CUSTOMISED IS KING

Tailored for the times, the contemporary man's wardrobe spells bespoke, and this is where Indie brands are the new sharpshooters.

- Rizwan Bachav

There was a time when the act of dressing well was intimate, almost ritualistic.

You didn't walk into a store and pick something off the rack. You went to your darzi — the local tailor who knew your preferences, posture, and quirks of measurement better than you did. Swatches were discussed like wine varietals, collars and cuffs were debated with care, and fittings were measured not with speed, but precision. It wasn't fashion. It was habit. A quiet tradition of dressing with intent—without even calling it that.

Anyone who grew up in the 80s or 90s will tell you that getting a suit stitched was a milestone moment. Back then, the fabrics were largely local, and the silhouettes followed simpler templates. Yet the process was personal, and the results were uniquely yours. Somewhere along the way, that rhythm was replaced by mass production, global logos, and next-day delivery. But in a world saturated with sameness, we're now witnessing a return—not to nostalgia, but to nuance. To care. To considered silhouettes that do more than just fit—they frame.

Across cultures, the men driving this return to intentional dressing are not bound by geography or era. David Beckham's tailoring remains quietly iconic, Timothée Chalamet brings fluidity and form to every red carpet, and Saif Ali Khan's enduring sense of occasion reminds us that personal style never goes out of fashion. And then there's Ranbir Kapoor, whose refusal to over-style is, in itself, a modern sartorial statement.

Dressing up today is no longer about occasion; it's about expression. From destination weddings in Jaipur, to summer tournaments in London, or intimate dinners in Florence, the style-forward man isn't dressing for tradition—he's dressing for who he is.