How would the twenty first century male be depicted? The principal bread-winner in a family, bringing home the bacon? A university graduate living at home with ami and abu jee? A Casanova, exultant in the bachelor life? In reality, today’s modern world we get to see a dissimilar variety of men such as metrosexual, retrosexual, and homosexual. In this corporate-sponsored façade of metrosexuality and old-fashioned roots of nationalism, an unsurpassed revolution of Asian masculinity is proceeding ahead.
Akhil Walji, 23, loves to shop, cleanses, tones and moisturises daily, he has a girlfriend and wears funky and rare one off items of clothing from Manchester’s Northern Quarter, “I use a face-mask once a month to get rid of my blackheads,” says Walji, marketing student from Manchester.
Mankind – a British website dedicated to male cosmetics comments that men used perfumed oils and ointments as early as 10,000 BC. In ancient Egypt, men’s grooming was an intrinsic part of health and hygiene. The Romans used rouge for their cheeks and chalk to whiten their skin tone. And in Tudor England, popular men's grooming treatments included elderflower ointment for the skin and an egg and honey mask to banish away wrinkles.
The term metrosexual was first formulated in 1994, by the British journalist Mark Simpson, to refer to a new breed of urban male who had a strong aesthetic sense and who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. The typical metrosexual was described as “a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reaches of a metropolis – because that’s where the cool shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference.”
It wasn’t until 2002, when Mark Simpson wrote an article on Salon.com, did this idiom accelerate media interest – David Beckham, with his kaleidoscopic hairstyles, sequinned tracksuits and use of nail varnish was highlighted as the par excellence of the phenomenon. In India, men are taking a cue from Bollywood’s crème de la crème such as Aditya Pancholi and Shah Rukh Khan who are said to be “delicately handsome.”
This growing trend in male grooming in Asia is now following pursuit from a trend in Europe and North America. According to the Dublin based Research and Markets consultancy, global spending on personal care products for men rose 13 percent to $29.7 billion between 2000 and 2005. Euromonitor International forecasts spending on men’s grooming products is expected to rise 24 percent to $320 million in India alone!
Market research carried out by cosmetics organisations indicates that a growing number of Asian men are using cosmetics. The inauguration of skin-lightening creams for men in India and Pakistan is a substantiation of this trend. Men can now choose from products such as Fair & Lovely Menz Active and Emami’s Fair & Handsome. In Japan, male grooming is booming, to such a large extent that Tokyo’s fashionable Isetan department store has dedicated a whole floor to men’s cosmetics.
Wasim Ali, a 26 year old customer services advisor for a major insurance firm in the city, has a skincare regime which does not only involve of cleansing, toning and moisturising morning and night, but also shaving, hair styling and comprises of selecting an outfit to wear. Planning and preparations can take up to an hour. Ali, also has a gym membership and spends up to £150 a month on cosmetics such as face masks, eye gels, two types of moisturisers, for day and night and also visits tanning salons. “Some people will think I’m gay or strange, but I don’t care,” he points out. “I have nothing to be ashamed of,”
Why is the Asian male rapidly in bloom you may ask? Himanshu Verma – the Delhi based director of Red Earth, cites “The processes of globalisation; the influence of western (American) and Indian media; the arrival of MNCs and BPOs that send employees home with big pay-packets and consequently greater purchasing power; the aspirations of the middle class to reach the western standard of a 'good life'; and migration to urban centres; are all potential factors behind the large scale emergence of metrosexuality in India. It is a flourishing business proposition in India and in the last few months, the media has seen a huge surge of advertising directed at the Metrosexual male.” Then there is the rise of television programmes such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which derides dishevelled, typical laddish behaviour while trying to spruce them into more dapper gents. The use of incredibly handsome models in international men’s magazines such as; Mens Health, GQ, FHM, Men’s Vogue and AnOtherMan only coerce men into aspiring to be like them.
The parlance of metrosexualilty is increasingly becoming the mot du jour. In India VLCC the premier beauty fitness and health centres are observing a fast paced growth at international level with openings scheduled in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. In Pakistan western style spas such as Nirvana, Depilex now include men only branches, Murad International a pioneer in skincare science is also available in Lahore. In London, men only spas such as the Nickel Spa in trend-central Seven Dials, Murdoch on Old Street and Refinery in Mayfair and Harrods offer old luxury barbershop services, from wet shaves to waxing and rejuvenating massages. Also cosmetic shelves for men are now competing for those of women. Over the last year or so brands such as L’Oreal, Clarins, Dior, Dr Murad, M Lab, Aveda and a high profile campaign by Lancôme using Hollywood actor Clive Owen have all introduced men only cosmetics. In India Shah Rukh Khan, endorsed Lux soap advert in a semi-naked appearance. Mintel’s report on Men’s Grooming Habits 2007, highlights that men are also reaching for beauty creams due to the increasing need to look younger "Competition in the workplace means that men cannot afford to neglect their appearance,"
Narcissism appears to be a la mode and the definition of Asian masculinity is positively experiencing a makeover. Just remember, once you have cleansed and exfoliated, there is no going back! It is also worth remembering Narcissus was, after all, a man.
