INDIAN EDITION

WITH THIS ISSUE

The 50
Best
JUNE 2016 `150
Dressed
MenIn
FATHERS & India
SONS SPECIAL
WITH
NOW!
FAROOQ & OMAR
ABDULLAH
NARAYANA MURTHY
&ROHAN MURTY
AMARTYA &
KABIR SEN
NAGARJUNA &
AKHIL,CHAITANYA

VIRAT
KOHLI
ALL FIREDUP
Howa Punjabi
Rapper turned into a
YouTube Superstar
VIRAT KOHLI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TARUN VISHWA
THE SMART MANS
GUIDE TO EURO 2016
Breguet, the innovator.
Tradition Chronographe Indpendant 7077
The Tradition Chronographe Indpendant 7077 perpetuates the creative heritage of
Breguet by interpreting it in a contemporary and innovative way. It is comprised of
two entirely independent gear trains. The first, set to a frequency of 5 Hz to enhance
precision measurement, is devoted to the chronograph, while the second, operating
at 3 Hz, is dedicated to the hours and minutes. History is still being written...
 Chennai: The Helvetica 044 28464095/96 Kolkata: Exclusive Lines 033 22820626 Hyderabad: Meena Jewellers 040 23237170
New Delhi: J o h n s o n W a t c h C o , C o n n a u g h t P l a c e 0 11 4 15 13 110 / 4151312 1 J o h n s o n W a t c h C o , S o u t h E x t n 011 2 4 6 4 2 2 9 9 / 416 4 6 7 6 6
Mumbai: E t h o s S u m m i t , 0 2 2 6 6 1 5 1 3 0 8 / 0 9 T i m e A v e n u e , 0 2 2 2 6 5 1 5 7 5 7 / 5 8 5 8
B R E G U E T I N D I A N E W D E L H I + 9 1 11 4 6 0 9 2 9 0 7 W W W . B R E G U E T . C O M
DLF EMPORIO MALL VASANT KUNJ NEW DELHI 110070 T 011 41033059
TOMFORD.COM
 For this watch, we put the biggest focus
on the smallest unit of time.

The jumping seconds mechanism

The emphasis in the R/ - S is on superior per second. A rare complication in mechanical watches, the jumping
precision and thus on the smallest of the three displayed units of seconds is powered by the one-second constant-force escapement.
time, the second. On the regulator dial, it occupies the largest circle. This ingenious mechanism also assures that the mainspring barrel
The slender blued hand advances by one graduation exactly once retensions the remontoir spring every single second. Consequently,
 And gave it the biggest stage.

4+%*#4&.#0)',7/2+0)5'%10&5

the spring is always uniformly tensioned and drives the oscillation accuracy. The seconds hand executes another jump when the crown
system with constant increments of force across the entire power- is pulled: thanks to the Z5 function, it instantly moves to
reserve period. Together with the balance with eccentric poising zero and stays there. This allows the watch to be set quickly and
ZHLJKWVDQGWKH/DQJHEDODQFHVSULQJWKLVJXDUDQWHHVH[FHOOHQWUDWH conveniently precisely to the second. www.alange-soehne.com

New Delhi: Johnson Watch Company, C-16 Connaught Place, Tel. +91 11 4151 3121
Mumbai: Time Avenue, 189, Turner Road, Bandra (West), Tel. +91 22 2651 5757
Chennai: 6JG*GNXGVKEC5)TQWPFQQT'ZRTGUU#XGPWG/CNN4Q[CRGVVCJ6GN 
Bangalore:'VJQU5WOOKV6JG%QNNGEVKQP(KTUV(NQQT7$%KV[8KVVCN/CNN[C4QCF6GN 
 CON TS
COVER STAR
VIRAT
KOHLI

130
THE PRINCE
ON THEIndias best cricketer is
COVER
betting big for a life off
the pitch. By Megha Shah

WITH THIS ISSUE

The 50
Best
JUNE 2016 `150
Dressed
MenIn
FATHERS & India
SONS SPECIAL
WITH
NOW!
FAROOQ & OMAR
ABDULLAH
NARAYANA MURTHY
&ROHAN MURTY
AMARTYA &
KABIR SEN
NAGARJUNA &
AKHIL,CHAITANYA

VIRAT
KOHLI
ALLFIREDUP
HowaPunjabi
Rapper turned into a
YouTube Superstar
THE SMART MANS
GU DE TO EURO 2016
PHOTO: TARUN VISHWA

TRENCH COAT, JUMPER;

BOTH BY BURBERRY

JUMPER BY DIOR HOMME.

TROUSERS BY ROHIT
GANDHI + RAHUL KHANNA.
WATCH BY TISSOT
CONTENTS

186 POP STAR

Imran + fresh colours = your
new suiting up inspiration.
By Errikos Andreou
POLO T-SHIRT, BLAZER; BOTH
BY CORNELIANI. TROUSERS
BY ZARA. SHOES BY
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN.
SOCKS BY MUSTANG SOCKS

14 JUNE 2016
CONTENTS

30 Editors letter
34 Contributors
38 GQ access
222 GQ central
223 Where to buy
226 Open letter

113 Grooming Guide 2016: The Upgrade

We step away from the basics and deep dive into
the world of hairspiration, cosmetic procedures
and going all natural. By Shikha Sethi

170 The Gentlemens Club

Hyderabads finest gentlemen shatter the citys
biryani-dominated image.
By Dave Besseling
ON THE
196 Poetry in motion
COVER
Inside the life of Humble The Poet, one
of a wave of Canadian Punjabis whove used
YouTube to get famous worldwide.
By Nidhi Gupta
202 Back to black
The sexiest accents in a classic colour.
By Dmitry Zhuravlev
208 A field guide to the new age of the
super-villain
Starring Donald Trump, Sepp Blatter, Bikram
Choudhury and more.
214 Sport
Athleisure is about combining your three-piece
suit, gymwear and loungewear. Heres how.
By Gonzalo Machado
GQ goes to lunch with Diesel boss Renzo Rosso;
Agony Uncle Suhel Seth imparts infinite wisdom
on flower fashion, small talk and going down;
Where to eat, drink and party this month
91 GQ EXCLUSIVE:
FATHERS & SONS
No two family
ON THE
COVER
dynamics are the
same but when you look
at these four relationships,
you might just be surprised.
By Dave Besseling
an art auction; On the occasion of its tenth room; how to find and work with the best
anniversary, the Twitter-est of Twitter; Robot tailor for you
battles are coming heres the dirt on the
first one
Why were still going back to Baselworld, the
biggest watch exhibition in the world
103 Wunderkinds to watch at Euro 2016
ON THE
COVER
So that you sound like a bona fide expert.
By Meryl Dsouza
Everything you need to know about the
The Euro 2016 could be a beacon of hope in a newest addition to the Royal Enfield fleet;
dark year for host nation France; How to enjoy Wheels that could make you near immortal
Marseille outside the Stade Vlodrome
177 Science: The chilling reality of our planets
Burberrys taken its signature tartan print health. By Alanna Mitchell
to umbrellas; Theres more to Philipp Plein 180 Humour: Stop being a social media know-
than explosive runways but those dont it-all. By Anish Trivedi
PHOTO: ADIL HASAN

Radhika Apte proves why shes the anti-diva;
What (not) to learn from the men of Orange Is
The New Black; Hollywood hacks for the next
alien attack; The beginners guide to attending
hurt either; Your shoe collection needs these
essentials; British designer Patrick Grants
10 rules to suiting up; The List; Tips from the
Van Heusen + GQ Fashion Nights runways to
make you the best-dressed guy in any
181 Genetics: A Pulitzer Prize-winning author
confronts the complex nature of heredity.
By Siddhartha Mukherjee
182 Pop Culture: How to enjoy the Age of the
Greys. By Caity Weaver

18 JUNE 2016
 EDITOR Che Kurrien PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Arjun Mehra
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22 JUNE 2016
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SONS SPECIAL The Cond Nast Group of Brands includes:
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 WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

In the lead role: John Travolta, movie legend and aviation aficionado.
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 Letter
from the
Editor

arlier
ie this
thi year
ye r I received
r ceived a book, Sons S ns + Fathers,
athers, a
collection
le ion of personal
pe s n l essays by some some of the h worlds
wo l s best-
known
st-knowmen about
men abouttheir their
dads,dads,
including
including
a foreword
a foreword
by
Bono.Bono.Contributors
Contributors to this
to this
anthology
anthology include
includeBillBill
Clinton,
whose father, travelling
ather, travelling
salesmansalesman
Williamn Jefferson
William Jefferson
Blythe Jr,Blythe
was Jr,
killed
was killed
in aninautomobile
an automobileaccident
accident
threethree
months
months before before
Clinton
he was
was born,
born,
and who
w o he Clinton
describes
describes
as theas most
the most
important
importantperson person
I neverI never
met;met;
Salman
Sal a Rushdie,
Rushdie who whoshows
showshow howhis hisdad
dadAnis
Anisdisdain
disdainfor forreligiosity
religiosity
t
fundamentally
fund m n all shapeds a ed him; i ; PR overlord
ov r ord Matthewtthew Freud,
F e d, whos fraught
raught
relationship
relations i with his father,dad,
d Clement,
Clement, reveals
revealsthethe complexity
complexity ofof
this
this
most
most
human human
of connections;
of connections;
and evenand my
even British
my
i British
counterpart
counterpart
DylanDylan
Jones, s
Jones,
who was who beaten
was beaten
as a child
as abychild
his dismissive,
by his dismissive,
laconiclaconic
father father
a narrative
a
narrative
that ends that
withends
the most
with tender
the most conclusion.
tender conclusion.
Inspired by these
t ese candid
ca did essays,
e sa s, we decided
decide to t explore
explo e the h
Father-Son
Fathe - o relationship
rel tio s p in n the
h Indian
Ind an context, a bond largely dei deined
ned
by weighty
ei hty societal
so eta expectations
expect tio s and nd role-play
ole-p ay rooted
ro ted in ancient
anci n
mor
moreses that
t at are reinforced
reinfo ce dailyda ly byy popular
popul r culture.
lt re. If Bollywood
Bollyw od is
any rel
r lect
ection,
on, were
we re a nation
n tion of benevolent
en vo ent patriarchs
patria chs and n sons withw th
Peter Pan
P n complexes.
com lexe . In reality,
r ali y, the dynamic
dy a i iss far fa more nuanced
nu n d and nd
less perfect
pe fect than we publicly blicl admit to. t . What iss it likeik being
b ing the sonso of o
a Nobel
No e laureate
laur ate and nd public
ublic intellectual
intelle ua like Amartya Sen, and how how
do you carve out your own identity dentity under
u der that great rea shadow? And
how much did d d having
a i g a lamboyant,
m o ant, extroverted
e trov r ed father
fat er like
l k Farooq
F r oq
Abdullah
Abdu lah deinee Omars a s more circumspect,
circu sp ct, discreet
discree personality?
p r onal ty
Does having
avi g a superstar
superst r dad ad like
ik Nagarjuna limit l m t your
y ur ability to have
real
rea friends?
fr ends? And what w a didd d itt mean forfo Rohan
Ro a to t have
h ve a i igure
gure as
authoritarian
authorita i n and successful
uccessf l as a Narayana MurthyMu t y as his hi dad?
d d? Our
O r hope
h p
is that these
the e stories
st r es will inspire a progressive
progressiv conversation
conversati n about b ut this
t is
most vital
it l of bonds.
o ds
PHOTO: ARJUN MARK (CHE)

CHE
CH KURRIEN
Editor
Ed t r

30 JUNE 2016
SABYASACHI
C A L C U T TA
CONTRIBUTORS

PAULINE ZONUNPUII
WHO: Assistant Editor, GQIndia.com.
Instagram @paulinezonunpuii
WHAT: Investigates the world of cosmetic
dermatology for our annual Grooming
Special, page 113
NOT FOR ME: To witness people letting
someone inject a foreign substance into their
skin, armpits, palms, lips, scalp and other
body parts for aesthetics seems a bit bizarre
to me. But perhaps the weirdest procedure
men are opting for is laser hair removal for
their balls.

TARUN VISHWA
WHO: Photographer
WHAT: Our cover story with the dynamic Virat Kohli, page 130
BEST-DRESSED: Virat enjoys his game, great clothes and experimenting with his look. Its not easy for
a lot of men to pull off the androgynous vibe thats big these days, but he was up for the challenge, and
rocked it (see: Kohli juggling apples in a shiny Gucci top).

ADIL HASAN ERRIKOS ANDREOU

WHO: Photographer. Instagram @adil_jsr WHO: Photographer.
WHAT: Flies cross-country for a Fathers & Instagram @errikosandreou
Sons shoot in Srinagar, page 92, and then WHAT: Brings colour to life with Imran
the Hyderabad edition of Gentlemens Club, Khan, page 186
page 170 TECHNICOLOUR: Real mean wear pink,
JUST YOUR AVERAGE FAMILY: Its not and bright colours, and its as true as it
every day that you get an inside look into a is clichd. Imran can denitely pull it all
family like the Abdullahs, and realize theyre off, but Ill stick to my classic black and
concerned with pretty normal things at one white palette.
point Omar told us about his attempts to get
his father to learn how to work Netix.

ALANNA MITCHELL
PHOTO: KULDEEP ROHILLA (ADIL)

WHO: Journalist. Topics include science, mostly

planetary. Twitter @amitchelltweets
WHAT: The chilling reality of climate change, page 177
ICYMI: Its real and its happening now. Everyone needs
to urge their governments to shift to renewables.

