Men’s swimwear in India is having a hot boy summer

Once an afterthought relegated to formation bags, men’s swimwear is present being recast arsenic a wardrobe essential, acknowledgment to a rising cohort of homegrown designers reimagining what it means to formal for the water.

Estimates alteration wide depending connected however the class is defined, but portion immoderate niche reports peg India’s sports and swimwear conception astatine nether $2 billion, astir ₹200 crore (as per insights institution Introspective Market Research), broader manufacture information suggests the sportswear marketplace unsocial runs into tens of billions, reflecting the explosive maturation of athleisure and fitness-led depletion successful the country, according to probe steadfast Euromonitor International. There is besides a noticeable displacement towards performance-oriented swimwear, featuring quick-drying and moisture-wicking fabrics. Styles similar trunks, committee shorts, and jammers are gaining popularity owed to their versatility and comfort.

This displacement is driven, successful part, by accrued travel. In 2025 alone, Indians clocked implicit 32 cardinal trips abroad, continuing a dependable upward climb, according to the Ministry of Tourism. More question means much clip spent by pools, beaches, and edifice bars. And with that, a increasing request for swimwear that tin support up.

“If you deterioration a product, you privation to consciousness confident,” says Sanket Shingare, laminitis of Mumbai-based men’s innerwear brand, Erobold. “Traditionally, swimwear for men has been one-size-fits-all. We wanted to situation that.” His Half Swim Band line, constructed from high-grade nylon and finished with metallic accents, is designed for men who privation a aquatics trunk that does much than perform. He adds that the brand’s astir accordant feedback is that their trunks assistance men consciousness “sexy but not exposed” and, successful immoderate cases, adjacent accommodate aesculapian conditions similar hernia, an unexpected furniture of functionality.

Over astatine House of Malabaar, a Mumbai-based edifice deterioration brand, co-founder Krishna Kilachand sees swimwear arsenic a gateway to a larger affectional shift. “Post-Covid, radical privation to bask the small moments similar taking a swim, lounging, and feeling present. Swimwear is nary longer conscionable astir the poolside, it is astir a authorities of mind,” helium says. With fabrics sourced from South Korea, the marque prides itself connected high-quality finishes, comfort-first mesh lining, and silhouettes that are arsenic travel-ready arsenic they are tailored. Krishna notes that his pieces are worn for everything from edifice brunches to formation weddings.

The plan connection present is unmistakably international: subtle prints, buttery-soft mesh, broadside adjusters and drawstring options tailored to antithetic assemblage types and levels of modesty. It is simply a marked departure from mass-market pieces that person agelong catered to an idealised, diversion antheral body. “We connection plus-two magnitude connected immoderate size,” says Krishna. “So if you’re 6’3” and privation much genu coverage, we marque that happen.”

Summer formal code

Delhi’s Shivan & Narresh, are seeing an uptick successful request for men’s swimwear that is fashion-forward yet practical. “In the past, their (men) choices were mostly driven by utility, often leaning towards performance-focussed sportswear brands. Today, determination is simply a increasing openness to fashion-forward swimwear — men are progressively turning to style-centric brands to marque a statement, particularly connected holiday. In those shared cosmopolitan spaces wherever everyone, careless of inheritance oregon culture, is dressed down to conscionable a large brace of aquatics trunks oregon aquatics shorts, men privation to guarantee their choices bespeak some the vibe of the getaway and a consciousness of idiosyncratic style,” says co-founder Narresh Kukreja.

“There’s decidedly a increasing request for prints,” helium continues, “but much importantly, men are present seeking ready-to-wear options specifically for holidays. Co-ord sets are peculiarly popular, but edifice shirts proceed to spot accordant request passim the twelvemonth — their versatility makes them cleanable not conscionable for vacations, but besides for weekends oregon relaxed poolside days.”

Hyderabad, interestingly, leads the battalion successful menswear sales, says Narresh, signalling a wider determination displacement successful manner appetite. “The men determination are not conscionable well-travelled, but besides progressively style-conscious and unfastened to experimenting with fashion, whether it’s bold prints, modern cuts, oregon elevated resortwear. Their attack is refreshingly progressive, and that reflects successful the mode they shop,” Narresh adds.

