Talk about the music videos of the 90s and Mera Laung Gawacha can’t help but come up. Chances are you won’t remember the woman in the video; I’m willing to wager you won’t have forgotten the man. But chocolate hero Jas Arora has come a long way since his music video days. The model-turned-actor-turned-entrepreneur has now reinvented himself as a designer and created his own bespoke clothing line.
You enter the eponymously-named store at JW Marriott at the capital’s Aerocity to be greeted by a gamut of fragrances, rows of ensembles for men and women, and a smiling, mustachioed Arora. The clothes lean both west and eastward. On offer, for men, are sherwanis, kurtas, pathanis as well as tuxedos, jackets, waistcoats and shirts. For women, there are lehengas with gold work, silk jackets and trousers with matching blazers.
| The fabric is a significant part of a Jas Arora ensemble, and is sourced from Zegna, Calentino and Scabal. Of course, there are brocades and silks from India too. |
The 5,000-sq-ft-store is well laid out and airy, but what really strikes you is the abundance of hues. The merchandise looks as if it’s been picked off a rainbow. The hand-stitched sherwanis and kurtas are in yellow, peach and mauve; the jackets extravagant in pink and navy blue while the pathanis do a collars up in techni-coloured brocades. The women’s playful trousers, in yellows and greens, do a two-step with colour-coordinated blazers. “I simply love colour. You will always find me wearing colour in some way. Even now, I have these light blue socks on,” says Arora, adding: “But we do have clothes in more conventional colours too, for people who wouldn’t like them any other way.”
What’s interesting though is that all the garments here are only samples. “Each piece that goes out of this store will be made to measure. No two bodies are the same. So, why not create something that not only reflects individual style but is also a one-of-a-kind, real couture creation?” is Arora’s philosophy. Here’s how the process works. A client comes in and chooses the design and fabric with the help of Arora and his 10-member retail team. If it’s an Indian outfit, it’s created at the local units in Patel Nagar and Mahipalpur; a tuxedo or jacket is sent to units owned by fine dressmakers like Angelo Toma and Vitale Barberis located in Biella, Italy, for finishing. The entire process takes four to six weeks, depending on the lavishness desired by the client. The evening jackets are priced at `30,000, tuxedos and sherwanis around `70,000 and formal suits at `50,000 and above.
The fabric is a significant part of the Jas Arora marque’s USP. The textiles are sourced from the European mills of Valentino, Ermenegildo Zegna, Lanificio Carlo Barbera, Scabal and Cerruti. But there are Indian fabrics too. “We have added a twist by creating tuxedos with kimkhab brocade from Varanasi.” Doesn’t that take a good deal of customization? “Yes, but that’s our specialty,” says Arora. “Before setting up the shop, I took multiple trips to Italy to learn about textiles and the fine art of tailoring. I also got my master tailor to train in Milan.” Next up is a range of unusual cufflinks and comfortable but chic shoes that can go with Indian wear. “Pajamis too will get a makeover. I want to add a comfort factor to Indian couture. Perhaps, we’ll do a sleeveless sherwani too,” grins Arora. Watch this space.