Stories
Ashish N Soni on Re-Engineering Menswear and Rejecting Baggy Streetwear
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CNBC TV18•17-10-2026, 16:39
Ashish N Soni on Re-Engineering Menswear and Rejecting Baggy Streetwear
- •Designer Ashish N Soni partnered with Arvind Limited for a collaborative menswear collection showcased at Lakmé Fashion Week in New Delhi, featuring actor Jim Sarbh as the showstopper.
- •The collection focuses on functional, crease-resistant tailoring, drape-heavy silhouettes, and sustainable materials like bamboo kurtas and high-end wools.
- •Soni emphasized commercial realism and weather-friendly designs meant to transition seamlessly from the runway to The Arvind Stores nationwide for the festive season.
- •The garments feature gender-neutral, softly tailored pieces designed for universal wearability without rigid compartmentalization.
- •While Soni welcomed the shift towards looser trousers for comfort, he firmly expressed his dislike for baggy and oversized clothing that obscures tailoring craftsmanship.
Key Questions Answered
Ashish N Soni's design process began at Arvind Limited's factory by exploring over a thousand fabric swatches, focusing on the company's industrial capabilities and lesser-known luxury materials like high-end wools, Tencels, and bamboo kurtas.
The collection featured weather-friendly, easy-to-manufacture garments including soft, fluid drape kurtas made of Tencels and high-performance, crease-resistant suits featuring two-way and four-way stretch for effortless travel.
Ashish N Soni expressed a strong dislike for baggy and oversized clothing because it obscures the quality of a tailor's craftsmanship, while welcoming the shift toward looser, comfortable trousers.
