Even though luxury tops the fashion pyramid, it still has a tendency to be driven by the inconsistent. While fashion is driven by change, its cyclical nature can mean that concepts are exploited—all in name of propelling a trend. Bespoke is one such example. The word originates from the verb to bespeak, which means “to speak for something”. A piece that is bespoke simply put is made to order. But there is nothing simple about bespoke. Traditionally when you think of bespoke it is London’s Saville Row that is credited with giving bespoke its stature. The tailors of Saville Row have prided themselves on bespoke tailoring for over 200 years. Every suit is individually patterned, cut and crafted. But India really has its own history of bespoke. When it comes to design, Indian Royalty have probably been the biggest patrons of bespoke both in India and internationally. We have all heard of the famous Cartier Patiala necklace. Created and named after Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, the then ruling Maharaja of the state, it contained 2,930 diamonds.
He was not alone. The Maharajah of Baroda was well known for his love of bespoke Bentleys and Rolls Royce’s and Udaipur’s Maharanas had a penchant for bespoke crystal from Baccarat and Christolfe. But bespoke has a rich “Made in India” history too. Many old aristocratic families will have bespoke weaves in their cupboard, bespoke carpets on their floors and bespoke jewels in their lockers. Fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore, who hails from the Jodhpur royal family believes that it was really the royal families from South East Asia that made the bespoke industry and it was in the 1920s that bespoke really first became understood. “The British started the Gun Salute and this was when hierarchy first started in the royalty and it became about what car you drove, what palace you lived in and what you wore.” According to him, it was the Indian Maharajas who understood the true meaning of bespoke and sought after bespoke products. “It is about a whisper, you never know where it was made.”
Bespoke is now seeing a revival and has almost become a buzzword in luxury—having something bespoke is seen as truly indulgent and special. And bespoke does not have to be inherited anymore as most luxury brands today have realised that as we evolve up the luxury ladder, bespoke becomes the pinnacle of luxury. For Indians, “tailor-made” is a way of life for most of us—and we need to be careful to realise there is a distinct difference between bespoke and tailor-made. Its creator is also important. Says Rathore, “A designer of bespoke needs to understand your lifestyle. They need to connect with you.” So to be a bespoke product designer in many ways you have to live the lifestyle too and you normally find that many bespoke designers have learnt their craft from the generation before them. Making bespoke requires a knowledge that experience teaches better than design school and an aesthetic sense that is inherent. Lineage is important to be a bespoke designer.
Krsna Mehta’s family has been in the business of design for generations and he is known for being a purveyor of good taste. His family company Zeba is well known for being among the best carpet makers in the country and has expanded into design for the home. Krsna is well known for his wall art and for his own more prêt design line, “India Circus”. He says, “The difference between something being tailor made, something Indians are used to, and bespoke is the quality and brand. When you have a design or art house or brand doing bespoke work for you, it is clearly differentiated from say, a generic tailor making a suit for you. Also, the things that are considered truly bespoke are things that most people, even in India, don’t get custom-made. For example, we do customised Wall Art for clients. Most people would end up buying art, even very expensive art, rather than commission an artist to make art specifically for them.” And while the very expensive art may cost more than a bespoke piece—the bespoke piece will have an individuality that no other piece can have.
This is probably why bespoke is considered to be the most evolved form of luxury—it is for those who have gone beyond the logo and now are confident enough in their own taste and style to not need to rely on a conformity.
