The Sartorial Report 2023

STYLES, SILHOUETTES AND SEASONAL FAVOURITES-FIVE MEN'S FASHION TRENDS THAT WILL DOMINATE THE MARKET IN THE COMING YEAR.

- By RIAAN JACOB GEORGE

Iteration is the innovation of the 21st century. From phones to watches and films to fashion, tweaks straddle the road between evolution and revolution. In a similar vein, while the athleisure wave has been around for a couple of seasons, fashion insiders insist that it will play an even more important part in 2023. "With the rapid evolution of men's fashion in the country, men are definitely dressing a lot cooler and more fun. In fact, it's quite common to see many men sporting joggers or wearing bombers with sneakers or lifestyle shoes to evenings out," says Aparna Badlani, Creative Director, at multibrand luxury store, Aza. Badlani also highlights the increased focus on "increased design" in the daily fashion narrative.

A case in point is the number of homegrown brands that are doing graphic tees, stylised sneakers and more. Some of the brands dominating this genre are No Grey Area Jaywalking and Antar-Agni. So much so that homegrown sneaker brands like 7-10, from Mumbai, are creating waves with their subversive approach to design.

A garment that definitely underscores the athleisure trend for 2023 is the jacket. Its modern avatar is just so evolved, using new fabrics and colours.

Take designers Shantnu & Nikhil, for instance, who used bomber jackets and hoodies as part of their groom's collection for Lakme Fashion Week, beautifully infusing athleisure into the formulaic protocol of wedding wear. Badlani adds: "Knit jackets, blended fabrics, weaves on jackets; there is just so much going on in this space, which makes it extremely dynamic."