When I was researching fashion designer Punit Balana for this interview, his outfits clearly reminded me of one thing — Indian culture. Hailing from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Balana is a firm believer in giving back to the heritage he was born into, and his clothes are a reflection of his ever interesting views on the power of Indian craftsmanship. His womenswear is widely popular with actresses; from Kareena Kapoor Khan’s chic dressing sense to Aditi Rao Hydari’s royal ethos, they have been adorned by the crème de la crème of Bollywood. He’s a fan of embroidery, block printing, and has helped celebrate traditional Rajasthani crafts on a bigger scale, be it his collection at fashion weeks, or the outfits of the celebs that wear him. Finally taking his contemporary sense of design and functionality into a space he’s new to, Balana has recently launched his first menswear collection, and believes that menswear and the versatility of it is ever evolving. He expresses his thoughts on the same.
You've been quite the popular designer for womenswear. What made you decide to venture into menswear?
Ever since I launched my label in 2015, I have been focusing on designing for women. My designs are contemporary and easy to wear — comfort is an important brand attribute. For many years, I was receiving requests from my friend circle to design for men, and eventually I decided it was high time that I create pieces for men too. The time I had in hand last year gave me the opportunity to research and design interesting concepts. This led to ‘Mandana’, and given the subtle colours and sustainable fabrics, I thought of creating a mix of classic and contemporary kurta sets for men. Men usually like to keep their Indian wear light and comfortable, hence I thought this was an apt collection to introduce ethnic menswear.
Denne historien er fra June 2021-utgaven av Man's World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 2021-utgaven av Man's World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Most Expensive Made-In-India Cars
From Mercedes limousines to variants of the flagship Land Rover, a surprising number of luxury flagship models are now locally assembled or produced in India
Making Noise In Quiet
Manik Handa of Eudaemon explains what it truly takes to define quiet luxury in India’s crowded retail market
Luggage Travails of a Frequent Flyer
Luxury and semi-luxury luggage are the new fashion frontier amongst the Indian jet set. Our writer though recommends extreme caution, unless you are the kind who can afford to fly in private jets
Ruling The Street
Either through imitation or rejection, streetwear continues to dominate the wardrobe of young India. We talk to those who follow the scene closely to understand its rise in status
Street Cred
Royal Enfield’s Guerrilla 450 is a thoroughly fun and exciting motorcycle—it is not that the Himalayan has just tidied up for a visit to the city
Now Serving.Indigenous India
India's culinary scene is buzzing with a quiet revolution, fueled by a vibrant comeback of hyperlocal ingredients. This movement isn't just about digging up fresh, local produce from across the nation—it's about rediscovering the deep, rich tapestry of India's diverse culinary heritage
CHAITANYA AKKINENI OF OLD LOVES AND NEW
The Akkineni-Daggubati family scion is starting a new phase, and life is looking more exciting than ever
Independence Movement
As we step into India's 77th year of Independence, we're shining the spotlight on four stunning timepieces, all designed from within the nation's borders
Precision in Motion
How Alain Zobrist and Omega Time the Olympics
The New Frontier
While India witnesses a massive growth in the number of global skincare brands entering the market, an increasing number of homegrown brands takeover the space and trust among consumers
