1. Mumbai,
Monday,January25,2016
epaper.dnaindia.com
after
4
ManishMishra
Whatgotyouintofashion?
Some people are musically inclined, some
people are athletically inclined and I was
able to dress myself.
Howhasyourstyleevolvedoverthe
years?
Taste and style is based on knowl-
edge and the change — where you
live, the weather, your body chang-
es — all these factors.
Howdoyouseetheevolutioninmenswearspace?
I think it’s always going to evolve. One trend
which hasn’t changed is that it’s more casual
than ever before. The challenge is for the
brand to stay relevant despite all the casual-
ness. They can do it by being experimental.
What’syourtakeonandrogyny?
I’m in a twin set and shortly coat, so yes. Ha
ha.
Whatdoesthemetaphor‘MadeInItaly’meanto
you?
The highest quality.
manish.mishra@dnaindia.net
Pitti style
ManishMishra
nject nonchalant gravitas into a beautifully tai-
lored suit and you’ve got the Pitti Peacock. He
isn’t a dandy, he isn’t a rockstar and he isn’t a
fashion victim. It’s just the way he puts together
his look that makes him the cynosure of all eyes
on the great wall of Pitti Uomo in the heart of
the iconic Fortezza da Basso in Florence. Street
style icon Nick Wooster says, “There is something for
everyone here.”
The 89th edition was a record-breaker in terms of the
companies attending (1,219 protagonist brands), as well
as the figures for the buyers, press and members of the
trade who visited over the four days of the event. The
final attendance figures confirm the trend registered
during the fair: a total number of buyers that nearly
reached 24,800 (+4 per cent compared to one year ago),
8,800 of which from abroad (+2.5per cent) and 16,000 Ital-
ians (+5 per cent).
What made the 89th edition truly remarkable for In-
dia was the celebration of Indian aesthetic as Suket
Dhir was announced the winner of the prestigious In-
ternational Woolmark prize in the menswear category.
When one looks at this cultural melting pot comprising
some of the best menswear labels, designers, buyers and
exhibitors, one can’t help but ponder over the Pitti style
and what it represents.
Excellenceinquality
Pitti, over the years, has been a cornucopia of com-
merce, culture and colour. Andrea Cavicchi, the new
President of the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana
shared, “Pitti represents the excellence in quality. Fash-
ion is culture and represents culture. We have to work
as a communication for culture.”
Also, it takes fashion retail to a new level and much
beyond the limited bracket of glamour. “Fashion can
give contribution to peace. We have to think of our chil-
dren too. We will have to elevate ourselves through fash-
ion,” says Enrico Rossi, President of Tuscany.
Stageforrealfashiondrivers
Roney Simon, Managing Director of CRS, (Director,
FICCI, Italy) says, “Pitti is keeping in touch with the
real fashion drivers — they select the best of the best,
every exhibitor is selected on the basis of the garment
quality and the honesty which went into it.”
Arelaxedfall-winter
Julie Woodhead, Buying Director, Collective says, “Eve-
rything is a lot more relaxed. Colours are very soft and
muted like soft red and pink. There is a little bit of high-
lights. Green and blue are two key fall colours. These
are people (Pitti men) in the know — they live it, they
breathe it, they understand it. ”
Style:PartofPittidialogue
Andrea Lardini president and CEO of the family com-
pany Lardini and one of the governors at Pitti Immag-
ine board says, “We are constantly discussing style and
style is part of our dialogue.”
Fiorella Tombolini, President of Tombolini feels that
Pitti style is not one clear idea but has multi-layered
complexities. “It’s about the new generation. We’re tak-
ing tradition and fusing it with innovation of future and
that’s Pitti.”
Thatsumsitupbeautifully.ThePittiplanetisaboutthe
ultimate and the unique in the menswear fashion galaxy.
manish.mishra@dnaindia.net
‘Ididn’twanttoshoutIndia’
ManishMishra
H
is line, comprising sooth-
ing jackets, soul-searing
gilets and ombre shirts
look global and yet have
an Indian soul intact. One look
at Suket Dhir’s seminal pieces
and it’s not hard to understand
why his unique brand of aes-
thetic outshone the likes of Agi
& Sam in the contest. Over to
the designer with a monastic
visage...
Howdoesitfeel?
