.:: SAMAA - India holds first Men's Fashion Week

NEW DELHI: India's first Men's Fashion Week kicked off in New Delhi Friday with celebrated designer Ravi Bajaj presenting his collection titled 'Dandy March'.

This is the first time that the fashion industry veteran, who specialises in men's clothes, is participating in any Indian fashion week.

Ravi Bajaj told AP Television that as a men's couturier, he felt a moral responsibility to be part of the Van Heusen India's Men's week.

His collection was an ode to the modern man who is unabashed about self-indulgence.

The colour palette ranged from ivory to black, with camel and plum dominating.

French farming shirts, antique jamewar trousers and immaculate leathers with silky micro jacquards defined the dress code.

In a fashion space dominated by women's clothing, this is the first event targetting the growing number of buyers in the menswear market.

Twenty-eight designers are participating in the Van Heusen India Men's fashion Week showcasing menswear and accessories.

The event has been organised by the Fashion Design Council of India in partnership with global apparel giant Van Heusen.

With the event, New Delhi becomes only the third city in the world after Paris and Milan to have a fashion week dedicated to men's fashion, according to the organisers.

The market for ready-made shirts and trousers in trendy new styles has been growing exponentially in India as the country's young , brand-conscious middle-class begins to look beyond the traditional tailored outfits.

Menswear accounts for around 80 percent of brand-name sales in India, according to the Fashion Design Council of India.

Shopping malls with high-fashion menswear brands have transformed the Indian retail market , making fashion more accessible to the average Indian male.

With focus primarily on the domestic market, the designers will be displaying both contemporary ethnic and modern western styles at the men's fashion week. AGENCIES