What created a rage in the social media overnight that kept all kinds of people engaged from the elite to the Twitterati. Not even DeepikaPadukone –Ranveer wedding nor the Priyanka- Nick Jonas’ wedding did evoke so much response. It was simply but Narendra Modi’s loud fashion statement in the traditional mundu in Port Blair that created the storm.
A designer tells me that even designer Sabyasachi’s lehenga for Deepika Padukone didn’t rake in so much ‘likes’ as Modi’s mundu did.
Sometimes it takes an influential person to endorse a crazy attire to make it a fashion trend. Actors, musician, sportsmen and political leaders have been known as fashion icons and the newest trend-stinging bee is our honorable prime minister, Modi.
Known for his impeccable style, he has a jacket named after him just within a year of his taking over as the prime minister. This is a rare honor, as this jacket will carry his presence interminably just like Nehru Jacket which has been listed by Time magazine as one of the top ten global political fashion statements.
His latest “new Look” where he is flaunting of mundu has got massive public appreciation and Indian fashion doyens are analyzing this as a precursor to start a trickle-down start of mundu as the next trend in traditional power dressing.
Mundu is a single piece cloth or garment worn around the waist, and treated as bottom in South Indian states. Worn by both men and women.
The mundu buzz has been popular with many politicians like Shashi Tharoor and Chidambaram. They have been known to wear Mundu as this traditional south Indian drape resonates the essence of austerity and cultural inheritance. Actor of the Millennium Amitabh Bachhan too made headlines for donning a Mundu. Shahrukh Khan made it popular when he attended many social events wearing a mundu after his blockbuster film movie Chennai Express. Ranbir Kapoor, Rana Daggubati and R Madhavan have also sported mundu on international stage in Abu Dhabi at SIIMA Awards 2017. Irfan Khan has also taken on Instagram with his biker jacket and mundu. Padma Shree Awarded fashion designer Wendell Rodrick’s showcased the mundu trend in his Spring Summer 15 Collection.
Given the impact it generated, it is certainly going to become one of the ‘must have’ essentials for Indian men.