34 JUNE 2016
 ACCESS
YOUR EXCLUSIVE PASS TO THE MOST HAPPENING PARTIES AND EVENTS
Pavan Jhamnani Jay Kirloskar &
& Richard Carr Almona Bhatia

Swapna &
Rohan Mehta

Krishna Ram Bhupal

The Ermenegildo K Mohanchandran &
Zegna display Suryaveer Singh

Dino Morea

GENTLEMENS CLUB WITH

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
WHERE: Hosted at The Chambers
in Banjara Hills Taj Krishna, with
partner Ermenegildo Zegna, the warm
atmosphere contributed to a evening
of convivial conversation and sated
palates.
WHAT: For the first time, GQs travelling
discussion panel blew up into an evening
of drinks and a seated three-course
meal by the Taj Krishna, we
the people behind Hyderab
push to be Indias next mod
growth phenomenon. From
we can tell, its working. Surabhi Negi

Savita &
Veer Vijay Singh

Peter Thewlis & Dave Besseling

Mamta Singh
Tejus Kancherla

Keerthi Tummala & Dushyant Thakkar Shilpa Reddy Yogesh Maurya Neeta & Chaitania Kumar

38 JUNE 2016
HARD TO
TRUMP
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proportions, with a
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Donald J Trump behind it
there is little more one
can say to exemplify just
what living in the Trump
Tower in Mumbai would
be like. But we still tried

Trump Tower Mumbai

will be unlike anything
you have ever seen. A
jewel not just in the
citys skyline, but in the
Trump crown.
Donald J Trump
ITS LEGENDARY
The Trump Tower Mumbai is a collaboration
between Trump, the creator of the world's most
successful branded residences and the Lodha
Group, India's number one luxury real estate
developer. The Trump Tower Mumbai will be
unlike anything you have ever seen before, or
even dreamed of. Jaws will drop in awe. Murmurs
of its brilliance will echo. It will create a wave of
desire. Inspire big dreams. And then bring them
to life. Beaming. Iconic. Gold. Standing tall in the
middle of the urban jungle set in South Mumbais
first private residential park, The Park, Worli it
will exude sophistication and elegance, but in a
way only the discerning, like you, will identify
with. Part of the Lodha Luxury Collection, it will
redefine the very premise of larger than life,
and is set to surpass all expectations, push every
boundary and break the best-known conventions
in unparalleled style. If you thought the good life
was good, you have no idea what the great life
will be like. Until now.

For as long as its existed, the Trump name has

been synonymous with unadulterated excellence,
luxury and style. Whether its residences or
hotels, office spaces or retail and golf properties
if it bears the Trump stamp, it stands apart.
Every Trump-branded property has always been
associated with prime locations, spectacular
views, luxurious amenities and, most importantly,
discerning owners. From cutting-edge facades
created in collaboration with world-renowned
architects to flawless interiors designed for each
distinct market, and the most unimaginable
privileges, no detail is overlooked, no vision
unrealized. From USA to Panama, Canada, Turkey
and now Mumbai, the burgeoning Trump brand
consistently continues to raise benchmarks of
super luxurious living.

The man behind it all, Donald J Trump, is one of

the most recognized businessmen in the world:
The pre-eminent creator of iconic real estate
developments, hotels and golf resorts. Owner of
the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA
pageants. Host of the record-breaking TV show
The Apprentice. US President hopeful. They say,
it takes one man to change the world. And indeed
he has, and continues to do so. He comes to India,
with the vision to offer a lifestyle never seen
before in Mumbai the Trump lifestyle. And we
for one, are very excited.
ITS LAVISHLY
YOURS
When you own a home like this, what may have
seemed like privileges before will now become your
bare necessities. Like swapping out chauffeur-driven
cars for private jets. Availing of white glove service
where your every requirement is understood, every
demand pre-empted and executed with the highest
care and attention. Getting your hands on a Trump
card to benet you with exclusive privileges to
special services at Trump Hotel Collection properties
and golf resorts around the world. Access to
Trump Attache, a bespoke service that tracks your
personal preferences in order to serve you better.
Then theres an on-site lavish spa, a private pool,
a 24/7 personal gym, a luxe lounge and so much
more. The Trump Tower Mumbai is designed to spoil
you, pamper you, indulge you as you should be.
ITS THE
LAST WORD
IN LUXURY
When you first lay eyes on the shimmering
gold facade, the imposing 75-oor structure,
masterfully designed by WOHA the worlds
foremost architects of green hi-rises you may
be a little intimidated. Thats the whole point. This
is a home even your wildest imagination would
have restricted you from envisioning. Look inside,
and you may be at a loss for words. The stunning
interiors designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates
Studio, a leading hospitality design rm bears
the signature quality, perfection and style that
marks all Trump residences worldwide.

Your future home will epitomize all things

luxurious featuring some of the worlds best
brands like Poggenpohl and Grohe and Gessi.
These future-forward designed homes will
also have oor-to-ceiling windows that offer
you uninterrupted views of the Arabian Sea,
Racecourse and Sealink, bre optic connectivity
and a 7-tier security system. Every last detail is
thoroughly thought out, to make your home truly
exceptional.

trumptowermumbai.com
 ACCESS
Nikhil &
Samantha Nayar

Bandana Tewari &

Matthew Spacie MB
E

le
The Other Peop

ITS ALL FOR THE KIDS

WHAT: The annual Mumbai Magic Bus Benefit
WHERE: St Regis, Mumbai
Featuring lots like a master class with Atul Kochhar and #frow seats at Diors
Paris Fashion Week show, Magic Bus annual Mumbai auction last month saw
host Mandira Bedi coaxing a guest list of sportspersons, CEOs, celebrities and
philanthropists to shell out for some pretty cool experiences. All to support a
good cause, of course: the global NGOs mission is to help provide education
and life skills to lower-income children to combat poverty.

Kanika
Kapoor

Kunal Kapoor

Superna Motwane, Sunaina Murthy & Smiti Kanodia

Prerna
Goel

Pirojsha Godrej

Chunky
Pandey

Ramona Narang

Lisa Haydon
PHOTO: KEDAR NENE

HOT
TIE
S Mandira Bedi

Priya Nathani
Ashima Narain

44 JUNE 2016
OPEN
CINEMA
Upgrade to Gold Class.
PVR Gold Class and
IMAX now open.
vrbengaluru.com
O PEN
GARDEN
CI T Y
Inspired by Bengaluru.
Our Garden City is now open.
vrbengaluru.com
OPEN
SKY DECK
Soak up the view.
Alt Bar & Lounge, yoga deck
& rooftop pool now open.
vrbengaluru.com
O PEN
HIVE
Welcome to the collaborative
community. Co-working
spaces now open.
vrbengaluru.com
OPEN
WAVERLY
Urban living and hospitality
B

vrbengaluru.com
O PEN
CENTRE
The city has a new centre.
VR Bengaluru now open.
vrbengaluru.com
 E D I T E D B Y M EG H A S H A H

THE

ALL THATS HOT THIS MONTH // OUR AGONY UNCLE IS BACK

Power
LUNCH
with

RENZO
ROSSO
Hes had one job for 40 years,
leading to the creation of a
conglomerate that could be the
next LVMH. Diesels boss man tells
Megha Shah how he became one of
the most powerful names in fashion
without designing a single thing

Photographed by Manish Mansinh

enzo Rosso is so grungy, brash

and Italian that were he not
the boss of a multibillion-euro
fashion empire, youd be wary
of him. Post our quick lunch, at
the Zenith Suite of the St Regis,
he hurries off towards the main
stage area of Lakm Fashion
Week, Mumbais landmark ode to style.
Hes in dark jeans, the top two buttons of
his shirt open, a silver chain around his
LOCATION: ST REGIS, MUMBAI

neck, his skin tanned and wrinkled, brawny

knuckles bearing a tattoo of his initials,
coloured hair uncombed and reminiscent of
a clowns wig. A photographer eyeballing
the crowd lingering outside ignores him at
irst, then clicks a few pictures uncertainly
the entourage trailing him betrays his

JUNE 2016 55
 LUNCH WITH GQ

Power patches sewn into blue denim

importance belatedly and then goes
back to capturing pouty editors without
socks, starlets in couture and prominent
bloggers fanning themselves
decorously with programmes.
He strides past everyone onto the
stage, a little more gauche, a little less
groomed, a cowboy amid urbanites,
most still unaware that he is the most
important person in that room. The
genius who changed the global denim
industry forever.
ttt
LUNCH
with
The fashion world saw
me as a rebel, an outsider,
a crazy person
brand run by Adriano Goldschmied.
It didnt take him long to become
indispensable, and when he wanted
to leave to start his own enterprise,
Goldschmied convinced him to stay,
creating a new brand with him in
which Rosso had a 40 per cent share
and 100 per cent creative control. Rosso
wanted their offering to be different
gaps. The jeans also cost a whole
deal more than the irst pair he
created anywhere between
`20,000 to 1 lakh, more precisely.
Not so long ago it seemed
impossible to imagine how a pair
of jeans, especially a molested one
with abrasions, could be expensive or
be considered luxury. Rosso changed
that. Diesels designs suggested
expertise and whimsy and conidence
products of a crafty veteran who
tried everything else, and then tore
up the old playbook and tried to write
a new one.
Rosso ran evocative campaigns
targeted towards libertarians and
rebels from an internet-only
campaign mocking the culture
of reality TV to a print campaign
featuring two kissing sailors at the
peace celebration of WWII, at the
height of the debate regarding the
American governments refusal
to allow openly gay persons entry
into military service. Hes cultivated
celebrities and launched himself
into the party circuit. His love of
partying is legendary. Under him,

A
n hour before that, were being
served sliders and falafel wraps
for lunch. Can I start with
dessert? he enquires. A waiter
brings him some chocolate
mousse in a pot and he plunges
his spoon in. Even with food, he likes to
get straight to the point.
Few have started so far outside the
fashion establishment as Rosso and
penetrated so deeply into its centres
of power and control. A farmers son,
he hails from a town that at one point
boasted two television sets and a car.
The Americans saved Italy from the
Second World War, he says in thickly
accented and rather troubled English.
To us, they were like heroes. On TV,
I watched Hollywood movies and
James Dean strut about in jeans. I was
enamoured, continues the 60-year-
old father of seven (his youngest is
just six months old). And so, using his
mothers sewing machine, he made
a pair of denims with a 13-inch lare
and sold them to his friend for three
an alternative to the ubiquitous Levis
that had captured the denim category.
(One of his most prized moments is
opening a 15,000sqft store on Madison
Avenue, right opposite Levis, to
encourage the comparison.) He called
it Diesel, the new alternative fuel to
petrol during the oil crisis.
It was hard, he mulls. No one
could understand the name. More
than that, people couldnt understand
the man behind it. Rosso made the
fashion world uncomfortable. They
saw me as a rebel, an outsider, a
crazy person. And what they could
understand even less was why his
jeans were selling.
Rosso decided he wanted his
product to look old. So he began
rubbing the fabrics and stressing its
threads. Distressed jeans were born. I
never asked myself how do I become
bigger. I still dont. I only want to know
how to become cooler. Hes pushed
his chair back, away from the table,
allowing room for him to gesture
LOCATION: ST REGIS, MUMBAI

dollars. I went to the discotheque with
the money, he grins. He continued to
make denims, soon creating a hyper-
local business for himself selling jeans,
and the American dream, to anyone
with a few bucks.
At 20, he joined a local clothing
emphatically, his hands divulging the
frustration at his diminished eloquence
in this language.
Since that time, the factories of
Diesel have been committed to the
war on denim: stonewashed, ripped,
mended, patched, shiny, black denim

56 JUNE 2016
 LUNCH WITH GQ

Diesel was one of the irst fashion

brands to tap into the internet. Power
Then he hired Lady Gagas
stylist, Nicola Formichetti most
famous for the meat dress
as his creative director. I am
LUNCH
with
obsessed with modernity and
everything that it signiies, he
announces. Today his friends include
Bono, the Dalai Lama and the prime
ministers of some countries.

ttt

W
hen Rosso chose Breganze
as Diesels HQ, a town in
Vicenza nestled deep in the
countryside of Italy, away
from the more obvious choice
of Milan, he anticipated his
top-level employees would have a
problem. Instead, he has the opposite
one. If I need to shift someone to New
York or Paris, they just dont want to
go, he exclaims, shaking his head, his
curls bouncing like livewires. You cant
blame them. Diesel HQ is a grown-up
fantasy land of sorts. Theres a gym, a
bar thats always open, tennis courts,
a spa, a service that cleans your car as
soon as you park it and a relaxed policy
that allows employees to come in late
or whenever they ind convenient.
I feel uncomfortable when the
environment gets too corporate, he not a detail that comes cheap. But among other things, is to keep him
says, his hand swatting away the word Rosso can afford a few eccentricities. intelligible. Sorry, he decides is the
as though it were an irritating ly. Along with Diesel, Rosso has right word. Im so sorry.
After conquering American and assembled a variety of power brands Its a rare moment. Business
Japanese markets, India and China under the OTB Group (Only The tycoons and heads of fashion
are most important. Diesel initially Brave) including Marni, Victor & Rolf empires dont often apologize for
entered India six years ago in a and his most prized, Maison Martin their failures. I have learned my
partnership with Reliance brands. Margiela. He insists that while he owns lesson, he continues seriously. See,
The Indian market is slower. Chinas majority stakes in these brands, he I am not a designer. I have never
growth is rapid, but India is more... doesnt interfere in creative decisions. really designed anything in my life.
he stands up and spreads his feet In 2009, however,Margielaannounced But I can appreciate beauty. I know
irmly to show me he means steady. that he was leaving his company. exactly what I want. Im obsessed
He sits back down and takes a sip of Many interpreted the departure as the with what I want. This makes me
wine. The bottle of red on the table result of a fallout with Rosso the shy dificult to work with sometimes.
carries his name too. Along with jeans, purist dominated by the commercially
sunglasses, underwear and chairs, minded vulgarian who was rumored ttt
Rosso also makes wine. Inspired by his to have pressuredMargielato, among

A
lucky number and the year of his birth, other sacrileges, sign his name to a
he releases each vintage in uneconomic line of suits. Rosso claims heleft for
annual batches of 55. Each case holds personal reasons.
ive rather than the usual six bottles In 2011, Rosso also tried to acquire
Valentino, but lost the bid to an
investment vehicle backed by Qatars
I feel uncomfortable when
s soon as he inishes his
talk with Indian designer
Sabyasachi a special show at
Fashion Week and gets up to
leave, a different photographer
rushes up to greet him. Sir,
LOCATION: ST REGIS, MUMBAI

royal family. Its possibly one of the
the environment gets too rare defeats hes faced in life. When
I mention it, he leans back and shuts
corporate, he says, his hand his eyes. His energy drops for just a
swatting away the word as second. Im... How do you say...?
he looks at his communications
though it were an irritating ly oficer whos nearby and whose job,
he says, his breathing heavy. I own
ten pairs of Diesel jeans. I save up for
them. Rosso looks at him without
surprise or any heightened pleasure.
He simply nods at him, as though he
understands the instinct. They are
products of the same dream.

