Team HELLO!

Designers Shantnu & Nikhil, known for their decades-long commitment to excellent craftsmanship and maximalism, have come up with a new brand under their label that fully embraces the spirit of cricket and how it unifies the country.

Aptly named SNCC (that’s Shantnu & Nikhil Cricket Club), the brand is an extension of the designers’ philosophy about comfortable and functional fashion. “The brand idea is a brainchild from our core childhood memories and the philosophies we’ve adapted over the years in our two-decade-long design career. Cricket was always a binding factor in our country. As a sport, it has united people amongst all biases and odds. There is an emotional connection that cricket holds and it keeps deepening with each match, each new player that steps onto the ground. We wanted to bring in this emotional nostalgia with the fashion force,” states the designers. “As designers, it’s our duty to evoke expression via the art we master. Fashion has always been a part of sports, we’ve just stirred away from the conventional route of sportswear and ventured into a direction none of the Indian designers has taken yet.”

The designer duo share an affinity towards all things vintage and have represented that in the offerings of SNCC. “We have always believed in the timelessness of fashion, and that classic trends always make a comeback. During the late ’90s, fashion was all about relaxed fits and street-casual with a dash of glamour in it. Shantnu & Nikhil, as a brand, always carried that regality of vintage in its essence and that is what we are bringing back with SNCC.”

It’s only natural that a brand that revolves around cricket has a cricketer to be the face of it. And who better than rising cricket icon Shubman Gill to fulfil that duty? The former vice captain of India’s U-19 team says that the decision to come on board as a brand ambassador for SNCC was a “no-brainer” for him. “When Shantnu & Nikhil reached out with the concept of SNCC, it was a no-brainer for me. I sensed an instant connection with the collection and the style I resonate with. Also, given the fact that it’s all about cricket and its legacy, I was beyond thrilled to be a part of it.”

Gill’s style philosophy, which is all about putting comfort ahead of fashion, perfectly gels with the designers’ vision for the brand. The designer duo elaborate further, saying, “Millennials and Gen Z are all about comfort and styling, which is why we’ve nuanced our signature silhouettes further for SNCC. For instance, our classic jackets with clean cuts have maximalist prints and embroidery throughout.” The cricketer agrees and adds, “When I first saw the looks, they were striking sharp with a dash of edge to them. They make the wearer feel so confident in their own skin. They were an instant hit for me and my style choices.”

So what can we expect from the brand? “From essential sartorial pieces like retro-doused varsity jackets, crested sweatshirts, sweater vests, classic and cropped polos to classic pick-me-ups, like neckerchiefs, sneakers, bucket hats, belts; SNCC represents a vision of modern everyday dressing injected with a jolt of much needed youthful swagger,” they reveal.

SNCC will be available to retail from November 20, 2022, online and in Shantnu & Nikhil retail locations across the country.