Pro Selector: Designer Raghavendra Rathore
Raghavendra Rathore believes mixing traditional and fresh fashion trends is the true calling card of a style statement: his CV of favourites, from a Beretta coat to his own Bandhgala.
He believes that mixing traditional and fresh fashion trends is the true calling card of making a style statement.
Personal style: Comfortable, I favour a cotton-centric wardrobe. I’m techno-savvy, respect our history and culture, have a keen desire to learn about everything in life, and I strongly believe that an individual’s character is shaped by his/her unique experiences as well as the people we come in contact with.
Style prediction: Lots of colour ahead of us, with a focus on the classics. Unstructured casual jackets paired with loose pants and airy footwear are ideal for the summer. Simplicity and localisation will be the trendy keywords, and also look out for tools for better time management.
The CV
01 The coat – Beretta: A custom outdoor Beretta jacket or coat suits most of my requirements. The luxury of having an outdoor life in Jodhpur mandates a good selection of weather combatant coats. The dual purpose Berettas can be used for outdoor adventures and expeditions by the day, while they can team up with a classic pair of jeans for evening affairs. A detachable hood doubles as a storage pouch and adjustable cuffs are a plus point. ₹28,000
02 The shoe – Kenneth Cole: Kenneth Cole still rules and is on top of the pyramid for me as their durability and comfort beats all. Plus, the classic nature and unique colours in their offering make it one of my favourite accessory brands. Their Reaction series are the greatest offerings from the brand as they are stylish, sturdy, and durable. More so, these shoes are comfortable for long, all-day use as well. ₹18,000
03 The belt – Paul Smith: A humorous and well-designed belt from Paul Smith is an important accessory that I have not moved away from in spite of the vast variety of good belts available in the marketplace nowadays. The colour combinations of these belts surely make a style statement. ₹15,000
04 The sunglasses – Maui Jim: I must confess that my favourite is the Hawaiian wonder Maui Jim. Soothing to the eyes and extremely robust for SUV driving, the sunglasses define the masculine outdoor life through their lenses. The classic styled frames and polarised effectiveness add a bold statement to the extremely comfortable frame, which effectively reduces the glare without sacrificing optical clarity. ₹17,000
05 The scarves – Hermès: I love my printed Hermès pocket scarves with small scale repeating patterns such as dots, geometric shapes and paisleys. Additionally, the colours in the square complement a good number of my sport jackets. Men should note that there are very few accessories for us that have the ability to go from fashionable to functional in the blink of an eye, and a pocket square is one of them. ₹21,000
06 The bag – Coach: My recently acquired Coach bag, which I got out of necessity in Monaco, seems to be retaining a high place in my life. Initially for airline travel, now it accompanies me to the office too. Since it’s shapeless, it can accommodate a whole world of things in it. ₹78,000
07 The pants – Chevignon: Chevignon pants, a French classic and really difficult to find, are a treasure and a delight to wear. ₹8,000
08 T-shirt – Ralph Lauren: The comfort of this Ralph Lauren blue T-shirt, usually for Sunday dressing, makes it my favourite tee. They come in all colours, have minimal branding, are made of world-class cotton and since I like my T-shirts simple, it’s perfect. ₹4,500
09 Watch – Breitling chronometer: This Breitling chronometer has reserved its space on my wrist for some time now. It has the uncanny knack for being absolutely accurate and most importantly, if left alone, you may not need to set or adjust it for years. ₹2,50,000
10 Jacket – RR: This classic Bandhgala jacket with silver buttons from the custom tailoring house that I started over two decades ago is, of course, my favourite piece of fashion. The jacket gives a stylish, modern look when paired with denims and when worn as a suit, it’s the most authentic piece of clothing from India. ₹8,000
From the May 2013 issue of FHM India.
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