THE ANTI-DOTE
HIMANSHU OR ‘GLITTERI HIMI’ AS HE IS POPULARLY KNOWN, WAS THE FIRST NAME TO POP FOR THIS STORY. HE HAS NO STYLE. HE HAS A VIBE, WHICH HE CHOOSES NOT TO CATEGORISE. WE TRIED TO CAPTURE A TASTE OF HIS FASHION AND THE DEPTH OF HIS MIND
From silver brogues to sheer shirts I wore it all. That’s what gave me the sobriquet ‘Glittery’. Initially, many people around me did not approve of how I would dress so free, but opinions have never bothered me. I live in my own bubble. Creativity cannot flow freely if there are a lot of rules. Four years in the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has not only shaped me but made me work with the facts of the industr y. So, I may work on super commercial stuff in the office from nine to five but once I am home, I do what I want. I blog, I shoot, I model and I dream beyond boundaries.
“THE FASHION INDUSTRY NEEDS THE NEW, THE YOUNG AND THE DIFFERENT. WE ARE NOT HERE TO BREAK THE RULES, BUT TO REINVENT THEM TO FIT THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF AN INCLUSIVE GENERATION.”
Six years ago, I never really thought beyond apparel or fashion design. Once I started learning, my unlimited range of choices moulded me into someone who just needed a platform to place all that goes on inside his head. I won an award for my creativity and innovation in my final graduation design collection at NIFT. However, my fear of office work was always there and it still is. That’s what took me to the decision of creating a platform where there are no rules. Where no one tells you what to wear or how to wear it, where I am free to express, where no one judges me for being yourself. ‘www.Inbetween9.com’ is my space where all my focus is on exploring the riot of aspirations. I cannot remember the last time I wore head to toe black. Isn’t that considered cool? Not for me! What sticks the most is denim, stripes, whites and sneakers and what adds on is a hat, a neckerchief or my favourite Lacoste satchel. People react to my style and I do get second glances. My family has accepted the way I dress up. In fact, they say it individualises my personality and marks me from the crowd. Yet at times, my dad asks me to cut off my hair. And then, of course, is our society where we are still fighting for freedom of expression. Speaking of style, I think men should take more risks than just wearing printed suits and distressed pants. If someone can carry off a silk flat crepe shirt or a skirt for that matter, they should totally wear one.
Just the smell of flowers delight me. I am a flower child. Travelling and clothes (of course) keep me happy. I value everything equally. Having enough time for everything I love and things that I need. That balance gets me going.
Instagram: @glitteryhimi
www.inbetween9.com
It is important to wear what I am comfortable in, to help express myself. Even if it means shopping from the women’s section. Anti-fit is the anthem of my style. Anti-rules allow me to call it gender neutral.
Photography: Runvijay Paul