58 JUNE 2016
3 REASONS
WHY JACKIE
IS SO DAMN
LUST-WORTHY!
Sri Lankan goddess Jacqueline
Fernandez works out like a pro. And
PUMAs all-new range of sports gear
is her partner in crime
Reason 1
She makes your heart race
Toned legs and a lean body Jacqueline
Fernandezs fit body is enough to
weaken the knees. Her secret? Cardio.
From running on a treadmill to taking
it to the street, she doesnt give up
until she feels that burn. And making
sure she keeps on running is PUMAs
Pulse XT Core shoes. Its faster. Its
more flexible. It's ready to push limits.
Ideal for all high-intensity workouts,
this lightweight trainer can be used for
both indoor and outdoor workouts.
With a responsive insole, it provides
the perfect underline to every workout:
breathability, resilience and support.
Reason 2
She keeps cool and looks hot
Weights, crossfit, stretches or abs no
exercise is too much for Jacqueline
Fernandez. And making sure all eyes
are on her while she works out is
PUMAs MESH IT UP Layer Tank in fluro
peach. With engineered jacquard mesh
and a loose fit optimized for freedom
of movement, not only does it keep
her cool, it also helps her up her
style quotient.

Reason 3
She stretches (just like your
imagination)
From complex yoga poses to lunges and
splits Jacqueline Fernandez can do it
all. But to be able to do so, it takes more
than bendy limbs. Thats why PUMAs
PWRSHAPE tights in dazzling blue and
white Layer Tank are ideal. Made from
dryCELL a highly functional material
that draws sweat away from the skin
to keep the body dry and comfortable
while you exercise they make for the
perfect choice.
 CULTURE

May 24, 2016

Rustam,
I h ave been to
ld it h as noth
attracti n g th in g to do w it
e bees a fa ir h
one wou ld th th in g to assu
in k. Appar en me,
ch an nell in g tly its about
your in ner N
gr eat at th is eh ru. T he Bri
because they ts ar e
countr yside h ave enou gh
and ca n ea si of a
they want. Yo ly pluck wh at
u wont see m ev er
Man h atta n do any people in
th at because
to st ick on. T br icks ar e to
he folk s in D ug her
di scover flow el h i ar e yet to
ers, so th at w
place to wal k ou ld be the be
ar ou nd al l da st
th in g ca lled nd y w it h th is
a ca rn at ion ra re
su n glasses in a bit li ke wea
doors. ri n g

says...
Perplexed by the latest fashion trends? Finding
your wifes lady bits unappetizing? Is your
life in meltdown? Our jet-setting Agony Uncle
Suhel Seth rides to your emotional rescue

May 22, 2016

Akshil,
This is really tongue for tongue
May 16, 2016
rather than tit for tat. See, in these
circumstances, you have to be a bit
generous. If all she wants from you
Riaa n, s
king about the virtue is a harmless bout of aggressive
You could begin by tal a thrashing
if you sur viv e tonguing, then do it. There are
of eating beef, and
r, you could switch to very few activities in which women
or a potential murde nt
Banerjee. You may wa allow you to use your tongue this
discussing Pratyusha d den gue
ial of ebola an way a wagging tongue will delight
to talk about the potent
coction and finding
ILLUSTRATION: ARUN JAITAPKAR

int o one fin e con rather than disgust. And dont

blending y
kh ani. Given how rapidl listen to Michael Douglas. Old age
SHARE your its way into the dal ma hygie ne, you
on personal hasnt been kind to his mind or
questions our cinema is taking
for Suhel at: also wis h to tal k about constipation or his tongue.
may
GQadvice@ cas e your query wasnt a
clammy hands. In
condenast.in keep people away but
thinly veiled desire to
ing them, I have no
genuinely about charm by
nt bec ome GQs Agony Uncle
bloody idea. I did me .
ings to like
getting uncles at wedd
62 JUNE 2016
Fashion
for the Modern
Traditionalist

THE COCKTAIL
BOLLYWOOD
BHANG,
MASALA BAR
Mumbai
Before you get too excited, theres
no actual cannabis in this (or maybe
there is and we cant actually conirm
it). Its a combination of vodka and
a home-made mix that resembles
thandai, served in a skull (thats the
Bollywood part of it) and enveloped
in dragon smoke basically a
basil-infused vodka thats heated
up, vaporized and then smoked. It
might jog memories of the last time
you woke up in a strange bathtub in
Manali. MEGHA SHAH
Carter Road, Union Park,
Pali Hill, Mumbai
64 JUNE 2016
TASTE ALL THAT MATTERS THIS MONTH
THE RESTAURANT
HONK, PULLMAN AEROCITY | Delhi
In a city where Pan-Asian is synonymous with Chinjabi, it takes some scouting to find
a restaurant thats true to the moniker. This swanky new eatery makes the cut. Honks
menu may be a hotpot of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Singaporean and even some
Vietnamese staples, but it is, for the most part, legit. But even before the food, the one
thing that sets it apart is the cocktail list. Pairing drinks with Asian cuisine is a space
that has for long gone unexplored, but thanks to bartender Topesh Chatterjees rather
quirky resourcefulness, the concoctions here manage to go beyond the regular kaffir
lime and lemongrass infusions. And while extensive menus intimidate the best of us,
Honks tablet-like (no, not the e kind) one is welcome. But just because its 2D does
not mean it doesnt have depth. Heres what we suggest:
The Honk Sour is a subtle blend of gin, chamomile and dehydrated egg white. The
bell-pepper forward Shanghai Bell is rather addictive. In the sushi selection, the Chu Toro
(medium fat tuna) and Sake (salmon) are especially good. The Trufe Salmon with yuzu
is a winner too. End with an Evening in Kentucky, a gently spiced bourbon drink to pair
with dessert. KARINA AGGARWAL
Asset No. 02, GMR Hospitality District, Delhi. 011-4608 0808
Price for 2: `4,000

THE RETREAT
ATMANTAN | Mulshi
Maharashtra now has its very own wellness
retreat that combines healing and ve-star
luxury for a pretty ne result. Its austere,
design-led and lled with all sorts of magic
folk like Pranic healers, Ayurveda doctors,
body composition analysts, accupressurists,
yoga teachers, Taoist trainers, massage
therapists and excellent chefs, adept at
medicinal gastronomy to prod and pamper
your body and mind into their better
selves. The 40-acre property sits high in
the Sahyadris, with a 180-degree view of
Mulshi Lake, a 3.5-hour drive from Mumbai.
Choose from one of eight packages, including
the Master Cleanse, the Weight Balance, the
THE BLENDER
CHIVAS MASTER
BLENDER | Colin Scott
Hes a Master of the Quaich, Scotlands most
prestigious whisky society, as well as one of
the only men in the world who knows what
goes into a bottle of Chivas. Colin Scott, who
looks not unlike Roald Dahls BFG, gets GQ
salivating with some whisky talk:
How has blending changed since the
1850s, when the irst bottle of Chivas was
produced by James and John Chivas?
In the old days, youd go to whisky brokers
and buy aged whiskies from them, and sell
them yours. That doesnt happen anymore.
Today, each brand has its own distillery, or
several of them. Chivas owns 116 across
Scotland, which gives us an amazing range to
choose from.
What goes into the blending of a
new whisky?
Once we know what kind of whisky were trying
to create, we look at our inventory to see what
we have. The inal blend will be a mix of a grain
whisky plus a combination of the four malt
families, Speyside (fruity and loral), Highland
Where GQ
has been eating
this month
Fitness Challenge and the Spa Life, and have a
detailed daily itinerary crafted for your body
type. If you start missing the bar, Pune is only
50 minutes away. MEGHA SHAH
BASTIAN, Mumbai
No. 277, Palse Vasti, Varak Village, Mulshi
Kelvin Cheungs second venture with
Taluka, Mulshi Road, Pune, Maharashtra
Aallia Hospitality, down the road from
412108
One Street Over, makes seafood cool. The
old favourites Gajalee and Mahesh Lunch
Home are the only options in the city.
This is my take, to show the city just how
good and imaginative seafood can be.
(spicy and herbal), Lowland (oaky, nutty) and
Islay (peaty and smoky), to create a smooth,
rich blend. Once we know the percentages we
want of each, well make a blend in about 200
tiny bottles and do tastings. The product is then
evaluated againstChivas 12, 18 and 25to make
sure it its into the signature style of the house.
Creating a new blend might happen straight
away or it might take six months.
What does the rise of single malts as
well as hipper whiskies from countries SORRENTO AT
like Japan and Canada mean for the SHANGRI-LAS - EROS
Scotch industry? HOTEL, Delhi
Japanese whisky is in fact very traditional. A new fine-dine that does innovative
Theres a popular TV show there, Massan, Neapolitan fare, but gets the classics
which is a bit like Downton Abbey. Its about right, too. The pasta is made fresh, the
the founder of Nikka whisky, who studied at the pizzas are wood-fired and the imported
university of Glasgow and eventually married a cheeses and meats are sold at a little
Scottish woman. When he returned, he set up counter, where they slice it up real fine
his own whisky brand in the Twenties. Its true for you to take home.
that Japanese whisky has suddenly become
very fashionable. Its the same with Irish
and Canadian. But 90 per cent of the whisky
consumed in the world is not single malt at all
its blended. And Scotch stands out because its
got universal recognition and respect.
SHIKHA SETHI
FARZI CAF, Mumbai
PHOTO: SHIKHA SETHI (TASTING)
Zorawar Kalra keeps doling out his breed
of molecular techniques, despite the
trend having fizzled out globally. Farzi
Caf, his most affordable brand, foams,
smokes and deconstructs Indian food,
caf style. As long as it tastes this good,
were not complaining. MEGHA SHAH
THE MUST-VISIT

8 MOUNT STREET
London
Amid a soire of posh members-on
clubs and private lounges, 8 Moun
Street offers a more democratic
experience. But only just about. It is, after all, situated
in a period building at one of the worlds most coveted
addresses. You dont need to be a VIP to enter, but youll still
get the Mayfair treatment inside: white glove service, carved
chairs and a luxe bar that wont need you to be on any guest
list. Owned by Varun Talreja, whos got Bollywood ties and
a penchant for glamour, the space has lots of leather, marble
and brass, closely packed tables and a counter for solo eating.
The menu goes big on classic European brasserie-style fare,
which means dishes ranging from onion soup and foie gras
with quince and toasted brioche to a pecorino crme brulee,
pithivier of root vegetables with chestnuts, thyme and a beurre
blanc, Dover sole with brown butter and chives and loin of veni
with celeriac, baby onions and crispy kale, which you can pair w
old-world wine list. Its a quintessential London Mayfair experie
all the extravagance, but less of the snoot. MEGHA SHAH

TASTEALL THAT MATTERS THIS MONTH

THE LOUNGE

HYPE, SHANGRI-LA
BENGALURU
Bengaluru isnt giving up on its
fetish for rooftop bars just yet. Almost
nothing stands in the way of the
360-degree views of the city, except
the retractable roof, with this one.
Things are chill on the weekdays, but
with a dedicated dance floor and new
DJs every weekend, it transforms into
an oontz-oontz nightclub. The cocktail
bar is in good hands with Charly, the
mixologist from Shangri-la Hong Kongs
award-winning Lobster Bar.
TURN UP: Just before sunset on a
weeknight after a rough day at work. Reserve
the weekends for letting off some steam.
GET ON POINT: Dress easy; you might
need to be more dapper on the weekends when
the rest of the city tries hard to look sharp.
BIG SOUNDS: Retro and lounge rule the
roost on weekdays, but expect funkier sounds
on Saturday night.
DRINK THIS: The Zodiac cocktails are its
talking point, but we think you might end up
with an Old Fashioned Hype also has one of
the citys most impressive whisky lists.
GO UPSCALE: Move to the private deck
one level up. ASHWIN RAJAGOPALAN
Sunday to Thursday: 5-11:30pm;
Fridays and Saturdays: 5pm to 1:30am
56-6B Palace Road, Bengaluru
080-4512 6100
Evening for 2: `4,000/-

JUNE 2016 67
 ANYWAY
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magnanimousgrp
 TECH THIS OUT!
INTRODUCING

From Virtual Reality and The Mars

Exploration, to the worlds best gadgets
and everything you need to know about
the future of technology.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT WITH THE GQ AUGUST 2016 ISSUE

For advertising queries, email

nida.merchant@condenast.in

gqindia.com GQ India @gqindia @gqindia

 EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS MONTH

y Q&A
y TV
y TECH
y FILM
y SOCIAL MEDIA
y ART

EDITED BY NIDHI GUPTA

THE
U
B SYBODY
You saw a lot of Radhika Apte in 2015.
Even a bit too much, if you remember
that scene in Badlapur, some might argue.
INTERVIEW: NIDHI GUPTA. PHOTO: BIKRAMJIT BOSE. STYLIST: TANYA VOHRA. HAIR & MAKE-UP: MONA ANAND/BBLUNT. ASSISTANT STYLIST: DESIREE FERNANDES

But the doe-eyed actress, last spotted

hyper-ventilating in Pawan Kripalanis
Phobia, is in no hurry to get out of your
face. Might as well acquaint yourself with
GQs new favourite pin-up girl

D espite being everywhere, on

ilm screens, in newspapers
and magazines, youre rather
absent on social media.
Im really bad at small talk, man. And Im
really bad at taking photos. Like, I wouldnt
remember to take a picture of my food before I
ate it. Benedict [Taylor] and I even forgot to take
pictures at our wedding. Id rather sit at a caf
and have a big, long, meaningful conversation.
Like, Phobia happened over a chat with Pawan
at the Leaping Windows [a caf in Versova,
Mumbai]. We talked about agoraphobia Id
been writing something (for another project)
on disorders too and I really liked the twist
in his thriller, so we said, yes lets do it.

