He can be a boatman who rows a shikara through the waters of Dal Lake and he can be this lazy lad who does not want to wear ironed clothes.
'A Man for All Seasons' offers the promise of sustainable fashion to the layman who wants to be anything he wants to be.
Presented by Good Earth, which is venturing in men's fashion for the first time, and Royal Enfield, the umbrella collection saw lables such as Raffughar, Shift, Suket Dhir, Pero, 11:11, Itoh and Antar-Agni, with accessories by Kesya and Raw Mango present their body of work.
Wajahat Rather of Ruffughar says he has woven a tribute to his childhood in Srinagar through his collection, 'Dastavez'.
"When I was a kid, my grandfather would teach me the script with a 'kalam' (pen)," he told PTI.
The clothing line, which is about translating traditional Kashmiri silhouettes, used pixilated Urdu script so that it does "not hurt sentiments".
The designer has used handwoven and handspun fabric from Bhagalpur weavers. Rather says sustainable fashion is important to get the craftsmen in villages the right wages.
"You have to pay the right amount. You need to see if we are paying a person or a machine. It's a slow process but that's the real debate."
Using monochromatic palette to bring out the characters from the vibrant landscape of the Kashmir Valley, one can find a boatman, a blacksmith, a shepherd and an officer in Rather's designs.
Pero's Aneeth Arora said she wanted to create a comfort day wear line for men, but stayed true to her brand.
"You will find the subtle details which are synonymous with Pero - like the seams, the buttons, etc.
"The idea was to keep it very basic so that men don't get bored of it. They tend to be choosy, so bold colours may not always work. That's why there are basic designs of shirts and waistcoats," Arora told PTI over phone.
Handwoven clothes with natural dyes and intricate work, a signature of Pero, the line T-shirts, coats and overcoats in mostly monochromatic shades.
Suket Dhir says the theme 'Work hard, play harder' in his collection puts a spin to the whimsical man.
He emphasises the clothes are about reimagining fabrics, especially Bengali mulmul.
"We have never imagined blazers in mulmul; this is what we're doing with this collection," Dhir told PTI.
In pinks, chromes, mustard, whites and also parrot prints, the collection offers chic, sharp and comfortable experience to the wearer.
"Like a lazy man's kurta with sporty collar and sleeves to simply roll them up. And you're good to go," he says.
Nimish Shah says the latest line-up under his label Shift is for someone who doesn't iron clothes and borrows "a blouse from his mother" or "a shirt from his father".
"It's modern menswear. It actually represents the generation of today who are ready to bounce off their feet. A modern freelancer in their 20s who may also work from home," Shah told PTI.
Lots of crushed material, khadi and washable fabrics made into shirts, jackets and coaties with floral prints on the inside in khakis, blues, blacks and whites highlight the collection championing sustainable fashion.
"It's about leading a sustainable life. This also reflects in your choice to not to leave the refrigerator door open for a long time. It's about taking care of things," he adds.
The three-day curated showcase runs till August 4 at Khan Market's Good Earth store, items of which are also available for sale.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
