Men About Town

What are the cardinal rules for an immaculate man? “Treat me like a woman,” said the famous author Anaïs Nin, as she pronounced the paramount principles for the perfect man. We introduce you to 10 men who have successfully chartered style, chivalry and panache, like no one else.

El Clásico: Sunil Sethi, FDCI, President

“Fashion fades, but style stays eternal,” exclaims the style icon, as he takes the lead from a design house like Yves Saint Laurent. He fancies Oriental brands like Shanghai Tang and appreciates the sharp tailoring at Armani, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Rohit Bal. He cautions us over a faux pas; never wear sports or white socks under dress-pants and formal shoes, and thinks that many of us in India are unaware of this fashion law. He commends Pandit Nehru for his impeccably stitched sherwanis and bandhgalas.

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Blue jeans, RAJESH PRATAP SINGH. Jacket, ROHIT BAL. White shirt, SAMANT CHAUHAN. Shoes, ARMANI. Location courtesy: FDCI office.

Suave Sensibility: Nikhil Mehra, Shantanu & Nikhil, designer

His tastes are varied. He fancies David Beckham for his poised demeanour and takes pleasure in buying vintage clothing. Style to him is an extension of his thoughts, as he says, “It’s who I am in different phases and moods of my life.” His inspiration comes from everywhere, including the culturally rich streets of Italy.

Hand-woven cotton jacquard two button jacket, cotton stretch Jodhpur pants, knitted tie in black, bespoke shoes in velvet with a gold crest, SHANTANU & NIKHIL.

Blaze of Glory: Amit Burman, Dabur, Vice-Chairman

He likes to embrace colour in his clothes, and you would find Ted Baker and Paul Smith in his wardrobe. Florence, Italy’s capital of art and architecture, is his chosen destination for shopping escapades. His style inspiration, though, comes from Hollywood icons like George Clooney.

Black blazer with red trimmings, TED BAKER. Printed blue shirt, ATESETA FIRENZE. Red trousers, PAUL SMITH.

Man in Black: Shiv Karan, entrepreneur and restaurateur (Smokeys BBQ & Grill)

Comfort is the focus of all his clothes, which Shiv Karan discloses is delivered to him by a Japanese brand called Uniqlo. Luxury fashion houses like Salvatore Ferragamo and Raghavendra Rathore also suit his style sensibilities. One fashion rule he swears by—“Always match your shoes with your belt.” He looks up to the effortless style of actors like Anil Kapoor.

Blue shirt, black jacket, black trousers and grey pocket square, NINE BY MANU ARYA. Black shoes, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO.

Eclectic Elegance: Neeraj Mittal, Alpana & Neeraj, designer

Neeraj Mittal applauds Tokyo’s unique sense of fashion, as you would see in his latest designs, inspired by Kawaii fashion. “My style may not be overtly experimental, but my ideology comes across through subtle details, like an unusual print on my shirt, statement sunglasses or an experimental hairstyle,” he says. He believes his way of dressing represents how he is feeling at the moment and strongly suggests that men should pay attention to the kind of shoes they decide to wear.

Black pants, ZARA. White shirt, AZARA DESIGNS. Black bandhgala, AZARA DESIGNS. Black shoes, ZARA.

Urban Fabric: Atsu Sekhose, designer

He would like to imbibe David Beckham’s pizzazz and describes his style as classic, modern and understated. He is inclined towards the modern minimalism of the fashion brand, COS, and is appreciative of the flamboyant designs by Prada. He thinks style is ‘acquired and individualistic’ and likes to shop in New York City.

Black blazer, ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. Printed shirt, SANDRO. Black pants, TOPMAN. Camel-tone shoes, MASSIMO DUTTI.

A Dash of Dandy: Shivan Bhatiya, designer, Shivan and Narresh

“Style is an extension of your personality and has the power to ascertain where you’re from,” says Shivan. He has the luxury of making his own clothes and describes his style as ‘formal, yet fun’. Shivan’s favourite shopping destination is Milan, and asserts that every man should stick to a singular style statement.

Jacket, SHIVAN & NARRESH. Silk tie, TAJ KHAZANA. Shirt, BROOKS BROTHERS. Linen trousers, SHIVAN & NARRESH.

Casual Encounters: Vikram Baidyanath, CEO Baidyanath group

He would like to borrow Al Pacino’s style and describes his own, as easy and exciting. “A man must never overaccessorise,” he says, and swears by Indian designers like Raghavendra Rathore, Rohit Bal and Ashish N. Soni. His preferred shopping destination is New York City, and likes to stick to closet basics like crisp white shirts, khaki trousers and Nehru jackets.

Checkered shirt, blazer and trousers, ALL SAINTS, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON. Sunglasses, TOM FORD.

Dresscode: Dapper: Narresh Kukreja, designer, Shivan and Narresh

His favoured fashion destinations remain Rome and Singapore, and he believes that style evolves from life in its entirety. “Style is how you sleep; how you’re brought up and how life has treated you,” he avers. Narresh thinks good shoes are key to good style, and prefers to wear brands like Burberry, Bottega Veneta and Tom Ford.

Jacket, ARROW. Striped resort shirt, SHIVAN & NARRESH. Silk pocket square, SHIVAN & NARRESH. Trousers, VERSACE.

Eloquent Espirit: Digraj Singh, golfer

“Long back when I first made it to the Indian team, I was told that you are a brand ambassador for your country and sport. Frankly, while I was reasonably careful before, since that statement, I've been quite conscious of what I wear, both on and off the golf course. Style, I think, is a combination of attitude, fitness and confidence. And when the three are in sync, it's great! I try to be situational, appropriate and yet comfortable. So, I could actually go from being casual with friends to reasonably regular, in formal situations.” He likes to add a touch of colour through socks or pocket squares and favours a good fit over everything else. He believes Hugo Boss matches up to his comfortable and sharp sense of style.

White shirt, SACOOR BROTHERS. Blue jacket, M&S COLLECTION. Trousers, COLOR PLUS. Shoes, STEFANO CASTELLI, ITALY.

Photographs by Vineet Vashisht. Hair and makeup by Anuj Dogra and Deepanshi Mangla.

From the January 2016 issue of L’Officiel India.