The Demi-Couture Label Challenging Norms Of Masculinity In Indian Menswear

In a dynamic fashion market that has a notoriously short attention span for sartorial trends and what’s in vogue, we’re constantly looking for the next big thing to define the future of fashion.

Somewhere between pret-a-porter and haute couture is the allure of ‘demi-couture’, a relatively new genre democratizing bespoke silhouettes.

The demi-couture movement has seen exponential growth in a decade or so, with notable brands like Alexander Mcqueen, Mary Katranzou and Valentino consciously deciding to reinvent an accessible range of wearable art pieces. What makes this counter-movement stand out is the fact that these handcrafted silhouettes cost more than the average RTW piece but come with a lower price tag than haute couture.

Channelling this notion of accessibility in the homegrown fashion landscape is an emerging breed of designers competing with a shaky economy and an increasing inclination towards unique wardrobe pieces that are affordable and exquisite at the same time.

Introducing Maison Audmi, a luxury menswear label born to create an elaborate and upgraded range of seasonless demi-couture.

Led by a desire to destigmatize the idea of ‘who wears what’, the label’s name is an amalgamation of hindi words Aurat (Woman) and Aadmi (Man) reflecting a tongue-in-cheek homage to androgyny in menswear.

Catering to a lack of flamboyant garments for men, Maison Audmi’s garments are all about portraying the ‘male’ body in all its glory by embracing all its curves and cuts.

‘Noticing a shortage in the market for dresses available in the menswear section, Urvashi Lele established the Indo-British label to make beautiful clothes for the male body. The designs bring romantic shapes and soft silhouettes to break the boundaries of traditional men’s fashion.’

Handcrafted in a cosy little atelier in South Mumbai, each garment is handcrafted with tailoring techniques used in bespoke menswear design. Maison Audmi’s signature pieces are all handcrafted with handloom fabrics sourced from artisanal weavers around India or from deadstock suppliers and have become a hit with all identities as it blurs the lines between menswear and womenswear.

The label boasts of global collaborations with artisans from Australia, Britain and The EU alike.

“The ultimate goal is to do without ‘menswear’ or ‘womenswear’ as the categories of the clothing that we purchase. Challenging the codes of masculinity in menswear is the first of many steps we can take to living in a future where clothing stores present garments based on body shapes and size rather than gender.”

— Maison Audmi

Designer Urvashi Lele infuses her Indian roots with the contemporary menswear scene as she hopes to decolonize the rigid notion of masculinity in India and build a culturally rich segment of accessible couture that can only be considered as an optimal ‘bi-product of colonisation’.

View the label here.

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