Narendra Kumar Ahmed’s new collection for Lakme Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2018, to be held from August 22 to 26 in Mumbai, is called ‘Never Hyde’. The Hyde refers to a ‘Hyde’ that resides in each one of us, he says, drawing an analogy to Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde. Kumar observes that we all have two sides — what we project to the world by conforming to society’s norms and the other, a free-spirited side that’s within us.
Kumar has noticed this more in the case of plus-size men and women who battle body shaming, even as the world is slowly adopting a more body positive outlook. Never Hyde is intended to add a little more functional fashion to the plus-size segment’s wardrobe, when the collection trickles down to aLL stores nationwide as part of aLL Primero line.
Inclusivity isn’t a new concept in fashion and certainly not for Kumar. He started his label in 2000 and in 2005, he rolled out a collection called ‘Turn Left Today’, raising a toast to two girls in Allahabad who wanted to live together despite mounting social pressure. In 2016, walking the ramp sporting some of his ensembles were older men and women in the 50-plus age group, at LFW.
“I’ve always belonged to the tribe that felt fashion should be for real people and not feed the size zero stereotype. I was a rebel in that sense. I believe in concept clothing, not size-driven fashion,” he tell us.
Break the myths
Through Never Hyde, he wants to dispel notions about fashion for curvy people who are often told not to wear bright colours and keep off large prints. He affirms that designing for plus-size people is not just about making large clothes. The emphasis will be on comfortable garments with flattering fits.
He admits he was surprised at the turnout last week in Mumbai for the plus-size model auditions for LFW Autumn/Winter 2018: “More than 5000 people registered. Can you believe that?” Of the 300 shortlisted participants, 29 (10 men and 19 women) were selected. Besides Narendra Kumar, the jury included actor Zareen Khan and fashion choreographer Lubna Adams among others.
Kumar describes his collection as be a synergy of “global trends and my idea of fashion. There will be athleisure, denims with a twist and evening wear.” He’s going to use a gamut of colours, textures and fabrics. “It’s a wrong notion that overweight people have to wear lighter fabrics like georgette. The collection will be my way of saying size doesn’t matter,” says Kumar.
- There is a lot to cheer about developing a body positive image and not losing sleep over being ultra slim as typically dictated by the fashion world, but researchers are also cautioning against normalising the plus-size phenomenon. For instance, nearly 63% of adults in the UK are overweight or obese, going by a 2017 report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Data analysis revealed that the number of people underestimating their weight has grown in recent years. People who downplay their weight, reportedly, are 85% less likely to try to lose weight.
- Reacting to this, Narendra Kumar says, “Plus-size people have genuine issues. In many cases, it’s a result of genetic/hereditary conditions. You don’t eat 20 ice creams for a few days and become plus size. That said, I believe in fitness irrespective of body size. Athleisure is about clothes for everyone who wants to be fit and is working towards fitness.”
- River Island, Simply Be, New Look, Marks and Spencer, Nike, Jack & Jones, Seasalt and Debenhams.
During the auditions, he observed the enthusiasm and confidence of the plus-size models: “I realised how ignorant we are. I saw so much confidence and joy in them. Many of them were taking photographs and dancing impromptu backstage, just like the regular models would do.”
Kumar cites the women’s solidarity march during Donald Trump’s inaugural and the #MeToo movement and says, “There’s a lot of openness today and women are speaking up more than ever before. That courage, I believe, is also spilling over to fashion choices.”
At the moment, there might be a handful of clothing brands in the retail sector catering to plus-size people, but Kumar feels there’s a huge untapped market.