Get crushed in style! Fashionable in linen is the buzzword at leading apparel outlets this season. It is not just Rohit Bal, Rajesh Pratap and Rina Dhaka who swear by it. Even apparel makers like Pringle, Alan Solly and Vintage have made a foray into retailing the fabric at the city’s fashionable outlets. Not surprisingly, linen is the favoured fabric at the Big CP Sale that began on July 16.
Linen’s breathable nature and soothing hues are ideal for men who have a taste for the better things in life, says Rajat Bhatia of Bentley Republic, Connaught Place. “The fabric is breathable, lightweight and natural. No wonder it is preferred by CEOs, young politicians and trendy professionals. Our range of suits, priced between Rs 6,000-12,000, sold like hot cakes this summer.”
Concurs Manoj Aggarwal of Mohanlal & Sons. “This year, the appeal of linen went beyond business executives and reached the campus where sporting linen shirts tucked out of denims and short kurtis became a rage. The accent was on 100 per cent fabrics like cotton rather than blends and polyster,” he elaborates. At Mohanlal & Sons, the Tabac range of linen apparels is a bestseller.
One criticism of the fabric though is that it needs a lot of care and maintenance. Still, maintains V K Mehrotra of Snowhite, the days of stiff collars and starched sartorial etiquette are passe. “It is not sacrilege to be seen in a crushed linen or cotton shirt any more. It is breathable, comfortable and falls well. Therefore the merits of the fabric far outweigh the cumbersome maintenance.”
Among the more popular styles in linen shirts is the Chinese collar, says Varun Jain of Jainson. “Consumers always seek change. From 100 per cent cotton last year, they gravitated to linen this time round. In designs, stripes made a comeback along with Chinese collars,” he adds.
And the litmus test to check the authenticity of the natural fabric? Just hold it in your fist and crush it. If it doesn’t get a wrinkle, it can’t be linen.
