15 Years Of Kunal Rawal

A prominent menswear maverick who knows how to play the game in the ever-changing world of fashion, designer Kunal Rawal reflects on what makes his aesthetic stand out, the advantage of having a niche audience, and his take on metaverse

- Sanika Achrekar

When you think of deconstructed jackets, the only name that probably comes to mind is Kunal Rawal. With the eponymous brand that he started 15 years ago, Rawal has grown into a personal favorite and is the go-to designer of Bollywood, which, in turn, influences the country's fashion sense to a great extent. His clothes speak the language of the newer generation with their functionality, comfort, and structured silhouettes. Recently, the designer worked on another unique idea - a glow-in-the-dark bandhgala - a concept that was birthed during the pandemic. We sit down for a candid chat with Rawal.

Completing 15 years in the industry, what are the major groomswear changes you see now, as compared to when you started?

When I started, fashion was not taken seriously, even womenswear wasn't. Earlier, whenever I did my R&D and market study on occasionwear, menswear used to be about your everyday retail brands. When you asked consumers about occasionwear, the answer used to be 'I don't decide, and my mother or my family decides how I will look at an event'. From then to now, I have consciously tried to educate my customer by involving them, putting in details and elements that they need to know, so they have a say. That's when this whole journey of educating men on how to wear things their way started. Now, men are very different, they come very prepared. They know your collection names, they know your concepts, and they know what they want.

What was that one thing that wasn't a part of your aesthetic in your initial days, but now it is?