Of Achkans & Bandhgalas, in Pink

It is no secret that world over, men, un-admittedly, seem to have embraced the colour pink. In India, however, this affection for a feminine flavor in the gentleman’s wardrobe is a relatively new discovery for the urban, metrosexual male. Why a discovery? Simply because it must be acknowledged that long before the trendsetters dictated that pink was oh so acceptable for menswear, royalty & nobility seemed to don the colour with ease and panache. During the helm of the Raj and even prior, Hindustani gentry was seen in their light pink “mul kurtas, rich pink and gold khimkhaabachkans & shaded pink turban. Tides turned, and post-independence, the radiance of pink, amongst the larger audience was seen as a British overture, or may I say a "memsahib’s" choice of seeing the colorful hues of India through her eyes.

Change 
being inevitable, has also meandered into men’s clothing & styling, offering with it a fresh palette of new colours to dabble with for their sartorial ensembles. This change has been more evident in over the last decade and a half, with the Indian male consumer having a larger risk appetite for colour. The Big Fat Indian wedding, singlehandedly seems to have manifested a new demand that has pushed the designers and clients alike to explore beyond their comfort zone. The inner self is being re-kindled by this desire to dress up in fun, and jovial hues, to match the mood, that we have now come to associate with a festivities and celebrations.

Pink and cream are the two 
colours that have dominated the menswear mindset and will continue to do so for some time to come. Earning a place on designer mood boards and client mindsets, alike, this combination does not seem to be a trend or a passing fad - it clearly seems to have become an integrated part of the gentleman’s fashion DNA.