Living in a material world
Samuel Hoque's A/W collection is as maximalist as it gets if you're getting FOMO thinking about Sabyasachi's collab with Louboutin, consider: those blinged up red-soled sneakers and slides are cool, but there's homegrown talent that's bringing the heat this season. Samuel Hoque's sumptuous A/W menswear collection is making ripples for all the right reasons.
After the muslin/jamdani overlay coatees from his Summer collection became a runaway hit last season, Hoque got bolder about experimenting with local fabrics, despite the fact that they are, as the designer himself confesses, much harder to cut than your usual menswear materials. The result is stunning: from jamdani overlays on his custom-fitted bomber jackets, to experiments on his signature coatees, which involve such inventive details such as embossed leather, sleek velvet, and giant leather sequins.
Hoque's background is in textile design, and the British-based Bangladeshi designer flexes those muscles through unique signature prints around avian and apian motifs, tropical prints and hothouse florals, rendered in fresh and exciting ways. You'll find them sprinkled liberally over his loungewear, peeking from beneath gauzy muslin and sheer jamdani on his bombers and waistcoats, or popping up in unexpected places on his panjabis and long shirts.
The studied visuals, with the tactile element of unexpected fabrics used in new, exciting ways, Samuel's designs are great to look at and to touch, and even better to wear and flaunt. The designer's Instagram account has mini videos showcasing the mesmerising way these beauties move.
What really makes the collection worth exploring is the designer's painstaking attention to detail. As far as cut and structure go, the designs are actually pretty simple, solid, and fuss-free, based on a foundation of killer fits of well-loved basics, relying on the strength of the prints and textures to make the outfits stand out. It is this sensibility that elevates the clothes beyond everyday prêt — they're distinctive, eye-catching, but ultimately very wearable.
Give your wardrobe a touch of oomph this season with one of these daring designs. Samuel Hoque's Style Sanctum is located at 32, Progoti Shoroni, Bashundhara J Block.
By Fatima Hussain
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