Your product shouldn’t age: Ashish N Soni

Sharp tailoring infused with a medley of whimsy, nonchalance and polish has been Ashish N Soni’s key insignia for decades now. Picture a runway with his empirically chic men and women reading out sartorial poetry, which dovetails comfort with form-flattering silhouettes, and you’ve, sort of, scratched the surface of his oeuvre. The designer whose label completes 25 years of wearable, covetable and always timeless style, started his foray into design with menswear and then transitioned into womenswear. It was the late 80s and fashion in India meant shaadi-specific ornate clothing, but Soni’s vision was rather off-the-wall yet crystal clear. Instead of being yet another occasional wear desi brand, he wanted to create western wear for smart-thinking and well-travelled men and women. Staying true to his sensibility, he soon discovered and created a new clientele and a new clientele itching to experiment with new styles embraced him. How did it all start? What were the challenges and what’s the way ahead? Let’s hear it from the genius...

You have been one of the pioneers in Indian fashion. How did it all start? 

I started off with only men’s clothes and I transitioned into womenswear in 1998. We were creating consumers and there were no marketing platforms. Back in the day, one’s success was analysed on the basis of whether you sold out in a week, a month or a day. Everything was ‘see now buy now’. In the womenswear space, the only market which existed was of wedding clothes. I did dabble in Indianwear but I realised, I was horrible. Then I offered women well-cut clothes, which were western in nature and with my first show, I garnered an amazing response. Twenty five pieces were sold out in five days. Indian women were open to the idea and that’s what gave me the courage.

How do you see the difference in men’s and women’s buying behaviour? 

Men are more loyal than women. A female customer, no matter how loyal to a brand, has no problem shifting to another brand. A man, for instance, will only stick to Berluti shoes. I think consistency played a big role. We weren’t making a lot of new customers but we got a lot of repeat customers.

Your earlier pieces are still relevant. What’s the magic of your timeless aesthetic?

Classics are forever. Your product shouldn’t age. Recently, I was going through my wife’s old wardrobe and found some pieces I had made for her, which are still relevant in fashion. Style should transcend beyond fashion and should be the extension of one’s personality. My inherent philosophy has always been about comfort.

Do you borrow a lot from cinema? 

I am quite a movie buff. Once you are exposed and influenced by the visual medium, it’s bound to reflect in your work. Be it the understated influence of certain films or the OTT exuberance of some on-screen personas. Audrey Hepburn has been my eternal muse. Dev Anand was the most stylish actor ever — be it his berets, scarves or the statement collars — there was a phenomenal amount of style. If I were to go back, I’d say the well-cut suits and the way they fit the likes of Arjun Rampal, Rahul Dev and Milind Soman. It gave you a real high which is lost today.

Wool has been the core part of your aesthetic. Do you have a penchant for outwear and androgyny? 

That credit has to go to French hair stylist Charlie Sellary. I met him in one of my shops and we became very good friends and that’s when a lot of learning happened. The seed of unusual layering was planted into my head. Having said that, there are advantages and disadvantages of being being ahead of times. For me, it’s been a disadvantage and back then, how many seasoned critics were there to understand my aesthetic? All my international success happened thanks to the global appeal of my designs. It was a conscious decision to steer my style in that direction. I admire today’s designers, who in their second collection, know what they are doing. We were lucky to find our zone and stuck to it.

One collection close to your heart...

When you finish a collection, it’s kind of behind you. My New York collection titled Sound of Silence, which was close to my personal aesthetic and brought global acclaim  remains fresh in my mind.

Where do you see the future of the brand? 

For the last 25 years, we’ve worked on top of the retail pyramid. I have come to the conclusion that if one has to do something significant in India, it’s crucial to address the mass market and do something at the base of the pyramid. Now, it’s time to move to the base and I want to dedicate the next 10 years to it and that’ll be the next  project. I know that it won’t be easy but I want to give it a shot. Anyway, I like challenges and have never been one to look for an easy way around.