Indian streetwear, in one paragraph
Indian streetwear at EKVAAR lives in the Street house: graphic and print pieces. If Solids is the plain, everyday base, Street is where a tee carries an idea: a pattern, a piece of typography, an artwork you can read. The cuts are relaxed, the prints are the point, and every piece is made in India, made to order once you reserve it.
EKVAAR is a House of Originals with five houses: Solids, Layers, Street, Luxe and Origins. Each has a separate job, so you can tell what a piece is for before you read the description. Street is our house for Indian streetwear and expression. Here are the three pieces that show it best.
Why Street exists
A plain tee is a good place to start, but at some point most people want a piece that says something. The trouble with graphic tees, and with much streetwear, is that many of them are loud for the sake of it: a slogan, a logo, a cartoon. Our idea of Indian streetwear is the opposite. The graphic needs an idea behind it, and the print should look considered on the body, not slapped on.
So Street follows three rules. The print has to have a reason. The cut has to carry the print well. And the piece has to work with the rest of your wardrobe, so it does not become an outfit you wear once.
Three pieces, three ideas
Kaal Grid Oversized Tee: a pattern made of glyphs
The Kaal Grid Oversized Tee is priced at ₹699. It is an oversized tee in 240 GSM micro-knit polyester, with a folded neck and an all-over EKVAAR glyph grid. Instead of one large graphic, the print is a repeating grid, so the whole surface of the tee becomes the design. From a distance it reads as texture; up close, you see the individual glyphs. That double reading is a good part of what Indian streetwear can be.
The micro-knit polyester is worth noting. It is a fabric that suits warm weather and active days, and it gives the grid a crisp finish. For more on how it behaves, see Kaal Grid, Explained.
Tribal Print Oversized T-Shirt: old symbols, new streets
The Tribal Print Oversized T-Shirt is priced at ₹699 and comes in Noor Black. Its full-coverage artwork is inspired by the symbols and markings of old-world storytellers, reimagined for today’s streets. The idea is that marks and symbols are one of the oldest ways people have told stories, and there is no reason a tee cannot carry that on.
Because the artwork covers the whole tee, it works best with simple bottoms. Let it be the story of the outfit, the way good Indian streetwear should be.
Monochrome Oversized Tee: quiet on the surface
The Monochrome Oversized Tee is priced at ₹1,299 and comes in Noor Black, Agni Red and Neel Blue. It has vertical typography on the front and an abstract wave across the back. The front is clean; the back has movement. It is the Indian streetwear piece for someone who wants a graphic tee that does not look like one from across the street.
Notice how the print is placed. The vertical type follows the line of the body, so it lengthens instead of widening. The wave on the back is something other people see when you walk away, which is a small pleasure of its own.
What our Indian streetwear shares across all three
- An oversized cut. A relaxed body gives a print room to breathe, and it is comfortable in Indian weather.
- A print with a source. A grid of glyphs, old markings, typography and a wave. None of them is random.
- Made in India, made to order. Each piece is made when you reserve it, so nothing is produced in bulk and left unsold.
How to wear Indian streetwear without overthinking it
- One loud thing per outfit. The tee is the statement. Keep the rest plain: jeans, joggers or shorts in a single colour.
- Match the colour of the print, not the pattern. If the tee is mostly black, black or grey trousers will always work.
- Keep the shoes simple. Clean white sneakers or plain sandals let the print lead.
- Layer carefully. A plain, open hoodie or shirt over a graphic tee works if you leave enough of the print visible. For hoodie ideas, see six ways to style a black hoodie.
Street and the other houses
Indian streetwear should add to your basics, not replace them. It sits next to them. A good wardrobe has a base of plain pieces, and a few that carry an idea. If you are building from scratch, begin with Solids, and add one Street piece when you know what you like. Our guide to wardrobe basics covers the base; Street is the accent.
Choosing your first Street tee
Once you know what you want from Indian streetwear, ask which of the three ideas you would enjoy explaining. If you like pattern and precision, choose Kaal Grid. If you like stories and symbols, choose the Tribal Print. If you want a subtler graphic with a surprise on the back, choose Monochrome. Each has a size guide link beside the size options on its product page, with that piece’s own measurements, so check it before you reserve.
What we mean by a considered print
Good Indian streetwear starts with a considered print, so it is worth saying what separates one from a careless one. First, scale: the graphic should suit the size of the tee and the body, not be enlarged or shrunk to fit whatever space is left. Second, placement: the print should sit where the eye expects it, or where it surprises in a good way, like the back of the Monochrome tee. Third, restraint: a tee with one idea is stronger than a tee with five.
These are the questions we ask about every Street piece before it is released. That is our Indian streetwear in practice. They are also the questions you can ask about any graphic tee you are thinking of buying, from us or anyone else.
Care for printed tees
Printed Indian streetwear lasts longer with a little care. Turn the tee inside out before washing, use a gentle cycle, and dry it in shade. Avoid ironing directly over the print. If you need to iron, turn the tee inside out and use low heat, or check the care label. The Kaal Grid tee is polyester, and the Tribal Print and Monochrome tees have their own labels, so always follow what your piece says.
FAQs
What is the Street house at EKVAAR?
Street is one of the five EKVAAR houses. It holds our Indian streetwear: graphic and print tees that carry artwork, typography or a pattern as the main idea.
Are Street tees all oversized?
The three pieces covered here, Kaal Grid, Tribal Print and Monochrome, are all oversized tees. Check each product page for its fit and size guide.
What is the Kaal Grid tee made of?
The Kaal Grid Oversized Tee is 240 GSM micro-knit polyester with a folded neck and an all-over EKVAAR glyph grid.
How do I wear a printed tee without it looking loud?
Let the print be the only busy thing. Keep the trousers plain and in one colour, and choose simple shoes. One statement per outfit is enough.
Every piece is made in India for you once you reserve it. See the full range in the EKVAAR shop and reserve the print that speaks to you.
