While menswear has come a long way over the past few years, most men are still hesitant to experiment with their style especially when it comes to dressing for weddings and other formal occasions.
Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal, from the erstwhile royal family of Karauli, is all for men stepping out of their comfort zone to explore fashion and style. “The extraordinary beauty of India’s plurality, of its incredible diversity, is that even traditionally it allows men remarkable leeway in terms of colour, style and adornment across quite a prismatic spectrum,” he says.
Pal has collaborated with designer Abhishek Sharma to showcase his premier couture line and be the face of the brand.
“When the thought of showcasing the premium couture line along with the elite elegance of the Indian royal family came to mind, we could not portray anyone other than the royal family of Karauli,” says the designer, “In spite of having such a rich heritage and cultural treasure, Karauli is still as untouched as the morning breeze. The palace is a true work of art and still holds its historical ground with pride.”
The young royal looked resplendent as he posed across different spots in the photogenic Karauli City Palace in Sharma’s sherwanis, bandhgalas, and ornate jackets. He is the perfect muse for the designer who thinks that wedding style for men is going to see more experimentation and innovation in the coming seasons.
“I feel now is the time when men are coming out of the basic structure of their dressing and are open to trying the new and innovative. The men are now open to the idea of wearing bold looks,” says the designer, “The men are all well groomed, well travelled and have a very distinctive language that they are ready to flaunt. We would see the grooms wearing amazing draped styles and knowing their angels to perfection.”
Pal agrees with the designer and adds, “I think the great thing about fashion now is how much-varied innovation is happening simultaneously, so many trends running concurrently in a way that makes it much harder (in a great way) to define a single ‘look’ in the stylistic zeitgeist. That makes it so much more thrilling since regardless of gender you’re able to create a style for yourself that is a celebration of pure self-expression.”
While the royal himself prefers sleeker styles, when it comes to occasion wear, he is all for men experimenting with different silhouettes and accessories for wedding dressing. The designer feels that men often overlook a very important factor, when it comes to dressing for a festival or formal occasion. “A lot of times men tend to give less attention to footwear when it comes to pairing things with Indian looks. A lot of times we all have witnessed someone wearing socks with a jutti or some odd pair of shoes that spoils the whole look.”
Aside from the right pair of footwear, Sharma feels the right accessory can make or break your look. “A good kurta and a bandi is the best option since one can style it up or down depending on to the mood for the day. A classic or modern asymmetric bandi can be worn with a shirt and trousers or even with a kurta churidaar. The best way to accessorise the look would be with a brooch and a nice watch.”
If there’s one tip that the royal thinks he can give for wedding dressing for men, it’s to look towards your roots. “The best tip I can give for festive dressing is to look at what is culturally significant for you, what items and elements hold special meaning for your family and to try and celebrate that in whatever you wear. An inherent sense of culturally-rooted aesthetics is something no stylist or arbiter of fashion can dictate, it transcends ephemeral trends and is the primary element in cultivating truly timeless elegance,” he says.
So take copious notes and look like a royal at the next wedding you’re invited to!
Designs and Photography: Abhishek Sharma; Styling: Bharat Gupta; Cinematographer: Hansraj Dochaniya; Hair: Satya P Verma; Make-Up: Shruti Sharma & Rekha Das; Post Production: Atelier Clout
