Sushant Abrol, the designer behind Country Made, infuses his work with a sense of journey, memory, and nostalgia, rooted in his own familial connections to history and war. His designs often depict a figure—the soldier—through various travails, capturing a range of emotions and experiences. His inspiration comes from personal and historical narratives, rather than abstract concepts and his use of imagery is multifaceted. In one example, a soldier writes a letter amid the chaos of war, with undecipherable lines conveying emotion. In another, a weary soldier returns from battle, his face lined with hardship. Abrol also explores disruption, with images such as that of a paratrooper's unpredictable descent against heavy winds, and a man returning to a changed home, marked by broken glass and withered walls. These visuals translate into the designer’s textured garments, appliqué, and handcrafted elements.
This is what happens when sharp tailoring meets the finery of India; when menswear is a nod not just to style but also identity.
A theatre of war and its correspondences paint a portrait of the other.