After experimental suit silhouettes on the red carpet and Deepika Padukone’s recent formal grey suit, here’s a look at where we stand with suit styles

Deepika Padukone in a houndstooth suit. Pics/Getty Images

At the recent inauguration of the 141st International Olympic Committee session, Deepika Padukone’s grey suit gave us all the inspiration we needed for a sharp, structured look. Stylist Lovedeep Gulyani explains, “Deepika is wearing a double lapel front, greyscale houndstooth check pattern. It’s a classic silhouette with a twist.” He feels it stood out as it offered the ease of wear-ability with a strong element of fashion. With full glam as the memo, designers are relooking at classic fits for new suit silhouettes. Gulyani breaks down Padukone’s tailored look and takes us through the evolution of suits from sharper fits to looser and more experimental looks.

A look back

“Suits for men have continued to evolve from the 19th century English suits in the way they have been tailored by length, shape, number of buttons, and size of the lapels. We have seen fabrics from ornate velvets and brocades to a warmer variety of tweeds and flannels, finer cashmere and wool, and the use of horse hair or fusing to keep the fabric stiff,” Gulyani shares. He adds that in the ’90s, suit silhouettes were a bit oversized with stronger shoulder pads, broader lapels and a three-button coats.

Emma Brooks McAllister in an oversized suit with broad shoulders

Gulyani explains that this style later moved on to a more relaxed fit with a sleeker shape and fitted waist, the number of buttons was also reduced to two. “In later decades, the casual nature of a suit jacket came to the forefront. The fabrics used became more relaxed and dapper to look at,” he recalls. This included smaller lapels, straighter cuts and slimmer styles, Gulyani notes, with a sharper silhouette and lesser room for movement. “The modern man prefers their fits to be a lot sharper and slimmer against the body.”

Today, we experiment

Gulyani notes that today’s suit styling is much more open to experimental looks, especially since they are not confined to the boardroom anymore and can be adapted for other settings and events. He explains that while lounge suits have breathable fabrics that are great for day events, tuxedos in their classic forms continue to dominate the black-tied events.

Romain Brau in a formal houndstooth pattern suit
And on the fashion side of things, he observes an exploration of colours, shapes and fabric. “People are experimenting with heavier fabrics and textures like tweed and houndstooth. Lengths are being cropped; cropped blazers are worn by both men and women, and mid-length blazers are worn as dresses. There’s also a broader lapel that gives an impact and broader shoulders being incorporated for the return of that ’90s oversized silhouette.”

Formal but fashionable

Sara Sampaio in a double-breasted mid-length jacket

The stylist decodes the design detail in Padukone’s suit noting that it’s modern workwear paired with a simple black pump and a black silk top or shirt. You can put together a similar look to match her clean aesthetic. If you’re looking for a similar tailored cut, Gulyani suggests, “Remember, the proportions of a suit are very important. Sleeves should always end where your thumb begins and the length of a classic well-cut blazer should end where the thumb ends.”