TRENCH BY
BURBERRY

JUNE 2016 71
Q&A
You spent much of Phobia stuck in a house,
in loops of panic attacks. What was the most
challenging part of such a (geographically)
restricted role?
It was a task to understand the disorder itself. I
watched a lot of documentaries; and I come from
a family of doctors so that helped. But the really
tough part was the schedule: We shot the whole
ilm in 26 days, with hardly any breaks. There was
a time when I fell sick, and shot two panic attack
scenes while I had a fever. But by the end of it, I
realized I like this hectic way of working. Also, Im
a directors actor: I like to surrender.
In your next ilm, Pa Ranjiths Tamil
blockbuster Kabali, youre paired opposite
superstar Rajinikanth. Was that intimidating?
Not at all. Everything youve heard about that
mans niceness its all true! Hes so down to
earth, so humble, so hardworking. Can you
imagine: He still has only about two men in his
entourage, the same guys whove worked with
him for the past decade? My irst day shooting
for Kabali, he escorted me to the set and did
all the introductions. When he won the Padma
Vibhushan, and I called him on his landline to
congratulate him, he wasnt available. But he
called me back at night. Who does that?! I... just
think hes amazing.
And then theres Leena Yadavs Parched, as
well as Anurag Kashyaps Clean Shaven, from
the anthology Madly, for which you won the
Best Actress award at Tribeca Film Festival.
Do you not believe in downtime?
I do, of course, but that usually means going home
[to Pune] or London [where her husband lives], to
chill. And eat: Man, I eat a lot.
But, its a busy year. Im also shooting two
72 JUNE 2016
Hollywood projects: Rohit Karn Batras The Field,
with Ronit Roy and Neeraj Kabi. And Guneet
Mongas collaborative project, The Ashram,
with Kal Penn. And theres this little Film
London-commissioned short called Oysters,
IM A directed by Pratyusha Gupta, that were raising
funds for at the moment. Im particularly kicked
DIRECTORS about that one.
ACTOR. Yeah, Im being offered all kinds of roles now.
Theres a lot of female protagonists not just
I LIKE TO feminist roles, but those where its simply a
SURRENDER female lead. Like Phobia. And I now have the
privilege of picking the ones I want to go with.
What have you said no to in the last year?
After that stripping scene for Badlapur, I was,
oddly, offered a lot of sex comedies. Im not fond
of that genre no, Hunterr was not a sex comedy
and I said no to all of them. Then, after Ahalya,
I suddenly began getting calls for roles in
thrillers. And shorts. Id get a call a day, and
theyd say, Madam, theres a short ilm, there
isnt any money, but will you do it? Its still
happening. But Ive got enough friends in the
industry now, who have my back: Pawan, Leena,
Kalki, Vinay [Pathak] is a really good friend,
Gulshan [Devaiah], Anurag Kashyap
Youve been quoted saying that youve got
Kashyap on speed dial.
[Laughs] Anurag? No. The only people I have on
speed dial are my driver and maid.
Ever wonder what youd have done if you
hadnt made it as an actor?
Id have been a mathematician. No, really my
grandmothers a mathematician, and I was
pretty good at it in school. I think I might still
give it a shot later in life.
TV
HOW NOT TO BE A DOUCHEBAG
Lessons from Orange Is The New Black
B ros, you know that TV show about a bunch of crazy women in prison?
The one that gets your girlfriend going on about important stuff that you
stop listening to 30 seconds in? The one with that hot-as-a-sexy-wet-
summer Ruby Rose in it? Yeah, that one. You need to start paying more attention
to it, because Jenji Kohan and the Nice Guys Of OITNBTM have a lot to teach you
about being a non-asshole.
For instance, when a cute girl comes to you for life advice, dont just tell her
INTERVIEW: NIDHI GUPTA
to do drugs because no one likes sad women. Giggling at your jokes isnt your cue
to bone her behind a hedge. And binge-watching Mad Men alone, when you were
supposed to watch it with bae? Thats the kind of dickhead move thatll leave you
with not much more than apple pie for company.
Season 4 is on Netix this month
 COACH TO THE WORLDS BEST PLAYERS

WELLNESS AMBASSADOR
OF KANAKIA PARIS

ZINEDINE ZIDANE

LIVE THE DREAM:
Imagine living in Paris. The winding
cobbled pathways, the beautiful lush
green gardens, the charming alfresco cafs
serving delectable macaroons. Kanakia
Spaces, one of the top ten developers in
the country known for its theme-based
residences, makes this a reality with
the stunning new real estate project,
Kanakia Paris @ BKC, Mumbai. Located
in the heart of Bandra-Kurla Complex
in Mumbai, the property recreates the
Parisian experience, through art, romance,
architecture, monuments, fashion and
food. Spread across approximately 2 acres,
Kanakia Paris will have 7 wings with
around 463 luxe apartments in 2- and
3-bedroom options.
LIVE THE GOOD LIFE:
As a first in real estate history, football
superstar Zinedine Zidane has been
unveiled as the face of Kanakia
Paris @ BKC, Mumbai. It was Ashish
Kanakias passion for the sport and
the Paris project that was instrumental
in identifying the legend as the right
person to associate with. Zidane is all
set to conceptualize and plan the iconic
Z Wellness Holistic programme, spread
across approximately 51,000sqft. It will
focus on the mind, body and soul and
aims to rejuvenate you, inside out.
This is the first time that a footballer is
going to be involved in the conceptualizing
of a real estate project. This association
therefore is different and stands us apart
from the other brand endorsements that
are being announced. His involvement
is a lot deeper and positions the brand
and project more sharply. Mr Ashish
Kanakia, Director of Kanakia Spaces
LIVE THE LUXURY:
Chic style. Stunning location. And
inimitable design. Olivier Vecchierini, a
renowned architect from Paris, has been
appointed to design the landscape and a
few interior spaces of the project. Kanakia
Paris takes the idea of luxury living a
notch higher, offering residents the best
experiences, the finest extravagances,
lavishly pampering them with services
and amenities that have been tailor-
made for their discerning taste. From a
designer clubhouse and 24/7 concierge to
a luxe swimming pool, party hall, French
caf, spa and salon, a mini theatre and
the iconic celebrity gym, Kanakia Paris
promises to leave you utterly spoiled.
The real estate sector has grown
tremendously and is witnessing a
positive change in the coming years.
We at Kanakia have always focused on
developing the landscape of Mumbai.
Kanakia Spaces is a pioneer in developing
theme-based projects across Mumbai and
the acceptance amongst the customers is
the best testimony for us. Kanakia Paris
is our tribute to mans quest for artistic
impressions and we are confident of it
being a man-made wonder in the city.
Mr. Himanshu Kanakia, The Managing
Director of Kanakia Spaces
FILM

HOW TO
SAVE THE EARTH
AND EVERYTHING 1976
We always knew they were coming back. You know, Jeff Goldblum,
Mr President and their entourage of predatory aliens, screeching
bloody annihilation. Dont fret if youve got no exosuits, Bear Grylls
survival skills or Will Smiths swag: Life hacks and a trip to the
supermarket are all you need to neutralize the ET apocalypse. You
know, according to Hollywood schlock. #Not

1953 CAT-WOMEN OF
THE MOON
t BE THE WHOLE PACKAGE
THE MAN WHO
If your ALFs got FELL TO EARTH
boobs, wears tight t BUY THEM A DRINK.
black leotards and
OR MANY
uses flirtation as a
When David Bowie
manipulation device,
took his cool space
youve got to play the
cadet status a little too
charmer. Never mind if
literally, and tried to
theyre evil lunar bitches
steal all our water, there
trying to sabotage your
was only one rule of
space mission; once
engagement: Alcohol.
they fall for you, the
Lots and lots of it.
only thing theyll wanna
hijack is your junk.

WORDS: NIDHI GUPTA. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, REX FEATURES, AFP, EVERETT COLLECTION
DUDE, IS THAT A
BIRD? A PLANE?
IS IT...
... DONALD TRUMPS
TOUPEE?!
1957
INVASION
OF THE
SAUCER
MEN
t KEEP YOUR CAR
BATTERIES CHARGED
Because you
never know
when a chance
for a kinky nooky
on lovers lane
will crop up. Or
when alcohol-
injecting aliens
that can be
incinerated by
something basic
like high beam
headlights will
cross your path.

76 JUNE 2016
1988
2005
WAR OF THE
WORLDS
t SET ASIDE THE ANTIBIOTICS
When giant slime-
spewing tripods are
out to conquer, that
irritating flu virus is
all the WMD you need.
Save the Benadryll for
dry days.
KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE
t SCRATCH THE ITCH
If youve called clowns for your brats next birthday,
scratch their noses first. You know, to check if theyre
actually space vampires who dropped out of a circus
tent spaceship. If they dont explode, you can offer
them a puff of whatever youre smoking.
1988
THE BLOB
t KEEP LN2 ON HAND
All that unused
liquid nitrogen from
that epic pool party
(because unconscious
people do not a good
bash make) can now
be emptied out on
the giant blob of goo
sucking everyones
brains out. And voil!
An ice sculpture to
class things up.
1996
INDEPENDENCE DAY
t BOND WITH THE IT GUY
When mind-reading tech-savvy predators are
demolishing everything you love, the nerd will
save the day, sometimes with a simple Mac
virus. Trouble getting the sloth out of his moms
basement? Try Cuban cigars.
2002 1996
MARS ATTACKS
SIGNS
t CONSERVE WATER t LEARN HOW TO YODEL
Sometimes, visitors from the third rock from the sun
Melting glaciers be damned; when tin foil
arent benign, curious researchers; theyre actual big-
hats cant stop your brain from sharing
headed, lying Dicks. But no one is safe from some slick
your location with aliens in Brazil, a little
Slim Whitman-style warbling. Indian Bird Call had
sprinkling of the ol H2O is enough to
better be on Falcon 69s playlist, Elon.
christen them begone.
2001
EVOLUTION
t STOCK UP ON HEAD &
SHOULDERS
And memorize the
periodic table. How
else will you know
that the only way to
hose down a giant
anus-shaped ALF is
an enema made out
of selenium sulfide,
found in abundance
in this super-
shampoo?
JUNE 2016 77
ART
HAMMER AND TONGS
Going to your first art auction but worried youll make a faux pas?
Kishore Singh lays down the rules for sale-day etiquette
T
heres a irst time for everything.
Yes, we know where your minds
going to, but think opera instead,
or classical string ensemble,
your debut alien food experience or,
indeed, attending an art auction. Theres
little more intimidating or exciting than
attending your irst-ever auction. And
woe betide you look like an interloper, the
newbie who walked in without any idea
about what to expect. But because every
gentleman must pass this trial by ire,
heres a guide to cruising under the radar
instead of standing out like a square peg
in a round hole.
Dressing up vs dressing down: Theres no
such thing as casual or relaxed style when
attending a live auction, particularly an
evening one (which is considerably more
glamorous than a morning sale). When in
doubt, stick to formal. Ladies, precious
solitaires in those lobes speak of refinement;
gentlemen, jackets are preferred. But if youre
bidding for the cover lot, no one will care that
you came in sneakers.
Enjoy the art (but dont take a selfie beside
the `10 crore Raza): Any auction worth its
salt will display the art being sold ahead of
the actual event, and have a catalogue with
details about the work, including low and high
estimates. Pick out the blockbusters and appeal
for help from the many assistants conveniently
at hand to cue you into why its priced so
high, comparables in the market, the politics
of markets, rarity and trending artists. Its the
quickest lesson in art youll get for free.
Enjoy your drink (but never, ever get drunk):
Alcohol is intended to lubricate those with fat
wallets and motivate them to extend their bids
from one incremental level to the next, but the
astute buyer is not so easily swayed. Drinking,
therefore, is for amateurs. A glass of wine, even
two, is fine, but this isnt a social occasion as
much as a commercial one. And you can always
hit the bar at the after party, to mull over why
the `40 lakh sculpture sold for `4 crore.
The auctioneer is a frenemy: He (or she)
oozes warmth and confidence, but dont be
fooled theyve probably trained with theatre
actors, so their body language is meant to
beguile and seduce. You want to see them
win, but with every bid thats going up,
someone somewhere is paying a little more.
All on account of those consummate skills.
Still think that work of art is worth so much?
Dont become still life: Afraid of stirring
because you might be foisted with something
expensive you never bid for? Just because
you moved, or raised a hand to summon a
friend from across the room, doesnt mean
you can be accused of actually making a bid
just of bad manners. Placing a bid requires
you to register, get a paddle, raise that and
confirm your number. So feel free to get up,
move around and try to make sense of why
a distorted bowl of unrecognizable fruit gets
the art cognoscentis knickers in a twist.
Get in with the insiders: Indias most
important collectors, or at least a few of them,
are likely to be in the room. As are those who
invest in art. And many more who are art
consultants and advisors to the biggest names
in business and entertainment. Get friendly
with people in the room and youll soon know
who bought the Souza, who picked up the
Husain. And why Amrita
Sher-Gil still sets the pulses
of a young punter racing,
75 years after she died.
Kishore Singh is a curator and
art auctioneer
ILLUSTRATION: ROHAN HANDE
 OF STYLE
Layered with the right attitude, the NEXA man makes an effortless
statement with his classic yet new-age fashion sensibilities

Sharply tailored clothes, sleek shoes and stylish accessories create a compelling vision of the quintessential Nexa Man. And just
like the new experiences at the Nexa Showroom, the things that define this man run deep. Hes fashionable yet selects styles
that accentuate his mood. Hes talented but still believes that art (be it music or a painting) should be timeless. Hes not afraid of
experimenting but he appreciates the emotions attached to a classic. Furthermore, just like the Nexa Showroom hes always on top
of international trends. Heres a look at some of the many facets of his personality and how he dresses it.

