooms of Bengaluru yearn to wear Advaya on their big day, not Manish Malhotra or Sabyasachi. Ever since founder K Radharaman introduced a bespoke menswear line as a part of the label last year, the orders have only gone up. Catering to the demands, the men’s section at Angadi Heritage, the sprawling 18,000 square feet space in Jayanagar, is currently under expansion and is all set to showcase the label’s new edits once ready.
Pushing the boundaries of traditional Indian crafts, the new line of ensembles, which is set to hit the store closer to the festive season next month, is designed keeping the upcoming generation in mind. “The men’s collection under Advaya offers everything from shirts to trousers to bandis, achkans and kurtas. So, it’s a combination of Indian and contemporary silhouettes for men. Most of the textiles, embroideries, printing and everything else are designed in-house,” the founder begins.
Advaya for Men is made from a multitude of fabrics such as tussar, linen and silk and linen blends. The textiles in Indian silhouettes are aimed at more than just fulfilling the very straightforward requirement of wedding and occasion wear, as modern men seek a more fluid look. And so, Advaya for Men, this season, will roll out ensembles in kantha, cool hues in ikat and bold and more graphic prints such as paisley in varied summer shades.
The edits will include shirts, dhotis and silk pants, besides sherwanis, kurta sets, jackets, bundis and other traditional and fusion wear for men. “Usually the trousers don’t get the attention they deserve and when we found out that many men who were shopping with us for their groomsmen did not seem to have the necessary trousers to go with it their achkans, we realised this has traditionally been a problem. So, we’ve introduced silk trousers of different kinds in different textures and design languages. We’ve done ikat trousers, paisley trousers and so on, all of which are yet to be unveiled,” he reveals.
When asked what more can we expect from the new range, Radharaman shares, “Apart from a new line of embroidery, we’re reintroducing paisleys to men’s fashion because paisleys used to be a trend in the ’60s and we are reintroducing it to men’s fashion in a very big way. So across all our silhouettes, you’ll find a lot of paisleys.” The brand is also set to bring in three-dimensional textured fabric to its men’s wear section for the first time. “We’ve brought in wool blends, which will be launched closer towards winter. But we’re using silk and wool blends. Again, not very common when it comes to men’s fashion. So, there is a lot of new things happening both in terms of the silhouette as well as in terms of fabric.”
Moving from prints to embroideries, Advaya which is closely associated with chikankari and kantha, will be found in their wedding line along with contemporary embroidery such as aari and surface embellishments like zardosi. Speaking of the colour palette, the designer says, “It is very much along the lines of what you would call bright festive and deep colours. These of course lend themselves naturally to deeper aubergines and deep greens as well as some fresh colours. We have a fair sprinkling of light pastel pinks and neutral beiges, as well.”
The new line has been in the making now for a better part of a year and is going to be launched in phases after launching the extended men’s section. “Only certain items will come out closer to winter and some during the festive season, but the brand will be showcasing new launches every three months,” he concludes.
₹7,000 onwards. At Angadi Heritage, Jayanagar.