Abhay Deol and Imran Khan at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Abhay Deol and Imran Khan

It’s that time of the year again, when GQ India rolls out its red carpet to raise a toast to the stylish men in the country! And without further ado, I’m taking you through all the hits, super hits and blockbuster menswear looks from the 2016 #GQBestDressed event. So,  fasten your seat belts…

Hits

Karan Tacker in AT By Anasha Thakkar at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Karan Tacker in AT By Anasha Thakkar

Shruken suits paired with tasselled slippers have become a Karan Tacker signature look by now. But for the GQ Best Dressed night he went one step ahead and threw in some dizzying print. There’s no denying Karan looks well fit in the outfit, but the print, patent leather tasselled slippers and the lapel pin all together made too much noise.

Ayushmann Khurrana in Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Ayushmann Khurrana in Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna

A teal suit paired with a slate graphic shirt… sounds like all kinds of chaotic, right? But trust Ayushmann Khurrana to find order in this madness. Now how did he do that? By keeping the fit of the suit (by Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna) very precise. And I love how the slate shirt anchors the sea of teal. Now I wish he skipped the lapel pin — this look would’ve been higher up in my ranks.

Shahid Kapoor in ZZegna and Tod’s at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Shahid Kapoor in ZZegna and Tod’s

Where Ayushmann erred, Shahid Kapoor passed with flying colours: he too went with a jewel-toned suit and printed shirt but kept any frills off bay, and in so doing, achieved a controlled air of rakishness. Now you may ask why he is not amongst the super hits and blockbusters. Well, it’s because of the footwear. A look imbued with as much youthful attitude as this needed a pair of pristine luxe sneakers to finish it off.

Saqib Saleem in Anuj Madaan, Paul Smith and Clark’s at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Saqib Saleem in Anuj Madaan, Paul Smith and Clark’s

Yet another potentially winning look that was let down by some superfluous accessorising. The paisley-printed Paul Smith shirt lent ample visual interest and depth to the look, so the lapel pin was not really needed here. And a pair of sneakers would have set off Saqib Saleem’s youthful looks nicely, just like they have…

Imaad Shah in Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Imaad Shah in Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo

…in case of Imaad Shah here. Effortless yet smart he looked in the Gucci threads and Ferragamo sneakers — what’s not to like, aye?

Abhay Deol at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Abhay Deol

Such a clean, fuss-free look! Just wish Abhay Deal put in a little more thought in his footwear and injected a pop of colour by way of a pocket square OR a lapel pin (but not both!). Here is one instance where the functionality of the lapel pin wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Super Hits

Kunal Rawal at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Kunal Rawal in Kunal Rawal, Balenciaga and Rick Owens

I’m a sucker for Kunal Rawal’s thoroughly idiosyncratic style. So, it’s a given that this look of his would get a massive thumbs-up from me.

Dino Morea in Sahil Aneja at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Dino Morea in Sahil Aneja

Dina Morea simply wants to concentrate on looking good without ruffling any feathers — and that’s an attitude we wholeheartedly approve of here at MM HQs. Ridiculously dapper, this, Sig. Morea. And special mention for the immaculate tailoring.

Chetan Jaikishan in Gucci at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Chetan Jaikishan in Gucci

Ever since Alessandro Michele took over the reins at Gucci, I wondered if his colourful, eccentric, vintage-inspired sensibility would float Indian men’s boats. I need not wonder anymore, because Chetan Jaikishan just gave me the answer. The striped trousers, the furry slippers and the boutonnière made such a wonderful spectacle — and Messr Jaikishan looks right at home in it. Major love!

Imran Khan in Zegna, Tod’s and Tom Ford at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Imran Khan in Ermenegildo Zegna, Tod’s and Tom Ford

Right, I really, really wanted to LOVE this look, but for some reason it just falls flat on me. Maybe because he employed one-too-many accessories from his sartorial lexicon, or maybe because of the cut of the DB jacket. Make no mistake, this is one impressive look but it didn’t knock me sideways, like Imran Khan’s formal looks tend to.

Blockbuster

Rahul Khanna in Dior Homme S/S’16 at the 2016 GQ Best Dressed party
Rahul Khanna in Dior Homme
Dior Homme in navy blue and orange double-sided two-button jacket
Dior Homme’s navy blue and orange double-sided wool jacket

Given the buffet of overcooked looks, this minimalist look of Rahul Khanna felt like a palate cleanser. The navy blue and orange double-sided two-button jacket from Dior Homme’s S/S’16 collection provided just the right amount of visual intrigue to this elegantly stark outfit. Hey, it was my favourite and I’m sticking to it — brickbats and all.

SO, which look was your favourite?

Pix: Viral Bhayani for MissMalini.com