Designer Profile: Rathore

Tradition, modernity, and pure elegance defines designer Rathore. Born and brought up it the epi-centre of heritage and royalty—Jodhpur Rajasthan—coupled with a valuable 1200 years of family history, it is undeniably the source of inspiration in his creations. Uniting ancient and traditional workmanship with contemporary aplomb, Rathore finds unique and subtler ways to evoke the spirit of a departed age with a fresher approach. Rathore believes tradition and values from the past create a fantastic library of ideas to form foundations for growth in Indo-Western design. The vintage and historic depths of Rajasthan are revived in the 21st century as high fashion in Rathore’s designs.

His traditional upbringing—strategically enhanced by the training of his craft at New York’s Parsons School of Design—gave him a competitive edge in the global couture world. Rathore possessed a unique insight to create the right mix of aesthetics, craft and heritage. His inimitable skills were immediately noticed and he landed a coveted position as an assistant designer to Donna Karan for the sportswear division of DKNY. Shortly thereafter, he went on to work alongside Oscar de la Renta. Rathore was his youngest designer, creating 70 sketches daily, all the while creating buzz and winning the hearts of the often-finicky fashion circuit.

With New York, Paris, Donna Karan, and Oscar De La Renta under his belt, he decided to launch his own private collection most appropriately in Rajasthan, India.

In 1994 “Rathore Jodhpur” was born, followed by the opening of his first studio in 1996. This men’s couture line was catered to an untapped market with his signature item—his take on the men’s Bandgala Jacket—a high collared, regular length jacket, a key garment that dates back centuries. His reputation elevated exponentially as his development of a “new cut for the classic Bandgala suit,” a design synonymous with Indian heritage, yet resilient to the fads of fashion, was received loudly and affectionately by the sharpest dressed men of India. The tailored look of the Bandgala Jacket became a vital element of today’s Indian fashion scene.

“I feel this is the right time to get the macho look back in and get rid of the metro sexual image,” says Rathore. “Blame it on my traditional upbringing and my ideologies, as I have seen only royally dressed men around me, and that is why for me a man should look like a man – elegant, smart, and handsome.” Rathore’s understanding of this fine artistry and his developing fashion expertise led to further innovations. He began to cater his line to suit the dynamic, ever changing, stylish Indian woman. While his collection continued to soar to great heights, Rathore opened his second store in 2001 with a private collection for his fashionable male and female clients.

This multi-faceted designer continues to expand his creative vision, with a home décor line, furniture and lifestyle collection as well as an array of gourmet products setting his vibrant portfolio apart from the rest. His understanding of Rajasthan’s colour palette, which is a multitude of pastels, offers richness back to the consumer. His keen eye for modernity and traditionalistic views has set a new bar for other emerging designers. Rathore’s philosophy has always been “to enhance the brand” with diverse projects which can involve the beautification of a city, or developing a design interface for airports. Fashion, however, will always be the core of the company.

And Bollywood has definitely taken note.

Rathore’s Rajasthani fashion sense hit the style radar of Bollywood’s leading men. He created the wardrobe for the 2007 epic historical feature film, Eklavya –The Royal Guard. His designs has draped a wide array of superstars including screen idol Amitabh Bachchan and heart throbs Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt. Rathore thoroughly enjoyed this project, “This is an opportunity to recreate the authenticity of Rajesthani life as it existed in the history books.” Just like him, his designs symbolizes the colourful fashion history of India while celebrating the stylish cuts of today as evidenced by his latest model, Bollywood actress Riya Sen.

Rathore will continue to bring tradition to the current century and defy the limits of fashion by achieving the highest standard of luxury—in the true Indian way—for the Rathore brand. To view Rathore’s entire collection and for more information about the designer visit his website, www.rathore.com [1].

BY: NASHILA VELJI/PUBLISHED 6TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 2009
(PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF RATHORE)

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