People often confuse bespoke with Made to Measure. Please explain the difference.
In Made To Measure, you take the style and design of a brand and you adjust the measurement, the fit, and some details of the design to suit the client. So when I do Made To Measure, I select what's the best fit for you - vents, button holes, lapels. Bespoke means - you take a style which is created for you. We do Made To Measure and fit you with our style. Bespoke is a tailor shop where they get fabrics from different mills, design depends on the tailor and the client.
How do you cater to the Indian body type which is very different from American and European body type?
More than the body type, it is the request and the need from the client. Europeans and Americans might ask for the same fabric, might have the same dimension but have a different levels of comfort. Italians like something very fitted while Brits would want something fitted but not as fitted as Italian. The Americans like something roomy and comfortable. They used to like baggy but that's not the case anymore. In India, as I'm fitting the clients, I observe that there's a lot of influence of the style from Europe. They want something which is more on the body at the same time comfortable. It's a mix between what an American client wants and what a European client wants which in my mind is perfect. Not too extreme and not too baggy, which looks sloppy.
The Madras check has been a major Indian influence in the Brooks Brothers archive.
Ours is one of the first companies to bring the Madras check so it's part of our heritage. We've brought some fabric which reflects this heritage - light weight linen, silk, checks. This is the part of our heritage and we want to continue with it.
India has always been inspiring. We get inspired by the colour of the season in Indian heritage. Also, we are working on Indian style jacket with the Nehru collar. We are also focusing on the wedding season. We have velvet fabric in big strong colours as well as softer traditional colours. We are bringing our heritage here to meet the Indian heritage so that we are able to offer the brand for Indian client.
The bandhgala is the Indian classic. How have you reinterpreted it?
We have reinterpreted it in the style of the brand. We'll meet the Indian taste and flavour but we want to offer our client which has the brand's distinctive touch.
Who is the Brooks Brothers man?
Anyone who is looking for quality and something contemporary. We are neither way too fashion forward nor way too traditional. He wants a wardrobe which has both formal and casual parts.
Men's fashion is becoming more daring. Colours like canary yellow are becoming accepted fall colours. Comment.
Menswear business has grown the most in the last four to five years. There has been such a wide array of style. You can take a classic suit and personalise it with a pocket square. Purple has been an ongoing colour in menswear and not just formal but also casual. Definitely men are more comfortable with wearing colours today.