CONNOISSEUR OF CLASSICS COLLECTOR OF TREASURES MAN OF MANY TALENTS

A classic, be it a book or a style, is
timeless. The Nexa Man understands
this, which is why youll probably see
him wearing an heirloom watch with
pride. For a fund-raising event, he knows
that a black tux works like magic. At the
annual derby, youll see him making an
entrance in a Baleno Nexas flagship
car dressed in a grey three-piece suit,
because hes aware of the fact that while
fashion fades, style is eternal.
The Nexa Man owns a collection of the
rarest LPs, an autographed poster of
Coldplay and a Victorian chair that he
picked up at an auction. His tastes are
unpredictable and he has an eye for the
unusual, even with his wardrobe. But the
manner in which he brings it all together is
what defines him. Cream trousers, a crisp
white shirt, a textured vest, a chequered
bow tie and navy jacket is something the
Nexa Man will pull off in style.
If he isnt cracking a business deal, hes
probably painting a canvas or playing
the saxophone. He can be analytical,
but he has a creative side. Just like his
expertise, which spans different subjects,
his dressing style is an unlikely fusion of
diverse elements. Think blue jeans with
a gingham shirt, a polka-dotted bow tie,
a vest and a bomber jacket. On a casual
day, the Nexa Man lets his clothes reflect
his state of mind.

Watch this space to know more about the Nexa Man.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Shady
Characters Who Tweeted It:
Jaden Smith or Cher?
Can you match the
riddles below to the correct
Twitter oracle?

Its Twitters 10th

birthday! A decade sur Second-Worst Thing To Ever Happen on December 7
goes by fast when yo
SpaghettiOs @SpaghettiOs
reading ego-driven
declarations from cele Take a moment to remember Jaden Cher

unleashing ridiculous, #PearlHarbor with us.

brilliant, antagonistic
something
thoughts (periodically YO is amiss
os U Creepiest
paired with pics of yth
R E
W Brag with ipad
EL
their junk). Today we CO
M E
honour the best (and
god-awfulest) tweets
yet the ones that ma there is no
us laugh, shudder and nutrients in our
food anymore
wonder about Kanyes or in our soil
Jeremy Bieber OR IN OUR
feelings on butt play @JeremyBieber WATER.
[after nude photos
Uday Chopra @udaychopra of his son surfaced]

On Valentines Day, I even @justinbieber

what do you
sweat hearts for you feed that thing.
@NargisFakhri #proud daddy why is

ILLUSTRATION: DAN WOODGER. IMAGE: CORBIS, GETTY IMAGES, REX FEATURES, SHUTTERSTOCK
it always 3
WHY IS
Best First IT ALWAYS
Tweet 3!!!!!

Samuel L. Jackson
@SamuelLJackson
is it
Can-a muh fukkasay fuck on here? 29 ?

Most Presidential Tweet

adults are SO
PACMAN
Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump
Everyone knows I am right that Robert Pattinson
should dump Kristen Stewart. In a couple of
years, he will thank me. Be smart, Robert. Cher; Cher
Cher; Jaden; Jaden;
Answers (from top):

82 JUNE 2016
 Most Intellectually Stimulating Tweet
Worst
Chetan Bhagat @chetan_bhagat Selfie
3,000 condoms in JNU everyday? Well,
3,000 tissues in IIT everyday. Take that JNU.

Greatest
\( )/ Most Heartbreaking Tw

Rita Ora @ritaora

Dropping my new song monday
if this gets 100,000 retweets
MTV @MTV 1,850 retweets*
Yikes.
@Rihannas
marijuana
photos from iHeartMtnDEW
@iHeartMtnDEW
Coachella spark
controversy @frankiemuniz ur acting is
just, awful. sorry but, it is..

Frankie Muniz
@frankiemuniz

@iHeartMtnDEW Yea,
but being retired with
Rihanna $40,000,000.00 at 19 has
@rihanna not been awful. Good luck Geraldo Rivera @GeraldoRivera
@MTV Yikes.... moving out of your moms 70 is the new 50 (Erica and
@rihanna ran house before youre 35.
out of fucks
family are going to be so pissed...
to give Savage Clapback but at my age...)

Best Interjection
Amber Rose @DaRealAmberRose
Awww @kanyewest are u mad Im not around to play in
ur asshole anymore? #FingersInTheBootyAssBitch

Worst
Im Single
Declaration

Hrithik Roshan
Lifetime Achievement Award @iHrithik
Ther r more
KANYE WEST chances of me
having had an affair
Kevin Smith
wid d Pope dan @ThatKevinSmith
any of d (Im sure [describing sex
Even when he isnt facing butt-play wonderful)women with his wife]
allegations, no one is more thrilling d media hs ben Ten years in
on Twitter than Kanye West. Yes, naming. Thanks but and we bone
he has a tendency to delete tweets no thanks. like were
when he thinks no one is watching cheating
(never mind the 19 million followers), on each
but his feed still offers everything other WITH
you want from a celeb account: Flash each other.
floods of 140-character confessions; Sometimes A decade-
a behind-the-scenes look at his I get emotional plus and her
private life; a look at the behind of over fonts clit/brown/ Ickiest
his private wife; public catfights; I have no interest taint-area
I hate when Im on a in working with Overshare
outlandish and totally unrelatable
anyone who is
still pOwns
flight and I wake up with
complaints about the trappings of his a water bottle next to me too important or my dick.
wealth. Enjoy this sampling of our like oh great now I gotta too good or too
favourite masterpieces from Twitters be responsible for this traditional to
frenzied Van Gogh. water bottle take a call at 3am *Tweet later deleted.
Rita claimed she was
hacked.

JUNE 2016 83
TECH
JAEGER BOMBS
This month, watch two giant piloted robots take each other down,
Pacific Rim-style, in the worlds first mech duel. Euro 2016 who?
year ago, Japanese
A robot-maker
Karugo Kuratas
made history by
uttering four words: Yeah,
Ill ight. Absolutely. He
declared this in a YouTube
video, accepting American
startup Megabots challenge
to a giant bot duel. And just
like that, a generation of Tony
Stark-worshippers found new
purpose to life.
86 JUNE 2016
The proposition: Two mech
pugilists pound on each
other in an arena on neutral
ground (ie, not the US or
Japan) until KO.
The contenders: The US
grungy, two-person-piloted
Megabot Mk II, 12,000
pounds of gasoline-powered
fury, vs Japans slick black
Kuratas, a single-pilot,
9,000lb monster with twin
gattling guns and a full
WORDS: NIDHI GUPTA. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK
heads-up display.
The arsenal: Paintball
guns; but Kuratas, amused
by the super-Americanness
of it all (make big things
and put guns on them, he
scoffed), wants to spice things
up with a melee combat.
The reward: Bot supremacy.
And, if this whole shebang
lasts for more than 60
seconds, an exciting new
spectator sport.
 EXCLUSIVE

ATHERS
AND
SONS
NO TWO FAMILY DYNAMICS ARE THE SAME, BUT SOME ARE DEFINITELY MORE INTERESTING THAN
OTHERS. THE SON OF INDIA S MOST WELL-KNOWN TECH GIANT CANT HAVE HAD THE SAME CHILDHOOD
EXPERIENCES AS A MAN WHO GREW UP BEING QUIZZED BY ONE OF THE SUBCONTINENTS SHARPEST
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC MINDS. THE INNER WORKINGS OF A KASHMIRI POLITICAL DYNASTY CANT
RESEMBLE THOSE OF A SOUTH INDIAN CINEMA FAMILY. OR CAN THEY?
EDITED BY DAVE BESSELING
 OMAR ABDULLAH
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ADIL HASAN STYLED BY DESIREE FERNANDES INTERVIEWED BY DAVE BESSELING
T
he street entrance is like a wine shop at closing
time: the squeaky grille three-quarters shut to
mitigate an evenings hooch rush. But on the
misty tilt of Srinagars Gupkar Road at 11am,
its not Royal Challenge in anyones hands but
walkie-talkies. Its security pat-downs, not pervy-uncle touches.
Considering this is the home purchased in 1974 by legendary
statesman and two-time leader of Jammu & Kashmir, Sheikh
Abdullah, now residence of his son, three-time J&K Chief
92 JUNE 2016
Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, and Im here to speak with the
Dr and his son, Omar Abdullah, family slacker at one six-year
stint as J&K CM, things could have been far more invasive.
As an individual, or as a member of this family, says Omar,
gazing up at the gathering grey clouds, our lives are on the line
every time we step outside the four walls of our house.
Having pounced from his black Land Rover, buttoning
his black jacket over a pastel T-shirt and quick to apologize
for his delayed light the once youngest CM in India schleps
AS A MEMBER OF
THIS FAMILY, OUR
LIVES ARE ON THE
LINE EVERY TIME
WE STEP OUTSIDE
THE FOUR WALLS
OF OUR HOUSE

JUNE 2016 93
 it commercial these days Omar leads us up a steep set of
stairs. Above is a double-dormered house behind a small ofice
complex, the Abdullah familys the Abdullah partys legacy
in wood and brick. I accept a hold on the open front door,
asking, Does that word bother you, Legacy?
It would be impossible to deny that there is one, says the
46-year-old, leading us onto the soft beige carpet of the living
room. There is the legacy that one inherits through the family,
as well as through the party. Its dificult to understand that in
a democracy you can have a system of inherited leadership,
but particularlyin the Subcontinent, you see it inall spheres
sport, cinema, business and politics. People tend to forget that if
you dont perform, you perish.
Today the second day after swearing in Mehbooba Mufti,
head of a PSP-BJP alliance, the states irst female CM and the
daughter of the former CM who passed away this January
the National Conferences 15 seats look closer to perishable
than performative.
That means its an even more important time for us,
says Omar as party spokesman, but, on a purely human
level, I cant help but have a certain amount of sympathy for
Mehbooba Mufti.
Farooq joins us, smoothing his black bandhgala to sit,
his signature karakul perched off the north-east side of
his dome. The 78-year-old iddles simultaneously with two
mobile devices, an iPhone 6 and a far-lesser handset that
would have been described on The Wire as a burner.
We settle in around the glasstop coffee table, on which lie
newspapers with headlines like Mehbooba Lists Security
As A Major Challenge.
She will be missing her fathers counsel and advice at a
time like this, says Omar, while Farooq uses his iPhone to
request a mug of tea. The biggest advantage Ive had is such
an extended period of time to rely on Dads advice and counsel,
which is something that he didnt have because he started in
1980 as a Member of Parliament, and my grandfather passed
in 82. Ive had it my entire career. I doubt very much that
Mehbooba has anybody who she can turn to in that way.
My father? responds Farooq when I turn Omars comment
to him. While I was growing up he was always in jail. It was
my mother who raised us Advice? Not to get into politics. He
told me it would take away my entire life.
The space is a modest presentation of knick-knacks and
family photos, a TV atop an unremarkable wooden cabinet,
a few shelves with dominoed books a Gandhi tome or two,
Dan Browns Da Vinci Code and a couple dozen DVD cases
spanning oeuvres from Bari to The Hangover parts 2 and 3.
Sometimes when my wife is away, I try to set up some of
these things, says Farooq with a mischievous snicker that
wont be the days last while Omar throws his head back, as
if to laugh, but on mute. Ive been trying to get Dad more into
streaming and Netlix, says Omar.
I like some of these American series very much, says
Farooq. Ive just inished House Of Cards.
Whats unsettling here isnt the private proximity to
Kashmirs most signiicant political family, no doubt party
to some Underwood-esque scenarios in their time. Its that
over the course of our day together, from private moments
like sharing an umbrella with Farooq down the front stairs,
holding his arm lightly, juuuust in case of a slip, to shooting the
pair at the Lalit Grand Palace, surrounded by a full dozen-
agent security detail, the pair behave like any other father and
94 JUNE 2016
son, baiting and joking and teasing each other. Just that in
their case, the roles are reversed. Abdullah Senior is the antsy
one, playfully petulant that the rain is going to cost him his
afternoon round of golf:
Do you go goling with your father?
Much to his eternal disappointment, sighs Omar, the bug
didnt catch. I even took lessons, bought a couple sets of clubs
from him, which are now gathering dust.
Farooq is quick to interject. Just like I dont go to the gym.
Do you ever try to take him to the gym, Omar?
Who me? The gym? Farooq wrings his hands, My god.
Shaking his head like Santa Claus has just been introduced to
Skrillex, he pouts, Can we go now? Are we inished?
Omar is as measured as he is candid, but always friendly,
and reassures me, after Farooq makes a quick escape from the
bright photographers lights in the Lalits Maharaja suite, Dont
worry, I wont let him run away.
Just one of many instances where Omar plays herder,
timekeeper, conversation-subject returner. Essentially, the
parent. Or at least the upstanding uncle to an incorrigible
scamp hes been left to babysit for the day.In more political
terms, a handler tamping the blowhard. But at his age, Farooqs
earned his ease of speech.
Omar is very balanced, he quips, Im the one who is
unbalanced. Quite frequently.
[Omar shakes his head, chin in his chest.]
Is there ever a problem separating family from politics?
It doesnt happen, laughs Farooq.
My mom used to try sometimes, grins Omar. Shed say
Keep the politics away from the dining table, but it was not a
hugely successful venture on her part.
What would be a subject you guys wouldnt feel
comfortable talking about?
My dad and I are close, we work together, but I am not one of
those who believes my parents also have to be my best friends,
that I have to share every emotion, every action of mine with
them. Nor would I expect them to share theirs with me. So it is a
parent-child relationship.
So that family model carries over to working together?
It does. It removes the chances of any misunderstanding.
Because there are any number of people who would like to take
advantage of a breakdown of communication between the two
of us. And if there isnt, they would like to create one.
And they have always tried, says Farooq. They will do
ridiculous things.
Like just by chance, the cameraman has caught us when
Dad is looking left and I am looking right. Which happens. We
are not supposed to be staring at each other all the time, but
then people say, Look there is a rift, a ight.
What about your children, Omar. How are their political
ambitions shaping up?
I dont know, its too early to tell. But I would say to them what
has been passed on through the generations.
Which is?
Dont.
OMAR IS VERY BALANCED, QUIPS FAROOQ,
I AM THE ONE WHO IS UNBALANCED.
QUITE FREQUENTLY

