By Nisha Khater
"Love is inherently free–so must your clothes be." - Terry Singh, CFDA Runway360.
New York-based designer Terry Singh helped kick off New York Fashion Week this past Friday with a vibrant, gender-neutral Spring 2024 RTW collection as a part of New York Men's Day. This was the designer's second appearance at NYMD, following a successful SS23 presentation last year. This year's collection featured Singh's signature "dhoti suits" in a range of patterns and textures, from black and white tuxedo-style looks to multicolored floral jacket and skirt sets.
Through his designs, Terry Singh aims to recreate the freeing feeling of wearing a dhoti while also creating a garment that is practical for the Western consumer. By taking the traditional dhoti and adding elements like pleating, a hidden wallet pocket, and adjustable waistbands, Singh allows a wearer to comfortably exist in his pieces while embarking on a new form of self-expression.
Singh's journey to create his eponymous label started after a six month trip to India, where he lived in a cave on the side of a mountain, ate the food villagers gave him, learned from a swami, and experienced a new kind of love and freedom. After returning home to New York, he left a previous occupation to create garments that shift narratives around what we wear, how we express ourselves through clothing, and how a man should and can dress. He states, "I make clothes to celebrate the love that I experienced on that mountain and to share this experience with you."
Images courtesy of WWD and Terry Singh.
