The Future Of Men's Fashion And The Power Of Social Media

Malaysian bespoke tailors Shahrin Bahar and Joshua Fitton discuss the future of men’s fashion and the power of social media.

- Mughni Che Din

The age of male selfimage improvement is well upon us. This is a post metrosexual world where meticulous male grooming and style choices no longer draw stares and gasps. Over the last century, men’s fashion has played a minor role in the world of luxury retail with womenswear and accessories dominating the market, but now this looks set to change.

Menswear is experiencing a ‘Menaissance’ where men are spending more on fashion than ever before and the statistics appear to back up this notion. According to research by Euromonitor International, menswear will outperform the women’s clothing sector across the world by 2020, with an expected growth of 2.3 percent over the next three years, compared to 2.2 percent for womenswear. But what does this mean for the future of the menswear industry?

BAZAAR approached two Malaysian bespoke tailors, Shahrin Bahar and Joshua Fitton, to gain insight on this major shift in the menswear market. Just as not all suits are created equal, so it is with tailors. Shahrin graduated in 2007 with a degree in menswear from the London College of Fashion. Prior to his return and establishing his eponymous label S. Bahar in 2016, he spent years overseas, working for brands such as Puma, Nike, and DKNY Jeans.

Fitton, on the other hand, did not receive formal instruction in fashion design. The trained architect took a great leap of faith six years ago to start up Atelier Fitton with his business partner Misha Shah. For Fitton, training on the job has been the ultimate learning curve. Today, his sharp designs are worn by some of Malaysia’s prominent celebrities and A-listers including Awal Ashaari, Fattah Amin and Altimet.

We brought these two friends and industry affiliates together at Vinoble in Petaling Jaya, where they had the opportunity to share their thoughts on the international and Malaysian menswear industry, and their plans in taking their respective labels forward.