Who Is A Shantnu And Nikhil Man? "A Mix Of Shiv And Shakti," Designers Tell NDTV
Shantnu Nikhil's latest collection was all about redefining the modern Indian man. With sharp military tailoring fused with fluid drapes, pearl-embellished accents on structured suits, and overcoat sherwanis that walked a razor-sharp line between tradition and rebellion, "Metropolis" emerged as a manifesto.
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In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, brothers Shantnu and Nikhil Mehra opened up about their clothing line, pulling back the curtain on their vision of the modern Indian man draped in "rebellious" couture.
Defining a Shantnu Nikhil man, Nikhil Mehra says he is someone who is "a beautiful mix of Shiva and Shakti". Shantnu Mehra added, "A Shantnu Nikhil man is someone who doesn't use heritage as homage, but as a weapon. He wears tradition, but also wears command. It's a bit of structured rebellion, and that's what a Shantnu Nikhil man is about."
The collection "Metropolis" is set in an imagined city where nostalgia brushes up against the future, and builds a new code for menswear. Shantnu Mehra told NDTV that the couture collection is about "the way the world is shifting and the cultures are coming closer. The fact that it is called 'Metropolis' - it is a magical city where everyone becomes inclusive, and that's what rebellion is about."
When asked about the uniformity in their collections that puts nation pride first, designer Nikhil Mehra said, "When you talk about nation pride, the values of valour and regalia - we have a dhoti inspired by the Gandhi dhoti. It is the new pair of trousers for Indians. It has come from our history and heritage, but it's contemporary because we have used leather-based sequins that have brought a little bit of shine to it. We are changing the narrative, unshackling traditionalism."
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From their critically acclaimed 2020 collection "The Resurgence" that was a nod to post-pandemic resilience to their latest couture collection which is about "structured rebellion", the designers have tried to make their clothing line about evolution since 2005.
When asked about the one couture element in their latest clothing line, Nikhil Mehra told NDTV, "We need to reimagine couture in India. The landscape in India is focused on silhouettes, sartorial cuts, and pattern making. If you give a man the right fit of a trouser and a jacket, he is yours forever, and that goes for both genders. Our designs are gender fluid. It's a statement not just for India but a boundaryless human."
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The Hyundai India Couture Week 2025, which began on July 23, 2025, and will conclude on July 30, 2025.
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