PRODUCTION:
GIZELLE CORDO
PRODUCTION
ASSISTANT:
PALLAVI KUMAR
LOCATION: THE
LALIT GRAND
PALACE SRINAGAR

JUNE 2016 95
 ON AKHIL: BLAZER BY
DIOR HOMME. TROUSERS
BY ZARA. T-SHIRT BY
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AT
THE COLLECTIVE.
SHOES BY ERMENEGILDO
ZEGNA

ON CHAITANYA: SHIRT BY
ARMANI COLLEZIONI AT THE
COLLECTIVE

PRODUCTION:
GIZELLE CORDO
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT:
PALLAVI KUMAR
LOCATION:
PARK HYATT, HYDERABAD

96 JUNE 2016
 NAGARJUNA
CHAITANYA AND
AKHIL AKKINENI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MANISH MANSINH STYLED BY TANYA VOHRA INTERVIEWED BY DAVE BESSELING
Was there ever a time when being Nagarjunas son
caused you trouble?
Akhil: I felt it when I was younger, when I used play cricket
in Hyderabad, because everyone knew me. I used to get
pissed off. I just wished at that point that no one knew
whose son I was, so Id be treated a little more normally.
But otherwise, its been all advantages.
Chaitanya: There are times when I go to a party and a girl
my age comes up to me and asks: Can I have a picture with
your dad? or Your dad is so good looking. [Laughs]
Were these guys ever a pain in the ass growing up?
Nagarjuna: They were okay, but if Id known about some
of the things theyd done earlier, it wouldve been a pain:
bribing the security guard to sneak out of the house after
Id gone to sleep; driving my car; inishing my liquor. All
the fun stuff.
How did you feel when they both decided to take
up acting?
Nagarjuna: With Chaitanya, I had no idea he would. I
was very surprised, but happy. Hes more of a boy next
door, somebody you would like to take home to meet your
mother. Akhil was already a showman from playing cricket.
How do you guys stay grounded?
Chaitanya: I think the family is one grounding factor.
Being an actor can easily get to your head. But my
grandfather was always a peoples man. He spoke to
everyone in the same way, whether it was a driver or a
politician.
Akhil: My friends are the irst to put me down. If my ilm is
bad, or I was bad, theyll be the irst to tell me.
Thinking back to your 20s, whats changed most
since the good old days?
Nagarjuna: I wouldnt call them good old days, or say that
these are bad ones. Back then, we went on instinct. There
IN AN AIRCRAFT,WE
ARE CAPTIVE.
I HAD MY MOUTH
HANGING OPEN AND
SOMEONE TOOK
MY PICTURE AND PUT
IT ONLINE
were no monitors on set. When the ilm was shot, you saw
it after 15 days. No saying lets ix it in post. That made us
very aware. You had to plan the whole day when you were
away on set and didnt have a telephone in your pocket.
But now everyone has an iPhone.
Nagarjuna: And everyone wants selies. Especially in an
aircraft, we are pretty much captive.
Akhil: Sometimes people will click pictures of you when
youre sleeping on a plane. I had my mouth hanging open
and someone took a picture and put it online.
With all your experience, what kind of advice do you
give your sons?
I believe that they need to fail. Because they can afford to.
Thats the advantage. Chait has failed a couple of times
with his movies, and hes picked himself up. Akhil will also.
The one thing I learned from my father was discipline. He
[legendary actor/producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao] used
to hate making people wait. And thats somehow gotten
into all of us. You want to party hard? You are kids, you can
do it, I have no problem. I just tell them, Take a look at your
face, you think the camera is gonna lie in the morning?
JUNE 2016 97
 ROHAN MURTY ON
NR NARAYANA MURTHY
Over the years my relationship with myfatherhas evolved and transformed signicantly from
strictly hierarchical to that of an equal: From an authoritative gure who commanded I do as he says, to a friend
who merely gives advice when I seek it. From afatherwho seemed incapable of talking about anything
but computer science, physics or mathematics, to a friend who discusses life, philosophy and my social pursuits.
Advice from my father has existed in two different phases, and though his more memorable quotations
might not include the precise words he said at the time, they capture the spirit of conversations that have
remained etched in my mind.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ADIL HASAN STYLED BY DESIREE FERNANDES

NRN, MY FATHER
You dont know what youre doing, this is not how you write code!
NRN commenting on my C code. Age 8

This, Rohan, is not how you solve the problem. Where are the steps that demonstrate the
thought process?
The problem statement? Write them neatly! Let me show you how.
A very strict (and upset) NRN despairing at my attempt to solve a physics homework problem. Age 12

You must under-promise and over-deliver. Not the other way around.
NRNs reaction when I proclaimed I would achieve a certain rank in class. Age 13

Do not take random classes in college. Listen to me. Take freshman physics and other
required courses.
Or else, you will never graduate!
A very upset NRN disapproving of the advanced and unconventional coursework I took during my freshman
year in college. Age 17

I bought a wonderful mathematics book for you. Its about this classical theorem
NRNs abrupt change (again) in conversation when I attempted to talk about a girl I met in college

And then a few years later ...

NRN, MY FRIEND
Your class was way too complex for me to understand. But it was fantastic! How did you learn
all this material?
NRN after sitting through a class I taught in college

You should sleep more and work less.

NRNs constant advice to me over the past few years

I will do as you suggest. What is your opinion?

NRNs emails over the past few years, consulting me on what he believed were important decisions in his life

Have you met anybody in graduate school? Or after? How are things on the social front?
An inquisitive NRN on whether I've met a nice girl yet

Its Friday night! Why dont you go take a break from work and go out?
NRNs advice to me on many Friday nights

98 JUNE 2016
 THE SON
BECOMES
THE FATHER
AND THE
FATHER
BECOMES
THE SON.
MARLON BRANDO,
AS JOR-EL INSUPERMANI

PRODUCTION:
GIZELLE CORDO
PRODUCTION
ASSISTANT:
PALLAVI KUMAR

JUNE 2016 99
 KABIR SEN ON
AMARTYA SEN
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANNA TABAKOVA
O ne of my earliest childhood
memories is of playing with my
father in the garden of our family
home in London. When I was
three or four, I remember how excited I would be when my
father would return from work and slam shut the front door
of our Victorian house in Kentish Town. I would beg him
to immediately come and play with me on the living-room
carpet probably exactly what he wanted to do after a long
drive back from Oxford! I remember thinking how much
I missed him when he was away at work, and also recall
wishing he didnt work so far away from where we lived.
Although I probably had mixed feelings about it at
the time, I now have very fond childhood memories
of my father challenging us to, in his words, exercise
your minds. While waiting for a plane or a train
(when travelling in India, Italy or elsewhere), it was not
uncommon for him to perplex us with math riddles or
problem-solving scenarios. He always expected us to
put forth our best effort in anything we took part in, and
we knew no other way. Whether it was debating social
justice issues, British politics, Nicomachean ethics or even
extra math practice (as he liked to call it) even at the
dinner table my father took great pleasure in asking us
to consider different perspectives, remain open-minded,
and he almost always asked us to explain our thinking on
a particular subject. These are values that I continue to
hold in high regard today as a music teacher, a professional
musician/songwriter, and a father of three.
My mother, Eva Colorni, left us far too soon she died
of cancer on July 3, 1985, when I was eight-and-a-half years
old. Needless to say, this was an extremely dificult period
in all our lives. In the short time that I was lucky enough to
have my mother in my life, it was easy to understand that
she was an absolutely amazing Italian woman: brilliant,
beautiful, creative, loving, funny, courageous, adventurous
and passionate. The loss of my mother was, and continues
to be, the most harrowing experience of my life, but it also
remains a source of empowerment for me when I am in need
of summoning personal strength. Not surprisingly, the loss
100 JUNE 2016
of my mother made my childhood relationship with my father
even more robust, as it forced us into developing a much
closer personal relationship than we had enjoyed previously.
I will never forget his response on the day my mother died,
when I asked him, Who will be my mummy? I will, he
answered with certainty, I will be both.
When our family moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts in
the summer of 1987, I remember feeling very resistant. I had
developed close friendships with classmates and neighbours
in London and I didnt want to lose them. The thought of
making new friends in the Boston area felt intimidating, but
in retrospect, my fathers decision to move to America was
just the fresh start we needed as a family. In addition to
quickly developing friendships as a student at the Shady
Hill School in Cambridge (which is also where Ive been
working for the past seventeen years since 1999), I began to
fall deeply in love with all things music-related. I sang lots of
Beatles songs as a boy, wrote original lyrics, played piano,
learned the guitar and drums. As someone who has now built
a professional career around teaching music to children, as
well as writing and performing original hip-hop music, it is
easy to look back on my fathers decision to move his family,
and that period of my life in particular, as being extremely
inluential. To quote some lyrics from the title track of my
most recent solo album, No More Excuses, it was time to start
living for the moment, its your life you can control it, its your
world make sure to own it, take a risk, do something rare,
no more excuses about the past.
I remember the immense sense of pride I felt in 1999
when my father was awarded both the Nobel Prize and the
Bharat Ratna. I was a senior at Wesleyan University at the
time. Another highlight was travelling to the White House
and watching him receive a National Humanities Medal from
President Barack Obama in 2012.
As my wife Rebecca and I raise our three children in an
ever-increasingly complex world, I hope to weave my fathers
values of kindness, intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness
and social justice into the fabric of our own childrens lives.
And, in order to exercise their minds, I may even have to
include a little extra math practice to go with it.
ALTHOUGH I PROBABLY HAD MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT IT
AT THE TIME, I NOW HAVE VERY FOND MEMORIES
OF MY FATHER CHALLENGING US TO, IN HIS WORDS,
EXERCISE YOUR MINDS

JUNE 2016 101

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 EDI TED BY MERYL DS OUZA

d e 016
n
u AT Euro 2
W
h
tc

Forget the known superstars

wa

guaranteed to shine at the

Euro Championship this
month. If you really want to
to

sound sharp when youre

watching these matches with
your squad, these are the
names you should know
WRITTEN BY MERYL DSOUZA

Joshua Kimmich
GERMANY
Six months ago, Joshua Kimmich had racked up just one
minute of playing time in the Bundesliga. Now hes all set to
get his first national cap at Euro 2016. Much of the credit goes
to Pep Guardiola, who recognized the 20-year-olds talent
as a defensive midfielder and helped turn him into a strong
central defender just like he did with Javier Mascherano at
Barcelona. Two things set Kimmich apart from other German
fullbacks: First, he boasts some of the best passing stats
alongside veteran Bayern teammate Xabi Alonso. Second,
and perhaps more importantly, hes willing to take part in an
attack by drifting forward, joining an elite class of ball-playing
defenders that includes Franz Beckenbauer and Gerard Pique.
The world champions back line has looked shaky since Per
ILLUSTRATION: BY TWO DESIGN. IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

Mertesacker hung up his boots in 2014, so dont be surprised to

see Kimmich alongside Mats Hummels.

JUNE 2016 103

 Michy Batshuayi
BELGIUM
This SpongeBob SquarePants-loving striker is one of the lone
bright spots for a struggling Marseille side that sits 13th in
the French League: Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had a direct
hand in more Ligue 1 goals this season. The 22-year-old may
not have had much time on the field for Belgium, but he
stands head and shoulders above the others when it comes
to scoring efficiently from the limited chances he gets. With
fellow countrymen and national team rivals David Origi and
Christian Benteke not enjoying the best of form with Premier
League club Liverpool, the burden will fall on Batshuayi to
share striker responsibilities with Romelu Lukaku.

Andriy Yarmolenko
UKRAINE
You probably havent heard of Andriy Yarmolenko. And its
probably because the 26-year-old plies his trade at Ukranian
club Dynamo Kiev, far from the shutterbugs of English or
Spanish football. Thats no reason to underestimate the winger
though. Linked to the Premier League for the past three years,
Yarmolenko is most likened to Arjen Robben for his belter of a
left foot, which he likes to use after cutting in from the right. At
six feet tall, Yarmolenko is an unorthodox winger, with a quick
turn of pace and an insatiable appetite for goals. But perhaps it
his versatility of deputizing at centre forward that makes him
key to Ukraines continued upward progression at the Euros.

104 JUNE 2016

Antoine Griezmann
FRANCE
In a league featuring Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and Suarez,
its easy to overlook other outstanding contributions.
And yet over the last year-and-a-half, Griezmann has
transformed from a talented but unpolished wide forward
into a ruthless, consistent matchwinning machine for
Atletico Madrid. The 25-year-old isnt just a regular
creative midfielder or lethal finisher; he shows up and
makes the most of high-pressure situations. Of his 19
league goals this season, seven have been match winners,
while eight have been openers.

Dele Alli
ENGLAND
Its easy to get caught up in the media hype for an English player
any young gun who can kick a ball decently is crowned the
next George Best. But when Manuel Neuer, the best goalkeeper
in the world right now, tells you hes impressed by a kid from
England, you take him seriously especially considering that
this 20-year-old was not even on Tottenhams bench until this
season. Turns out Alli is more old-school compared to modern
midfielders, because he doesnt specialize in just one aspect of
the game: If he isnt helping out the attack with a thunderous
strike or a pinpoint assist, Allis more than willing to track back,
snap at the oppositions heels and lunge for a challenge.