I have not managed to compre-
hend it all as yet. We were too
busy working on the collection
but the feedback has been amazing
and whoever has seen the product
has gone ga ga about it. Everyone has
appreciated the amount of crafts-
manship that has gone into the prod-
ucts. These things don’t sink it. I’m
waiting for it to sink in. By the time it
sinks in, we’ll be getting into the mak-
ing of the collection and getting back
into the madness. It is certainly surreal
and it is a beautiful place to be at. Every-
body has vested their energy in me, my
wife and my friends who wish well for
me, my acquaintances wish well for me.
My weavers, embroiders and tailors
bonded with me very well. Their fond-
ness for me means a lot to me.
Whathasbeenthegreatestcomplimentsofar?
All the other participants came to me
individually and told me if it were
anybody else winning, they’d be
freaking out. They just feel happy
that I won it. There can’t be a bigger
compliment than that. Somebody had
to win. The world needs a little bit of ac-
tion and our collection portrays that. I’d
describe my collection as the true rendi-
tion of a man. Whenever we describe
men, we say, ‘boys will be boys’. There is
always a fun and frolic element in them.
We have got beautiful prints. It’s like fun
boxer shorts, our linings. Mostly for the
wearer.
DoesitputIndiaontheinternational
menswearmap?
I hope so. We have shown how
good we can be at luxury. Maybe
tailoring should go to the next
level. I am happy with the tailor-
ing but I could be happier. It puts
India on the map. When you see
the collection there’s nothing
Indian about it yet there’s
something Indian about it. I
didn’t want to shout India. I
wanted it to be global.
Howdidyoustrikethedelicate
balancebetweenIndianandglobal?
It’s not a challenge. We dress up
the way we do yet we love our kurta
pyjamas on certain occasions. I ex-
actly had that in mind — Will I wear
it? Will I wear it? Will I wear it? The
answer is yes. There is a bandhgala in
it, there’s a gilet in it, which in India
is called a bandi. It’s about the way
things are put together.
What’stheideabehindyourmonasticlook?
My wife likes it. It grew on me. Every-
body liked it. I love hats especially this
hat. I didn’t think too much about it.
manish.mishra@dnaindia.net
Decoding
PittiUomo89wasametaphorforfinestItalian
craftsmanship.AfterHrsdelvesintoitsmulti-
layeredapproachtoallthingschic
I
It’s about the
new generation.
We’re taking
tradition and
fusing it with
innovation of
future and
that’s Pitti
—Fiorella
Tombolini,
President, Tombolini
We are
constantly
discussing style
and style is part
of our dialogue
—Andrea
Lardini,
President & CEO,
Lardini, Governor, Pitti
Immagine Board
‘MadeIn
Italy
means
highest
quality’
&QA
StreetstylebloggerNickWooster
speakstoAfterHrsatPittiUomo
SuketDhir,winnerofInternationalWoolmarkPrizeinthemenswear
categoryspeakstoAfterHrsatPittiUomoinFlorence...
Suket gives a model the finishing touch
backstage before his show at Pitti Uomo
&QA
Looksfrom
SuketDhir’s
Woolmarkline
iconiclooks5
DesignerVikramPhadnisonhisepochalensembles
T
alking about his muse,
Malaika Arora Khan,
Vikram shares, “Malaika is
one of my muses. When I
make a garment, I think of her.” He
counts supernova Salman Khan as
his guardian angel.
KATRINAKAIF
Katrina Kaif wears a blue
velvet lehenga which is
hand embroidered with
zardozi. The lehenga is
paired with a maroon corset
which has embroidery on the
belt and neckline. We have
given her a blue net dupatta.
KARISMA
KAPOOR
She’s seen in an all-gold
gown with the yoke and
sleeves completely hand
embroidered with stones
sequins and kadana.
MALAIKA
ARORAKHAN
She is wearing a
threadwork lehenga
with resham sequins and
kundan borders. Malla
is wearing a short black
velvet choli.
SRIDEVI
She wears a beige net
lehenga with a lot of red
and gold borders made
of gota and zardozi, it is
also backed with a sequin
layer inside. Her choli is
a round neck ¾ sleeve
made of shimmer lycra.
SALMANKHAN
He wears a formal two-button
suit and a striped shirt inside
with classic black trousers.
EnricoRossi,PresidentofTuscany withAndreaCavicchi,President
oftheCentrodiFirenzeperlaModaItaliana
TRENDSPOTTING:Ginghamchecksandolivegreentonesweretwo
recurringelements ONTHEGREATWALLOFPITTI:Alessoninlayering
DANDY-LICIOUS:Plaidsuitsandhatsstoodout
DAPPERALERT:Pitti’speacocksclearlylovetheiraccessories