Gunjan Gupta is a leading product and décor designer. She is behind ‘Wrap’, India’s first contemporary luxury and lifestyle brand established on social and environmentally sustainable principles. A winner of the EDIDA (ELLE Décor International Design Awards), Sotheby’s London, recently exhibited her work. She says that she has seen the real jump for demand in bespoke in the last two or three years, but feels many in her industry misuse the word bespoke. Says Gunjan, “Bespoke or customised is often misunderstood and misrepresented in India as a minor tweak in finish or size. A real bespoke product is original, innovated and tailored to an individual’s taste and requirements.” Gunjan herself says that in her work it is a word she does not use so often. True bespoke is exclusive. One of her most memorable pieces of bespoke she has designed was large scale reception tables in white stone commissioned for a client in Mumbai where they had exclusive Indian and International art as part of their environment and these pieces had to be woven into the narrative. Of course it is not only personal homes that can go bespoke, institutions also look for bespoke design. Says Krsna, “A bespoke carpet would be highly customised for the client. It would be designed specially keeping in mind the room it will go in. The furniture, the lighting and art what will occupy the room. These are all factors that come into designing a bespoke carpet. Often, hotels like their logo woven into the designs of the carpets, like the ITC. Joy Shoes at the Taj had their logo designed by M F Hussain. So, the carpet there has the M F Hussain art on it. That is truly bespoke. Individuals who get bespoke carpets made for their homes coordinate the design with their furniture, wall colour, and even the wall art that they have. The whole design is made to fit in that space only. They may take a colour away from the art and ask that it be used as the base colour for the carpet design.” Of course home is not the only place for bespoke— clothes and jewellery bespoke actually lend themselves to bespoke much more naturally. And it will come as no surprise to hear that the Great Indian Wedding has made many people now desire bespoke products. Today nearly every jeweller and designer will boast of their bespoke designs. Rathore warns this is often a trap. “Bespoke is all about a whisper. A true bespoke designer will never advertise, it is against the very ethos of bespoke,” says the designer. He believes even in a city like Delhi there are probably just about 10 men who actually are real bespoke connoisseurs. For a men’s suit there are some tell-tale signs. “The first impact is always the visual impact, it always fits better,” says the designer. There are many brands who call their service “Made to Measure” but that is not to be confused with bespoke, which is far more personalised and detailed. Indicators of a bespoke suit include three buttons on the sleeve. “Ready made suits often came with more than three buttons so it can altered,” says Raghavendra. A cuff on the trousers is also a norm with a bespoke suit, as is the perfect positioning of pockets. Then there are the finer details like hand sewn buttons which have a coarser look. For fusing, horse hair will be used.
Even in jewellery, you need to watch out for those who used the word bespoke too freely. Nirav Modi is known to be one of India’s finest jewellers. The son and grandson of a wood cutter, he has been in the diamond business since he was 19-years-old. He says, “Look for a jeweller who does not compromise on quality and offers innovation rather than a bespoke jeweller. Remember that this is more than a purchase, it is a heritage that you will pass on to your children and you should ensure it is the most special and exclusive jewellery. Unfortunately, the bespoke jewellery that we are used to in India is not necessarily fine jewellery.” And though he has many bespoke clients he says his daughter is his most memorable bespoke client. “My four year old daughter asked for earrings in the shape of bunny rabbits and cupcakes. I had to comply.”
Probably the best known name from India when it comes to jewellery was Gem Palace’s Late Munnu Kasliwal, his son Siddarth now looks after the design and production side and is the seventh generation of the family to enter the business. He works alongside his uncles and cousins. Since the 1850s Gem Palace has been a name royalty love and they still have royal families from Jaipur, Norway and Holland among their clients. Today Gem Palace’s fine workmanship can be found at Barney’s New York as well their own retail outlets in Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai. Siddharth says, “Bespoke for Gem Palace clients normally comes into play for a special occasion, like anniversary, wedding or birthday. We ensure our clients are involved at every stage, and show them the piece while it is being made so their inputs are always at the forefront.” But what make’s Gem Palace jewellery a true piece of art are its craftsman, most of whom who have been at Gem Palace like the Kasliwals for generations. “Their expertise, and knowledge really is the heart of Gem Palace,” he says.
After care is also an important part of bespoke. Bharat Shah’s family has been in the business of weaving for three generations but has just opened the first retail space in Delhi Ekaya. This store shows the range of weaves that is available in India, from a sari for Rs10,000, to real zari to a bespoke weave, Ekaya is a great example of the wider repertoire of fashion that India can be proud of. Palak Shah is the woman behind this retail space and represents the fourth generation of her family in the business of weaves. She is the company CEO and her father and two uncles are the company directors. A true family of bespoke, her father, Bharat Shah says, “In the Indian context, bespoke tailoring and retailing are majorly related to traditional Indian textiles and garments. Our weaves comprise a lot of diversity and technical talent of Indian looms, luxuriant in the wide variety of textiles from across the country. But unfortunately, today’s generation doesn’t fully appreciate the legacy of our textile heritage and is negligent in proper preservation of these traditional weaves. Ekaya provides a singular service to many such people, educating them on the correct preservation methods to conserve and maintain the integrity of ancient motifs as well as reinvent these garments to suit the modern sensibilities, a unique customisation of our heritage.” A bespoke piece will have a feel of true tradition, it will be something that last generations and have a provenance. Which is why it is important to buy a bespoke piece from a place that has heritage, you will want generations to be able to enjoy your piece.
So while European brands have made bespoke their buzz word, true bespoke is something that has an Indian heritage and is something that Indians are revisiting again. To understand true bespoke, you must be all about the details.