A round-up of some of the most stylish men in India.
Isn’t it amazing that you’re living at a time where menswear or men’s fashion is enjoying a glorious run in India? Basking under its new-found glory? We at Man’s Life couldn’t be more excited even if we tried! While men abroad have always had an edge over their male counterparts in the subcontinent—accessibility to more brands, both online and offline and more exposure—has made Indian men catch up! So, let’s look at some cool, fashion-forward gents in ML’s Best Dressed 2021 edition in no particular order.
▶ RANVEER SINGH
Ranveer Singh is hands down, one of the most fearless fashion icons in India. Invariably, he breaks the Internet each time he plays dress-up. He and his stylist Nitasha Gaurav aren’t scared to go OTT because it matches his flamboyant personality. From gender-fluid silhouettes to the boldest prints in the brightest of hues—he has worn them all! One of the highlights of 2021 was—when he channelled the Creative Director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele—with long hair, statement jewellery and a wide-brim hat! It sure made Michele sit up and take notice!
▶ AYUSHMANN KHURRANA
Ayushmann Khurrana is yet another actor who isn’t afraid to experiment with his sartorial choices. He, along with his stylist Isha Bhansali, have blessed us with several incredible looks. From varsity jackets, velvet suits to one with a stellar cape—he has been killing it!
▶ ABHISHEK BACHCHAN
Bachchan junior has been conquering new fashion frontiers. We think a fair share of the credit should go to his stylist Nikita Jaisinghani, for bringing the actor out of his comfort zone. While athleisure was his primary go-to choice for his latest film Bob Biswas’ promotions, Bachchan cleaned up super nice in Tom Ford during a Paris outing. We can’t wait to see what he wears next!
▶ SIDDHANT CHATURVEDI
Siddhant Chaturvedi blew everyone’s minds with his Bollywood debut in Gully Boy. In 2021, he and along with his stylist Chandani, impressed the heck out of all of us with his sartorial choices for the promotions of his latest release Bunty Aur Babli 2. From monochrome suits and printed co-ords to asymmetrical kurtas and wide-legged pants—Chaturvedi’s quickly becoming fashion’s favourite with his unique and quirky style!
▶ VICKY KAUSHAL
From rave reviews for his outing in and as Sardar Udham Singh to driving the Internet and the media crazy with his hush-hush wedding to Katrina Kaif—we think it’s safe to say that 2021 belonged to actor Vicky Kaushal! Though not a risk-taker as some of the other names on this list, Kaushal along with his stylist Amandeep Kaur—make a strong case for classic, simple dressing! That was his modus operandi even with his wedding outfits.
▶ HARDIK PANDYA
Cricketer Hardik Pandya’s love for all things bling isn’t a secret! He doesn’t shy away from showing off this very love often, by wearing diamond-encrusted necklaces, bracelets and watches. Whether it’s rocking a Versace bathrobe/towel by the poolside or big floral prints or wearing satin pyjamas and limited-edition sneakers—Pandya loves living life king-size!
▶ KL RAHUL
He’s the guy whose style you want to steal and repeat if you love off-duty looks! His fits are effortlessly cool and are perfect for—running errands, brunch or even low-key date nights! Rahul’s wardrobe is all about athleisure wear with oversized hoodies and chunky sneakers and unstructured suits for occasions. The cricketer has a thing for exquisite timepieces and has quite the collection, too!
▶ VIJAY DEVERAKONDA
Vijay Deverakonda, the Arjun Reddy actor who is set to make his Bollywood debut, has scores of female and male fans. The dashing star can pull off any style—but he seems to particularly love Indian silhouettes with contemporary touches! Deverakonda is also an athleisure enthusiast, and even has his own clothing line with hoodies, bombers, sweatshirts and more.
▶ DULQUER SALMAAN
The Malayalee heartthrob has a steady growing fan base of pan-Indian fans—with his outings in popular films in other regional languages and an impressive Bollywood debut in Karwaan with actor extraordinaire, the late Irrfan Khan. Though known for a penchant for luxury cars and bikes (like his superstar father)—the actor’s style game is relatively fuss-free. Dulquer’s effortless style is all about laid-back cool.
▶ ISHAAN KHATTER
Shahid Kapoor’s supremely talented half-brother is coming into his own as a performer and as a style star. The young actor knows how to work his looks and his sartorial choices are often reminiscent of singer Harry Styles. Khatter doesn’t hesitate to wear bold prints, fits or even show off his killer abs.
▶ ROHIT SARAF
Born in Kathmandu, Nepal and brought up in Mumbai—Rohit Saraf sure made it cool to be the chocolate-boy-next-door again in a sea of rugged male leads. A romantic lead in Netflix series Mismatched—the 25-year-old has an eclectic sense of style—and can switch between pin-striped suits to denim-on-denim look with ease.
▶ SAHIL SALATHIA
Sahil Salathia is easily one of the most stylish men on social media right now! A peek into his IG page will tell you why. The actor, model and fitness enthusiast, clearly has a thing for jewellery and androgenous clothes. Salathia is shattering gender stereotypes with one outfit at a time.
▶ PARAM SAHIB
His Instagram bio reads: THE MAXIMALIST DESIGNER. Param Sahib and his eponymous label are both known for their youthful, out-of-the-box vibes—which is an assortment of bold colours and quirk.
▶ RAHI CHADDA
Rahi Chadda is a fashion influencer, supermodel, content creator and entrepreneur! He has one million followers on IG (and counting). Though he doesn’t live in India, he deserves a mention because his style is refined, impeccable and aspirational with an affinity towards couture. Chadda is definitely one to watch out for!
▶ GOVINDA MEHTA
Bespoke menswear designer Govinda Mehta’s style is all about the fit. His immaculate sense of personal style is all that his clients need to see to become a fan of his designs. Mehta is partial towards all things white and cropped trousers. Watch a video with his styling tips here!
▶ SANDEEP GONSALVES
The one half of the brand Sarah and Sandeep, Gonsalves makes it to many best-dressed lists, regularly. The designer can be spotted in snug tuxedos, bespoke suits and fabulous safari jackets. Gonsalves’ sartorial sense veers towards formals and smart casuals.
▶ NIKHIL MEHRA
Nikhil Mehra of Shantanu & Nikhil is as dapper as they come! Textured suits and bandhgalas from his own brand are his staples. Like they say, why change something when it looks this good?
Men’s fashion in India is peaking and we couldn’t be happier! We love the fact that guys these days are more open and willing to take risks when it comes to their personal style. May your tribe continue to grow!
Eva Pavithran
Vertical Head - Lifestyle