Designer Kunal Anil Tanna’s latest collection The IDL State of Mind is inspired by the most beautiful part of our body — the mind. The mind nurtures our potential, calms our anxiety and most importantly motivates our aspirations. Boasting classic silhouettes with athleisure hints in subtle muted hues, the collection is befitting of the modern Indian man for celebratory events. We catch up with the designer who has dressed the likes of Saif Ali Khan, MS Dhoni, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Ranveer Singh, to know more about the new collection and his passion for menswear and mo
re.
What was your inspiration behind the collection?
All of us have been through a lot during the pandemic. We are constantly manifesting our strengths and weaknesses by introspecting about life and thought processes. The mind is the most beautiful part of our body. And the intriguing thing about it is the constant co-existences of an ideal, idle and idol phase. It nurtures our potential, calms our anxiety and most importantly motivates our aspirations. I wanted the pieces to be aesthetically pleasing, so it took more time to bring out the collection.
What sort of collection can one expect?
The ensembles comprise classic and minimalistic layering that is synonymous with the label. They form the perfect wardrobe options to dress up individually as statement pieces and also as complete ensembles, for several celebratory events. The colour palette consists of subtle hues of ivory and mint, transpiring into mid-tones of beige, salmon and oyster and finally developing into deep rich jewel shades; all enhanced with intricate and ornate accents of metallic bling.
What motivated you to pursue fashion, especially menswear?
I belong to a family of textile traders, so fashion was always around me. Choosing it as a career option was an obvious one. I got a graduate degree in management and joined the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Mumbai. According to me, menswear is a lot more complicated to create than womenswear. In menswear, there are too many restrictions, and the challenge of playing within the restrictions and creating something new is something that I enjoy doing. Being a plus-size guy it was difficult for me to find good pieces off the rack, so this also motivated me to venture into menswear.
What are the five things you can’t live without?
Fashion, family, friends, films and food. All these Fs in life have kept me rooted and motivated in life. You have dressed the who’s who in the entertainment industry.
Who would you like to add to the list?
I would love to dress South Indian actors like Ram Charan, Yash, Vijay Devarakonda and Dulquer Salmaan, to name a few.
When are we going to see you open a flagship store in Hyderabad?
People in Hyderabad understand fashion and its worth. Fashion is not just about an outfit, but also how one carries it. I love the city; the people are full of enthusiasm. Opening a store in Hyderabad is on my agenda, hopefully, it happens soon.
Rs 28,000 upwards. At Pernia’s Pop Up Shop, Road No 10, Banjara Hills.
— reshmichakravorthy@ newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @reshmi190488