Nehru’s stylesheet
Charming, classy and dapper, Jawaharlal Nehru cut a stylish figure. His youthful spirit, exuberant air and impeccable dressing made the cameras (and ladies) fall in love with him. And years later, the Jawahar jacket continues reigning as a timeless classic in every well-dressed Indian man’s wardrobe.
Pandit Nehru studied in Harrow, England. While studying and living there, he followed the fashions of that era and place. His wardrobe reflected the typical British styles of that time — Bond Street suits, hats, and clothes perfectly tailored for each occasion.
But after returning to India and being inspired by Gandhiji, his thinking and taste reflected a more Indian leaning. He switched to dhoti-kurta and the typical collarless UP jacket. But he modernised it with a band collar and it came to be known as the Jawahar jacket.
He made the Gandhi topi look trimmer than the earlier style, which was broad, by making the rim shorter. He also shelved his western style shoes and took to wearing pathani shoes. Finally, his most popular pictures have him wearing the white khadi bandhgala, churidar pyjama, red rose in breast pocket, the Gandhi cap and pathani shoes.
During my research for Attenborough’s Gandhi, I had the privilege of seeing his clothes up, close and personal. One could see that the total combination that was his attire was entirely his thinking. In his days, there were no fashion designers. His clothes reflected his thinking and understanding of the mood of that rapidly evolving era.
The leaders of that era were all thinking people. They made changes in their attire as a statement of those times. They wore hand-spun, hand-woven khadi and set an example by using the charkha to spin the Indian cloth. They knew it would make an impact. They used their attire to motivate Indians to shun imported clothes and fabric, and wear Indian clothes.
If the youth of today, both consumers and designers, want to take a leaf out of Nehru’s stylebook, I hope they know the meaning and thought behind his styles and clothes. It is not just a passing fad. It has deep historical meaning. And it’s a statement in itself.
The writer is an acclaimed costume designer and the first Indian to win an Oscar
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