JUNE 2016 105

 Inthe
shadows

, one of the bloodiest nights in its history,

After the terrorist attacks in November 2015
irit
beleaguered sp
ampionship to rekindle its
Ch
the Euro 2016
France looks to
WRIT TEN BY ADIT YA IYER

ovember 2015. Stade de France, Paris. Longest Day, France had witnessed its Longest Night.
France v Germany, friendly. This night, Friday the 13th. Paris, Hemingways muse, his
Eighty thousand spectators, which includes moveable feast, was now a horror story.
the countrys president Francois Hollande and
prime minister Manuel Valls, have their gaze
fixed on Patrice Evra, who is standing on the
ball by the right flank. Evra, though, has his gaze fixed on his n 2014, just two years prior to France hosting the 2016
mortality.
The right-backs neck is twisted 180 degrees; each of his
five heightened senses now focusing in the direction of a most
IUEFA European Championship this month, the country
was the most visited on the face of this planet 83.7 million
footfalls. The Euro was at its peak, nearly matching the
morbid disturbance. International footballers are accustomed British pound. And its favourite son was still Michel Platini.
to the guttural boom of firecrackers and the burning touch Platini the man who gave France its first major trophy,
of a hooligans flare. In his bones, Evra knows the current Euro 84, on home soil no less, by scoring nine times (the
occurrence is neither. next best in the tournament was three), including in the final
Outside, between gates J against Spain was also
and H, a caf owner named the second most powerful
Engin has just witnessed a man man in all of football.
dressed in a Bayern Munich But 12 months is a long
jersey blow himself up. Within time. By December 2015,
seconds, Engin will hear two a month after the attacks,
more explosions in the vicinity. Platini usurped from
Within minutes, he will hear his UEFA presidency and
about the attacks in cafs and banned from the sport for
theatres across central Paris six years on the charges of
that will go on to cost 130 corruption had become
innocent lives. Within hours he the second most hated
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

will be told that this night is the man in football. By the

bloodiest France has seen since same time, president
World War II. Hollande (who was
Seventy-one years after whisked out of Stade de
these very shores saw the France at half-time on

106 JUNE 2016

 Almost instantly, the undercurrent
of trepidation was washed away by a
sea of hope.
We will never forget that night in
November, a visibly emotional Didier
Deschamps, Frances coach, said
after the game. But tonight, we have
moved on.

he last time France hosted a

T major tournament on home

The 1984 Euro Cup champions, with Frances first footballing trophy
the night of the attacks) had declared
the country to be in a state of social
and economic emergency.
An emergency that has now been
extended to July, according to prime
minister Valls, to cover the length
of the championship. An emergency
thats forced UEFAs Giancarlo
Abete to say: We cant exclude the
possibility of playing Euro 2016
behind closed doors as we cannot
exclude terrorism.
rance 16 is not the first
soil, 18 years ago in 1998,
Deschamps, captain of Les Bleus then,
was captured cradling the World Cup
trophy to his bosom. Football-wise, it
was the nations finest hour.
Deschamps, though, will be the
first to tell you that night of triumph
wouldnt have been possible if the
team hadnt learned to cope with
years of failure. Just two years prior,
with an eye on the upcoming World
Cup, French heavyweights in the
form of Eric Cantona, David Ginola
and Jean-Pierre Papin the countrys
leading goal-scorers at that time
WE MUST were forcibly drained out of Frances
SHOW that Euro 96 squad. And in gushed fresh
but untested blood: Christophe
sport, like Dugarry, 24, Zinedine Zidane, 23, and,
a year later, Thierry Henry, 19.
culture, like And then when the big one came
our lifestyle, around, Dugarry scored Frances
first goal of the World Cup, Henry
will not thumped in the most goals for his side
in the tournament (three) and Zizou
yield to this scored twice in the final.
History repeats itself, sometimes
pressure and with terrific swiftness. Twenty years
this threat on, Deschamps has lost the services

F
championship to be played
in the shadow of fear and
overwhelming security. In 2010, on
the eve of the Africa Cup of Nations,
Togos team bus was attacked by terrorists in Angola, the host
nation. Three were killed Togos assistant manager Abalo
Amelete, a media officer and the bus driver and the team
pulled out.
Yet, the show went on in Angola.
Hollande, for one, echoes that sentiment. We must
show that sport, like culture, like our lifestyle, will not yield
to this pressure and this threat, he said, immediately after
taking his seat in the royal box of the Stade de France,
perched high above a ground capsuled in the metal of
sniper rifles. Within this ring of unprecedented security, in
the very spot that the French players and coaching staff had
spread mattresses on which to spend the night of the attacks
of two behemoths and Frances
leading goal-scorers, Franck Ribery
and Karim Benzema Ribery to an
unforeseen retirement, Benzema to an
indefinite ban by the French football federation for allegedly
blackmailing his teammate, Mathieu Valbuena, with a
sex-tape.
Deschamps and France will now rely on Kante and
Manchester Uniteds Anthony Martial, two first-timers at
the majors, to fill that void. Saut these rising talents in a
pan of pure cream (Juventus Paul Pogba, Atletico Madrids
Antoine Griezmann, Real Madrids Raphael Varane and
Arsenals Olivier Giroud) and you have a delicious spread. An
immoveable feast.
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

(in solidarity with the German team, who werent allowed to
leave the stadium), Les Bleus took on Russia for a friendly
in March.
They won 4-2. Leicester Citys NGolo Kante, featuring in
his first ever international starting XI, opened the scoring.
July 10, 2016. Stade de France, Paris. France v *insert
opponent*, Final
If France were to achieve said perfection on said stage,
Deschamps and a football-loving country will breathe an
hour finer than their finest.

108 JUNE 2016

 TRIGENIC FLEX

Visit www.clarks.in for latest store locations and online shopping

Vive
Marseille!
The portside district is humming with creative energy as
quirky restaurants and arty boutique hotels add chic appeal.
GQ tells you the best places to stay, eat, drink and see in
Marseilles hottest hoods during the Euro 2016 Championship

WHERE TO EAT saffron mayonnaise

WORDS: LANIE GOODMAN, MERYL D'SOUZA (STADE VELODROME). IMAGE: ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES, REX FEATURES
Indulge in whimsical accompanied by polenta
cuisine at LAromat, fries and soup in a glass.
WHERE TO STAY IN where Sylvain
MARSEILLE Robert creates the 49 rue Sainte,
Escape the urban buzz by the bouillabaisse burger: Marseille (00 33 4 91
palm-shaded pool of the four- A reined twist on a 55 09 06; laromat.com).
bedroom Casa Honor. This local dish, it is ish Dinner for two about 70
elegant, riad-style B&B is owned served on a bun with without wine
CASA HONOR (AND BELOW)
by the designer Annick Lestrohan
(her interiors boutique is next
door), who transformed a former
printing factory into a sunny oasis
of tranquillity. The property is
decorated with original furnishings
and the rooms have Lestrohans
monogrammed white linens.
123 rue Sainte (00 33 4 96 11 01 62;
casahonore.com)
MAMA SHELTER (AND RIGHT)
A 10-minute stroll from
Marseilles port is Mama Shelter
Marseille. The southern sister of the
Philippe Starck-designed low-cost
hotel in Paris already has a buzzing
bar scene.
64 rue de La Loubire (mamashelter.
com/marseille)

110 JUNE 2016

WHAT TO SEE
MARKETS
Try to get up early enough to catch the
renowned daily seafood and ish market at the
Vieux Port.
QUARTIER DU PANIER
Explore the crooked, narrow streets of the
Quartier du Panier, the oldest part of the city,
where the Greeks built their temples. This leads
to the Centre de la Vieille Charit, probably the
most beautiful poorhouse ever conceived.
MUSE DES DOCK ROMAINS
The Muse des Dock Romains, Place de
Vivaux, is a unique and intimate museum
where the vast dolia (grain storage jars) share
space with Roman treasures mainly found in
shipwrecks.
JARDIN DES VESTIGES
For a picture of an even earlier civilization, visit
the Jardin des Vestiges (rue Henri-Barbusse),
where a public garden, loodlit at night, has
been created in the remains of the original
Greek port.
BASILIQUE ST-VICTOR
On the south side of the port lies the Basilique
St-Victor, a Romanesque basilica built in the
5th century by St Cassien, then destroyed by
the Saracens; the fortiied Gothic church was a
later addition. The restored abbey remains are
still used for worship.
NTRE DAME DE LA GARDE
Towering on the highest point of the city is
the Neo-Byzantine Ntre Dame de la Garde,
built in the 19th century in the same style as
the uninspiring cathedral of Sainte Marie
Majeure on the opposite side of the port.
How it looks is less important than what it
represents to the people of Marseille: known
affectionately as La Bonne Mre, the church
is a repository for sailors votive offerings,
many very touching. It is also worth a visit for
the car or trolley ride up through a gracious
neighbourhood, and for its stunning views
over the city and the Mediterranean beyond.
NTRE DAME DE LA GARDE
QUARTIER DU PANIER
PARC BORLY
On the eastern edge of the city near the
Corniche is Parc Borly, a peaceful oasis. It
boasts a lake, with a good restaurant on an
island that you can reach by rowing boat,
as well as a botanical garden, a splendid
rose garden, the citys nurseries and a ine
view. Recently it was decided to convert the
18th century Chteau Borly into a ine arts
museum. Bicycles are for hire here.
IF
Boats leave every half hour from Vieux
Port to If, three kilometres off the coast.
FranoisI discovered the rocky island in 1516
and had a fortress built there, which soon
STADE VLODROME
Stadium Capacity: 67,000
Trust the French to do something left-field
when everyone else is merely conforming.
In an age of box-shaped modern stadiums,
the swooping curves of the Stade Vlodrome
stands out for all the right reasons. Initially
constructed in the Thirties, it remains Frances
biggest club football ground and, as the name
suggests, had a cycling track when it first
opened in 1937 which was removed in 1985.
Theres much to be said about the
Vlodromes history and culture, but people
tend to miss the fact that there isnt another
stadium in the world where fans have more
power a stand here is named after a fan.
PARC BORLY
became an infamous prison for galley slaves
and rufians, then thousands of Huguenot
prisoners. Its most famous inmate, in iction,
was Alexandre Dumas Count of Monte
Cristo. It is an impressively bleak spot which
commands great views of Marseille.
THE ARAB QUARTER
For a different angle on the city, visit the
Arab quarter: Wander past the stores selling
spices and fresh almonds in bulk in the rue
dAubagne.
LESTAQUE
LEstaque (which means connection in
Provenal), is a small working-class port in
the northernmost part of the city which for
60 years attracted painters such as Czanne,
Braque, Derain and Renoir. With its colourful
character, it is still one of the most picturesque
areas of the city. Families congregate here
on summer evenings over the weekend, the
parents settling at one of the cafs for an
aperitif and giving the children money to buy
a panisse (chickpea-lour fritter: circular and
slightly salted), or a chichi fregi (a doughnut
sprinkled with sugar); both are specialities of
the port.
WHERE TO DRINK
Les Buvards is a friendly, retro-style wine
bar where well-heeled professionals sip
organic vintages and rare wines from
small vineyards. Theres also a chalkboard
menu of bistro-style dishes and cheese and
cured-meat platters for late-night snacks.
34 Grand rue, Marseille
(00 33 4 91 90 69 98)
In the years when French football was
still in its embryonic stage, Patrice de Pretti,
megaphone in hand, bare-chested, stood out
against the docile background of the Eighties.
He was the living embodiment of everything
the stadium and its fans would become:
obsessive, cacophonous, and sometimes
reckless. But his adventures became part of
local club Olympique Marseilles history.
This summer, the Vlodrome will host a
few big games at the group stage, including
England v Russia and France v Albania.
But all eyes will be on the whoppers: A
quarter-final and semi-fnal on June 30 and
July 7, respectively.
JUNE 2016 111
 GROOMING
GUIDE

2016
The modern Indian man is no stranger to spas and salons: In fact,
THE
UPGRADE

hes the sharpest dude in the room, the unabashed sporno-metro-

sapio-sexual guy wholl schedule a follow-up trim exactly six weeks
after his cut and knows that overgrown eyebrows (or stinky feet)
havent been attractive since, well, ever. Which is why, this year, we
decided to skip the basics, and look at three ways to help take your
grooming game to the next level

EDITED BY SHIKHA SETHI

114 120 126

BALLER CUTS BEYOND BOTOX RAW AND SEXY
This summer, were taking our cues from football From fat-blasting love handles to Instaglow Today, even mainstream brands are natural
stars with some serious swag, who arent afraid facials, the quest for perfection begins at and organic. Here are the authentic small-batch
to take a few chances on and off the field these dermat clinics natural skincare brands were digging

JUNE 2016 113

 football'S greatest
HAIr GODS
... And what you can learn from them
WRITTEN BY MERYL D'SOUZA & DEEPA VERMA

OLIVIER GIROUD
COUNTRY: FRANCE
CLUB: ARSENAL
STYLE: THE UNDERCUT, WITH A
ROUND TOP
SAYS
Its fitting that a footballer who idolizes David
Beckham took over from where the Brit left off.
Ever since Giroud donned the Arsenal colours in
2012, his hair has been talked about more than
his on-field performances. So infatuated is the
world with his hairdo that its been the go-to cut
across the planet for the last three years.
Yes, hes inconsistent as a player. Yes, hes
infuriating as a striker. Yes, he makes you want
to unplug and break your TV set when he misses
sitters. But at least the man voted the Premier
Leagues hottest player in 2015 looks in his own
words gorgeous while doing it.

TELL YOUR BARBER: Keep it short on the back

and sides. Cut the top short to long, pulling all
sections back towards the crown, making sure
the hair is at least two finger-lengths long on top.
Connect the sides and back to keep the shape
round. Style with dry wax for a rough look or
cream pomade for a softer texture.

