Four years of high fashion: PM Modi's sartorial sense is a hit

A category of kurtas and jackets have been christened 'Modi'; cashmere shawls in bright colours over a dapper suit are in vogue. Wearing khadi is a trend, and occasionally replacing the pocket square with a Mont Blanc pen has become a thing to do.

One can call it sheer elegance or a symbol of profligacy but even those not interested in politics haven’t been able to ignore the most powerful 67-year-old in the country, sporting his Movado watches and rimless Bvlgari glasses.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in wearing bespoke outfits. Says Ahmedabad-based Bipin Chauhan, who has tailored these outfits since 1989: “People claim to have designed his outfits but the Prime Minister has not worn a single outfit that hasn’t been tailored and customized by me."

Ever since Modi assumed office four years ago, never has there been so much appreciation, or criticism, of what the Indian Prime Minister wears. Thanks to his fashion statement, the social media even has a hashtag for it: #modiswag.

Shaina NC, fashion designer and BJP party member, says Modi’s style is deserving of the imitation it gets. “He’s created a fan following for his fashion sense. For instance, a half-sleeve kurta as a formal wear is an unconventional look to carry but he's made it fashionable and people like to sport the same look,” she says.

Good business

The popularity reflects in numbers. The 'half sleeve Modi kurta' category on JadeBlue’s website is the most searched option after the Modi jackets. JadeBlue is an online men's clothing brand owned by Chauhan.

JadeBlue sells close to 50 such jackets every month.

Then there are brands that sell only these jackets! NaMo by Katha is one such brand that has an exclusive retail chain of only Modi jackets.

It's not just about the looks. Modi is also particular about the fabric used to make his kurtas. According to Chauhan, the West Bengal-made cream khadi is the prime minister's favourite fabric.

Modi’s love for khadi is not new. “When he was the Gujarat chief minister, he used to visit khadi outlets in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar every year in October to buy the fabric and apparels for himself. He was always followed by his cabinet colleagues and top officials,” says Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman VK Saxena.

Pistachio, beige, light pink and all light pastels are Modi’s colours of preference.

Not just kurtas

When not in kurtas, Modi has been pretty experimental with his looks and outfits. “He customizes his fashion according to the crowd he is addressing," says brand expert Harish Bijoor.

"He dresses differently when in India and when travelling abroad. He isn’t like, say Ramdev, who would dress the same irrespective of where he is. He knows that when in Rome, one should dress as Romans,” adds Bijoor.

So has Modi been wearing western outfits, suits, ties and waistcoats on to international trips? No! Every outfit worn on his international trips is calculatedly bespoke.

His visit to the neighbouring countries is an example. On his first foreign visit, to Bhutan, Modi wore his usual, cream-coloured khadi kurta and jacket. The outfit was a thing to talk about when he met Bhutan's king and queen.

The kurtas occasionally paired with cashmere shawls have been one of PM Modi's signature looks for foreign trips. A bright orange shawl that he wore when he visited Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu in 2014 got people talking about his fashion sense.

It is, however, not just the selection of colour that made his choice bold.

With the orange outfit and orange shawl, Modi also sported a heavy rudraksh mala for that extra touch of desi vibe. Looks like the orange shawl was a favourite because Modi wore it again while receiving the then US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in 2015; this time with a peach kurta and jacket.

And just when people thought that Modi wouldn’t experiment with the colour palette, he surprised people with his burgundy suit in which he arrived at the JFK Airport in New York in September 2014. “Effortlessly wine” was a trend that took off from there in the fashion circuit.

Talk about creating impressions, and no one could not notice Modi in a traditional Mongolian costume while attending the Mini Naadam Festival in May 2015. With that look, one would also recollect Modi playing the Mongolian Yochin. The image not just went viral but is still used in memes on social media.

Creating a buzz

The prime minister's experiments with outfits and colours have created the buzz around his fashion sense. “His wearing pistachio-green half-sleeved kurtas buttoned up till his neck bring out traditional elan and enrich our Indian ethnic styles," says designer Ritu Beri. "Equally, he can wear trench coats with Texan hats paired perfectly with denim and western style trousers. He carries everything he wears with an attitude and confidence which makes it an instant winner."

Beri’s favourite is Modi’s look during his visit to Siachen. “The grey jacket with the cool shades add up to create a completely new look for the kurta-pyjama clad Prime Minister,” she says.

Criticism

Modi's stylish quotient also brings him criticism. Fashion critiques still have not gotten over with the dark pinstripe suit Modi wore while visiting Obama in 2015.

The PM was labelled a narcissist for wearing the suit, which had ‘Narendra Damodardas Modi’ imprinted all over it. Others said it a major fashion faux pas. That did not stop Modi from later wearing a shimmery black shawl on his visit to Korea with his initials ‘NM’ printed on it.

Ritu Beri, however, calls this his 'individualistic style.'

Well groomed

It has not just been clothes. Modi is careful about his overall look, including his hairstyle.

While there is no confirming or denying rumours of his hair transplant between 2014 and 2015, celebrity hairdresser Jawed Habib is in awe of Modi's hairstyle.

“No one has ever seen a strand of his hair out of place. It is quite possible that he has a haircut every week to keep it perfectly in shape. His beard compliments the hair and together, they are the perfect shade of white,” says Habib.

Whether this unanimous awe for his style is justified or not, the PM’s fashion quotient is a definite plus to his demeanour. “Modi’s brand value in terms of fashion is in his dressing for the occasion,” adds Bijoor.

The eight-time Academy award-winning costume designer, Edith Head, had once said that one can have anything one wants in life if one dresses for it. Looks like Modi took the advice straight.