The marque has besides seen a noticeable spike successful request linked to destination travel. “As much radical program getaways, there’s a earthy uptick successful purchases related to vacation dressing — from connection shirts to stylish co-ord sets. But beyond travel, gifting plays a important relation too. Our shirts and polos person go go-to gifts, particularly from women buying for the men.”

With the emergence successful planetary travel, Narresh notes that men contiguous are acold much exposed to planetary manner trends and influences. “Travel offers a unsocial accidental to observe what radical are wearing astir the satellite and however trends are evolving, and that inevitably shapes their idiosyncratic style.”

While utility-driven pieces volition ever person their place, it is the tailored, premium aquatics shorts that are present seen arsenic must-haves, believes Narresh, overmuch similar luxury watches oregon connection sneakers.

Looking ahead, Narresh sees the men’s vacation deterioration class evolving rapidly. “We’re seeing the barriers of niche entreaty and constricted depletion interruption down, arsenic men crossed assorted regions of the state go much unfastened to experimenting and presumption abrogation dressing arsenic an indispensable portion of their wardrobe. It’s nary longer conscionable astir basal denim and T-shirts — it’s astir however they privation to contiguous themselves portion travelling.”

According to Mumbai-based entrepreneur and big of The Plush Podcast, Rahul Jagtiani, who has been swimming astatine the city’s Cricket Club of India since helium was successful Class III and inactive makes clip for a play swim, his attack to swimwear has evolved to prioritise easiness implicit excess. “I ain a fewer pairs, but functionality and comfortableness substance the most,” helium says, adding, “I don’t interest excessively overmuch astir aesthetics. I judge a acceptable assemblage tin transportation disconnected astir styles effortlessly.” While helium keeps things practical, helium does play with assortment done “different prints, cuts, and lengths.”

A homegrown statement that precocious stood retired to him is Rey&I, founded by Delhi-based Nishant Singhal. “They sent maine a beauteous printed brace that was hand-painted by an Afghan exile artist, on with her photograph. The storytelling was almighty and truly stayed with me; it’s a brace I deterioration often,” says Rahul.

The postulation helium is referring to is called Plaj, launched successful November past twelvemonth and created with Afghan creator Fatima Farhad. It translates her intricate watercolour works — rooted successful accepted Afghan motifs and miniature creation — into modern swimwear, portion the marque collaborates with artists and artisans to make “wearable narratives.”

Their Kala collection, launched a period earlier Plaj, draws from Indian trade traditions, including Gond creation (Madhya Pradhesh), Warli creation (a 5,000-year-old indigenous people creation from Maharashtra) and pichwai (Rajasthan), reinterpreting hand-drawn and hand-painted motifs into modern prints. The marque has positioned swimwear arsenic a canvas for taste look alternatively than conscionable function.

Where does swimwear autumn abbreviated for Indian men? In Rahul’s view, it comes down to awareness. “There’s a deficiency of knowing of what suits your assemblage type,” helium says, adding, “If you’re not assured successful your body, debar tiny briefs similar Speedos; instead, opt for somewhat longer lengths.”

Mumbai-based bespoke tailoring marque Sarah & Sandeep’s swimwear collaboration with House of Malabaar past twelvemonth (with pieces inactive disposable connected their respective websites) exemplified this shift.

The collection, priced from ₹12,000 for off-the-rack styles and ₹20,000 for bespoke creations, is lightweight, fast-drying, and made to determination with you. Meant to treble up arsenic versatile shorts, the trunks suit everything from a portion astatine a formation shack to an impromptu meal oregon a spontaneous swim.

Design-wise, the swimwear integrates Sarah & Sandeep’s signature tailoring codes with House of Malabaar’s tropical eccentricity. Pintuck accents inspired by thenar leafage shadows and seashell motifs springiness mode to sleek silhouettes that mimic the bushed of the sea.

“A bully brace of aquatics shorts with broadside adjusters tin enactment with a garment in. Throw connected a blazer, and you’re acceptable for dinner,” says Sandeep.

It’s harmless to accidental new-age swimwear is doubling up arsenic a benignant connection too.