Shantnu Nikhil: Rewriting menswear code
With their collection Metropolis, designer duo Shantnu Nikhil showcased a bolder expression of masculinity on day five of Hyundai India Couture Week 2025.
What happens when shimmer, regencycore, and cinematic grandeur of India’s princely past come together? It brings out a bold, future-facing collection that dismantles predictability and rewrites the codes of Indian menswear. And this was very well understood by the designer duo Shantnu Nikhil at the Hyundai India Couture Week 2025, in association with Reliance Brands, an initiative of FDCI.
Their collection, which was titled Metropolis, brought forth overcoat sherwanis, embroidered crystal berets, veils, cinched bandhgalas, ruffled collars, cropped blazers, and men in heels, all drenched in shimmer, giving voice to a new kind of royalty: one that isn’t inherited, but earned.
The vibe was immaculate with black, white and pastel ensembles showcasing a contrast. The themes of the garments drew inspiration from military archives, desert culture, and androgynous fashion, styling men and women in a way that feels powerful, masculine and feminine at the same time.
As the models strutted down the runway, the story for menswear was solidified that this is the new code. Not just for how they dress, but how they declare.
The front row at Shantnu Nikhil’s showcase was also graced by Bollywood’s finest, including actors Vihaan Samat, Arjun Rampal, Jim Sarbh, Randeep Hooda, Rajkummar Rao, Rahul Khanna and Zahan Kapoor, who came together with the designer duo and posed for the camera post the show.
