From premium suiting and occasion wear to denim, casuals and customised apparel, the modern Indian man's wardrobe has evolved significantly over the past few years. Men today are more experimental with colours, silhouettes and fabrics, while comfort and functionality have become just as important as style.
Arvind Limited, a well-known name in the fabric industry, has been a key player in men's evolving fashion choices. In fact, Arvind Limited has been the pioneer of the denim revolution in India since the early 1980s
In an exclusive interaction, while launching their latest Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2027 collection, Urban Oasis, in Goa, Mr Pranav Dave, Chief Business Officer – Knits & Retail, Arvind Limited tells HT Shop Now how consumer preferences are shaping product innovation, why customisation is making a strong comeback, and what lies ahead for menswear in India.
The collection brings together breathable natural fabrics including cotton and linen, lightweight textures and relaxed silhouettes, translating international design influences into contemporary menswear. Featuring classic shirts, camp collars, overshirts and denim, Urban Oasis is designed for consumers seeking versatile, comfort-driven clothing suited to both urban and resort settings.
Q. How has the modern Indian man's wardrobe evolved over the last few years?
Arvind Limited: The biggest transformation has been in how men approach fashion. Earlier, menswear was largely limited to classic colours like white, blue and grey, with very little experimentation. Today, men are embracing pastel shades, bold prints, relaxed silhouettes and versatile styles across categories.
Rather than being confined to formal wear or occasion dressing, today's wardrobe includes everything from denim and casual shirts to premium suiting and ethnic wear. Modern consumers are willing to express their personality through fashion, making menswear far more dynamic than before.
Q. How does Arvind cater to this changing consumer mindset?
Arvind Limited: Arvind Limited positions itself as a complete lifestyle brand rather than focusing on a single category. Whether a customer is shopping for office wear, party dressing, vacations or weddings, the brand aims to provide solutions across every occasion.
Being a fabric-led company also allows Arvind Limited to experiment with prints, textures, and silhouettes much more quickly. New ideas are introduced in limited quantities, consumer response is monitored, and successful designs are expanded into larger collections.
Q. Is Arvind seeing more younger customers today?
Arvind Designer: Yes. Traditionally, fabric shopping attracted customers aged 40 years and above. However, the growing demand for customisation has brought younger consumers into stores.
Today, customers in the 30-35 age group are increasingly opting for customised garments, and the next focus is attracting shoppers between 25 and 30 years who are looking for personalised fashion statements.
Q. Do you think that premium tailoring is making a comeback?
Arvind Limited: Absolutely. Premium tailoring and customisation are witnessing strong growth.
Consumers are looking beyond local tailoring services and prefer branded customisation that comes with quality assurance and a consistent fit. The ability to personalise garments according to individual preferences has made made-to-measure clothing increasingly relevant.
Q. How did Arvind's custom tailoring concept evolve?
Arvind Limited: Arvind Limited's focus has always been on delivering a reliable branded tailoring experience. Customers can choose fabrics, silhouettes and personalised details while enjoying the confidence that comes with a trusted brand.
This approach bridges the gap between traditional tailoring and premium ready-to-wear fashion.
Q. Ethnic wear is no longer limited to weddings. How has Arvind adapted?
Arvind Limited: The brand has expanded its fabric offerings to suit multiple occasions. Whether customers want simple everyday kurtas or more embellished festive designs, Arvind Limited provides a wide variety of fabrics and silhouettes that can be customised according to individual preferences.
This ensures consumers have solutions for both casual celebrations and grand occasions.
Q. What makes Arvind's customised denim unique?
Arvind Limited: Customers can personalise nearly every aspect of their jeans—from the fabric and silhouette to washes, buttons, stitching, trims and even personalised branding.
For discerning consumers, Arvind Limited also offers exclusive denim fabrics sourced from renowned mills in countries such as Japan, Italy and Turkey, allowing customers to own truly one-of-a-kind jeans.
Q. What differentiates Arvind's denim from other brands?
Arvind Limited: The biggest differentiator is its consumer-first development process.
Instead of creating products based solely on internal design decisions, Arvind Limited develops denim collections using continuous feedback from franchise partners and customers. This reverse feedback loop helps identify consumer pain points and solve them through product innovation.
For example, if customers seek stretch denim that retains its shape even after multiple washes, the brand focuses on engineering fabrics that address exactly that requirement.
Q. What is the biggest USP of Arvind's denim business?
Arvind Limited: The brand believes every product should solve a consumer problem.
With decades of expertise in denim manufacturing and access to global innovations, Arvind Limited combines technical performance with customer insights to create products that deliver superior comfort, durability and functionality.
Rather than following trends blindly, the focus remains on improving the overall wearing experience.
Q. How are fashion buying habits changing in India?
Arvind Limited: Shopping has become increasingly occasion-driven.
Earlier, consumers mainly shopped during festivals. Today, wardrobes are already well-stocked, so purchases are often linked to weddings, vacations, celebrations and social events.
Consumers are also buying multiple outfits for different occasions within a single event, particularly weddings, making occasion dressing a major growth driver.
Q. Does impulse buying continue to influence fashion retail?
Arvind Limited: Yes. While occasion-based shopping has become more prominent, impulse purchases continue to play an important role.
Consumers today enjoy greater purchasing flexibility than before and are willing to add new styles to their wardrobes even outside major shopping seasons.
Q. Does Arvind predict upcoming fashion trends?
Arvind Limited: Rather than trying to dictate trends, Arvind focuses on responding to genuine consumer needs.
The brand continuously refreshes its collections with new fabrics, colours, silhouettes and performance innovations while maintaining its core product philosophy.
The objective is to help customers co-create products that suit their personal style instead of pushing trend-led fashion.
Q. How important is product performance compared to design?
Arvind Limited: Performance comes first.
While design remains important, Arvind believes customers ultimately remember how comfortable and functional a garment feels after wearing it throughout the day.
This philosophy has resulted in innovations such as machine-washable wool fabrics and wrinkle-resistant linen, offering consumers premium fabrics with easier maintenance and enhanced practicality.
Q. How is AI influencing the fashion business?
Arvind Limited: AI is gradually changing how consumers discover products. More people are beginning to use AI-powered search tools to explore fashion options instead of relying solely on traditional search engines.
However, from the brand's perspective, AI has not yet significantly influenced merchandising, pricing or in-store customer behaviour. Its impact is currently more visible in product discovery than in purchase decisions.
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