Fun and funky, Siddartha Tytler's collaboration with Bombay Shirt Company (BSC) is for the man who loves the designer's "craziness in fashion". In a chat with t2, Siddartha looks back at the making of the range.
The shirts look flamboyant, signature Siddartha Tytler. How did the collaboration happen?
Basically, a while back I saw Bombay Shirt Company's collaboration with Bobo Calcutta and I absolutely loved it, and, surprisingly, these guys got in touch with me and I was over the moon... oh my god! I would love to do this. They gave me a free hand and said, 'Do what you want'. This is what we came out with and I just loved it. It was smooth sailing.
Siddartha, you have also collaborated with Bobo Calcutta...
It was my first collaboration. Bobo and I used to chat a lot during lockdown and then I had this big show right after the lockdown, literally a month after, and I told him let's do something together and he was all for it. So, I was telling these guys (at Bombay Shirt Company) that it's a full circle.
Coming back to the shirts, they are a full-on party...
Basically when Bombay Shirt Company said, 'Sid, do what you want', it took me back to my college days in New York, which was all about rave culture, underground parties, having fun with fashion and playing with colours, textures and prints and print-blocking. That was what New York was in 1998-99 and I just archived it. I have bought five shirts there for myself.
We targeted the party season for India, even globally actually, and it has got a great response because people want to have fun right now. They are layering up the shirts and teaming them with jackets. There is a pop of colour that gives it that festive feel.
Shirts are such an essential item, yet often a neglected category...
When they asked me to collaborate with them, I went on their website and saw what they deliver. Their shirts are amazing and their fits are fabulous, but I just wanted to give that craziness to it. I am not one for classic styling. I like the craziness in fashion.
What kind of a man did you have in mind for this collaboration?
Honestly, these shirts are for everyone. Men who love to party and experiment and just want to have a good time. These are feel-good shirts. The fabrics are amazing and the prints are going beautifully with each other.
How are more and more men dressing these days?
Thanks to Instagram and social media, the globe has become so small, when it comes to knowing fashion. Men have become a lot more open and experimental, a lot more fun than women in fact. It allows us to design more. It could be a 3D flower coming out of the shoulder for men or textures, crystal, sequins, threadwork, but it's purely for parties. Our clients come to be noticed and stand out. So, they are ready to play around with fashion. Even when it comes to Indian-wear, men are ready to experiment. It's a good feeling. Seven-eight years back, there was none of this.
Is this collaboration also a stepping stone towards reaching out to more people?
That's the whole objective of the collaboration. We both put our best foot forward and come up with a totally new product. We are feeding off each other in many fields. My clothes are a little more expensive and my shirts are like, maybe, three times the price of Bombay Shirt Company. So, it's a whole different market for us and them.
Every once in a while we like to mix it up and experiment and who better to do it than our wonderful Sid Tytler. It was very easy and we sort of agreed on what the approach should be and then we honestly, let him do his thing, which he does really well and executed from then on. It was quite a learning experience for us as well because we sort of pigeon-hole our customers at times... sometimes we neglect the fact that they might want something experimental and avant-garde. It has opened up the funnel a bit as well. In general, people are just wellinformed and men, especially. They are attuned to what looks good and fits well. That’s where we come into the picture because we are tailoring a shirt just for you. With social media and with people travelling, men are definitely more particular. They are not afraid to go outside their comfort zone as they were earlier. They come and spend a good 30-45 minutes to understand what occasions he wants to make these shirts for. The perfect shirt is the one you can get the most value out of — Neha Modi, VP, design and merchandising, Bombay Shirt Company.
SIDDARTHA’S TOP THREE TIPS FOR MEN...
- Make sure the focal point is one area. Don’t look like a Christmas tree. Don’t overstyle yourself.
- You must have the essentials — a basic T-shirt, a basic shirt and a nice pair of jeans.
- Just have fun with fashion.
- SOME OF SIDDARTHA’S FAVOURITE MEN...
- Aditya Seal. He is one of the coolest, funnest people.
- Sahil Salathia is a mad dresser. He is a very good friend of mine.
- Aashim Gulati is clinically insane, which I love! I love people who love to play with fashion.
- Harry Styles. He’s experimental