LEROY SAN
COUNTRY: GERMANY
CLUB: SCHALKE 04
STYLE: AFRO
SAYS
At 20, Sane is proving to be another prodigy rising through the
ranks at Schalke, following in the footsteps of Manuel Neuer and
Mesut zil. He may be a little too young to make the switch to
IMAGE: REX FEATURES, GETTY IMAGES, CORBIS

clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, but even his manager has
praised the cool demeanour with which the attacking midfielder
has handled all the attention. The truth is, we always knew he could.
After all, very few guys can pull off an afro without looking like
Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons.

TELL YOUR BARBER: Good shape is more essential than even

length all over, so get it cut dry with scissors. Then run your
fingers or a comb through it. To maintain, use a water-based
prep lotion or a conditioner so your hair has an airy lightness to
it. For a thicker frizz, apply beeswax or a curl crme.

114 JUNE 2016

NEYMAR
COUNTRY: BRAZIL
CLUB: FC BARCELONA
STYLE: THE DISCONNECT, WITH A TWIST
SAYS
SAYS
Neymars come of age over the last two years.
Hes always had spades of talent, but hes now left If youre a hipster who thinks

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, CORBIS, REX FEATURES. ZLATAN (SUIT): PHOTO: ERIC BROMS. STYLIST: JAMES SLEAFORD. MAKE-UP: JEANETTE TRNQVIST/LUNDLUND. HAIR: HANS NILSSON/MIKAS. PRODUCTION: STOCKHOLM LUNDLUND
behind petulant gamesmanship and that angsty he invented the man bun,
teenage faux hawk to become a dignified team step aside, son. Zlatans been
player with a twist on 2016s go-to hair trend: the rocking one before you even
disconnected cut. started sprouting stubble. And
hes wearing it better than
TELL YOUR BARBER: Use clippers all the anyone else even now. And
way up the sides, leaving it very long on top thats just one of a whole list of
without any fade hence the name. If you can things only he can dare to do
rock the hawk, achieve it by using an iron to (see: #DareToZlatan). Just like
straighten your hair. Style with wax or gel to no striker, even in his wildest
spike the ends slightly, shape the length as dreams, would dare to try an
desired and then freeze with hairspray. Works overhead kick from 30 yards
well on rounder face shapes. out. But Zlatan does. And he
scores. And then runs his hand
over his man bun to make sure
its still in place. Because openly
celebrating achievements is for
people who arent the best.

TELL YOUR BARBER:

ZLATAN Cut your medium-length hair
IBRAHIMOVIC in layers to avoid bulk. Section
some off from your temples to
COUNTRY: SWEDEN make a pony or a bun. This is a
versatile look because it adds
CLUB: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN strength and character to even
STYLE: MAN BUN/PONY the most soft-featured faces.

GRAZIANO PELL
COUNTRY: ITALY
CLUB: SOUTHAMPTON
STYLE: SIDE-PART POMPADOUR
SAYS
Pell along with his immaculate hair is the
living embodiment of two of lifes greatest
lessons. First, that its never too late to make
your mark a late bloomer, the Italian looks set
for an AC Milan move and will bring hope to a
team that was once one of the best clubs on the
planet. Second, that there is no excuse to look
shabby when youre doing your job. Even, or
especially, if youre an athlete. By virtue of being
a 64 striker, Pells a bit of an aerial battering
ram, but you wont find a strand out of place on
that mane.

TELL YOUR BARBER: Clean up the back and

sides and disconnect them to leave your hair
long up top. Style with a deep side part using
a soft pomade. Your hair should still be soft to
the touch when done. Avoid this haircut if you
have a long face shape.

116 JUNE 2016

JUST ONE SWOOSH, SON Yes sir, these hairstyles will take you from
cool and casual to best-dressed dapper status
with just one move, and a couple of brilliant
products by Sebastian Professional at your
OFF THE CUFF UNDERCUT

trusted Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa

Remember
that time when
your girlfriend
G uys, youre going to love this. What if
we told you that you could go from day
to night, laid-back to super slick, in a jiffy?
called you for an
impromptu lunch Here are the dos thatll do just that. Just ask
date, and you the experts at Jean-Claude Biguine to work
went with your their magic, and youre sorted.
hair in a mess?
Never again.
The versatile
undercut will
come to your
rescue. Leave
the upper layer
of your hair
long, and wavy,

THE STIFF QUIFF

and the sides
and back neatly
cropped. It s nicely groomed, but not verly preened.
SWOOSH LIKE THIS: Ask your stylist to move their hands
from right to left, working your top into a side swept wave.
STYLE IT: Spray Texture Maker by Sebastian Professional, a
lightweight mineral spray for hold, a matte finish and tousled
texture. Then for the perfect touch of swag, apply Whipped
Cream, a light conditioning style whip, for an air-light bounce.

Ok, now that youve fulfilled your day duties, and with very little
time left on the clock to make it for that glamorous shindig, give
your hairdo a hard reboot. Take the undercut, throw it up in the air.
Give it some body and height. And call it a quiff.
SWOOSH LIKE THIS: Ask your stylist to take their hands and move
in an up, up and away direction. Let them go as high as the sky.
STYLE IT: Start by using Microweb Fiber, an elastic texturizer that
provides remoldable movement. Finish off with Shaper Fierce an
ultra-firm finishing hairspray thatll shape your mane into any fashion,
and keep it high and up till dawn.

Book an appointment with experts at Jean-Claude Biguine for

a complimentary consultation

Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa, Mumbai

Bandra (Pali Naka) I Colaba I Juhu I Lower Parel (St. Regis Hotel & Palladium Mall)
Kemps Corner I Ghatkopar (R City Mall) I Lokhandwala I Malad (Infiniti 2 Mall)
Powai I Andheri (The club) I Prabhadevi
Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa, Bangalore
Lavelle Road I Whiteeld I Koramangala I Indiranagar
biguineindia.com
Appointments can now also be booked through the all-new Jean-Claude Biguine app
for Android and iOS. BiguineIndia jeanclaudebiguineindia
BECAUSE EVEN HAIR Gods Justin Timberlake

HAVE BAD HAIR DAYS

THE SHORT-AND-CURLIES
t Fact: JT has curly hair. Fact: He
used to bleach it. Fact: It looked like
bleached pubes.

While digging up photos for our piece on

the baller hairstyles of football players, we
stumbled upon gratifying evidence that even
our most revered hair idols Dylan, Styles, Pitt
and more have, in rare moments, shaved,
pomaded and cornrowed poorly. And so we
present their past hair failures here, not (just)
to mock but to remind you that even when Colin Farrell Tom Brady
youve caved to a cocksure barber, or made THE MINI BUN THE GUMBY
a bad do-cision yourself, youve likely never t Loogit the wittle-bittle-baby man t Gisele, how can you let your man
bun! We just wanna SLICE IT OFF AND go outside with this under-inflated
done anything this wack BURN IT. comb-back?

Bob Dylan Harry Styles

THE EWWW-FRO THE DOUCHE SWOOP
t Singing in a Victorias Secret ad was not t Bieber invented it, but Styles
the first sign that Bob had stopped caring. murdered it with this helmet of
cantilevered tresses.

Cristiano Ronaldo David Beckham

THE LOST BET THE CORNIEST ROWS
t Every homeboy knows you never pass t Stirs up very confusing memories of
out near friends who own electric razors. that time you hooked up with a girl in
Playa Del Amor.

Brad Pitt
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, CORBIS

THE POINT BREAK

t Brah, ever catch a wave so
gnarly that you, like, see God? Johnny Depp Kanye West
Happened to me once 97.
THE LOSING STREAK THE FRULLET
t Meet Tropical Breeze, stoner brother t Where an Afro and a mullet collide
of the X-Mens Storm. His superpower: is, we learned, right at the nape of
smouldering. Yeezys neck.

118 JUNE 2016

Saving
Face
In 2016, a regular facial
and mani-pedi wont cut
it anymore. More men
than ever before, both
young and old, are turning
to lasers, needles and
chemicals to fix their hair,
face and even their hairy
balls. Nothing is off limits.
GQ investigates the brave
new world of male beauty
in India
WRITTEN BY
PAULINE ZONUNPUII

120 JUNE 2016


heres a revolution brewing
T behind closed doors. In swanky,
chandelier-lit dermatology
clinics in some of the countrys
toniest neighbourhoods. Men
are spending more time and money
sometimes up to two lakhs for a single
session on fixing perceived flaws,
sloughing off dead cells and trying to
look their best.
For 26-year-old Delhi-based event
manager Roshan Bhagat*, it began with a
small insecurity. My lips were too thin.
I was very conscious of them, he shares,
but within minutes of my arrival for a
consultation, the doctor began picking
apart my flaws. Ive come back six times,
since November, to fix the rest of my
face. The treatments hes undertaken
include skin lightening, acne therapy,
face contouring and Botox for the
furrows between his eyes.
Looking good au naturel seems
like a distant concept for Bhagat and
thousands of other Indian men whore
turning to fillers to lift their scars,
grooms who want to look as good as
their brides, and older men struggling
with wrinkles and sagging skin. The last
decade has seen a male beauty revolution
in India, according to veteran celebrity
dermatologist Dr Jamuna Pai, whos
treated men from her Mumbai-based
clinic for over 20 years. Though my
clientele is still female dominated, the
percentage of men has increased today
as many as 40 per cent of our clients
are men.
If ten years back it was two men
against eight women, today it is four men
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK, ADAM VOORHES (PUZZLE FACE). PROP STYLIST: ROBIN FINLAY (PUZZLE FACE)
against six women, adds Dr Rashmi
Shetty, aesthetic physician and founder
of Ra Skin & Aesthetics in Hyderabad.
So whats driving the Indian male
to boldly deep dive into the world of
aesthetic beauty a realm once reserved
exclusively for women? Bollywood
stars and cricketers are endorsing and
promoting a wide range of skincare
products, theres been a social media
boom and the rising awareness of the
importance of healthy skin being a vital
component of good grooming has led
to more men consulting dermatologists
for skin-related issues, Dr Simal Soin of
Aayna Clinic tells me.
And what do Indian men want? If
the Bollywood man is clean-shaven,
with a sharp jawline, a waxed chest,
six-pack abs and fair skin, thats what
men are going for, says Delhi-based
dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia.
While Bollywood may determine a
glut of male beauty trends in India, there
cosmetic
5
are many other reasons why more men
are tinkering with muscle, fat and skin to
combat aging and achieve eternal youth
or at least an arrested version of it.
Consider Prateek Sharma*, a 32-year-
old techie from Bengaluru and a self-
confessed Botox addict who didnt have
any trouble explaining precisely why he
procedures
you can
get during
spends almost 30 per cent of his monthly lunch hour
income on fillers and injectables. The
city is humid, and my friends started From Juvderm for tired eyes to
calling me Mr Faucet Pits. He is not an Margaret Dabbs medical pedi-
exception to this story. cure for your exhausted feet and
Rohan Shetty*, a 25-year-old lawyer, CoolSculpting for your love handles,
told me that he regularly gets Botox these quick fixes are the new weap-
shots on his palms because, I suffer ons in the wrinkle war
from sweaty palms, and just wanted a
confident hand shake.
And then theres the 56-year-old
divorcee from West Delhi I spoke to.
Aging and aesthetic needs werent an
issue for me before. But Im dating again
and my daughters felt like I needed
1
a bit of sprucing up, he chuckles.
Today, hes navigating the dizzying
array of non-invasive treatments at Dr
Chiranjiv Chhabras Skin Alive clinic
in Panchsheel Park, culling out the best
MEDICAL PEDICURE FOR THE PERFECT SOLE
options to fix his sagging jawline,
WHAT: Margaret Dabbs pedicure
age spots and marionette lines (around DURATION: 45 minutes
the mouth). COST: `4,000
While specialized facials from The Rolls-Royce of luxury foot care is celebrity foot
oxygen facials to chemical peels and expert Margaret Dabbs signature waterless treatment.
Carried out by a trained podiatrist, this express
diamond microdermabrasion and medical pedicure deals with all the problems of the
fillers like Botox are considered foot and ankle, including cracked heels, warts, corns,
routine quick-fixes, available across bunions, nail fungus and Athletes foot. It kicks off with
exfoliation, dry buffing and cleaning epithelial tissues
salons, hospitals and medi-spas, the with surgical tools, followed by a generous slather of
spornosexual Indian man today also hydrating organic Australian emu oil, and ends with a
has a range of world-class clinics and massage and oxygen treatment. At `4,000 per session,
its pricey, but worth it for the happiest feet youve
an exhaustive list of treatments to
had in a while.
choose from.
Available at Aayna Clinic, Delhi and the St Regis Hotel,
In Delhi, theres a doctor who will Mumbai
give you an A-list jawline like Ranveer
Singhs or Brad Pitts by fat-blasting
(aka firing ultrasound energy or bipolar
radio frequency waves to shrink fat cells
and tighten skin) your sagging double-
2
chin. Shell even chivvy the fat off your
back and melt your love handles with
a cosmetic energy gun when salvation
wont come from a diet or a tortuous
workout regimen. The effects are
BLAST THAT DOUBLE CHIN WITH SOME HEAT
immediate.
WHAT: Ultherapy
The male aesthetic patients quest DURATION: 60 minutes
neednt end there, either. Tired of that COST: Varies
beer belly? Opt for body contouring or Ultherapy is your lunchtime facelift, minus the
body sculpting, via CoolSculpting, a non- scalpels. A non-invasive procedure, it tightens jowls
and neck wattle and also lifts brows using heat and
invasive procedure that freezes fat using
ultrasound waves that penetrate deep into the skins
a vacuum applicator the extreme cold structural tissues and stimulate the growth of new
ruptures the walls of the fat cells, and the collagen, which lifts and tightens skin over time. The
fat eventually drains out from the body. procedure takes about an hour and youll see the best
results within the first two months. The results last
Its the perfect excuse to stop busting out up to two years.
crunches like a boss and binge on your Available at Lumiere Dermatology, Delhi and
favourite brewski every night. Because About Face, Mumbai
JUNE 2016 121
Granted, a blast of hot and cold waves may melt
that pesky beer belly, good facials may stimulate
skin cell regeneration and small doses of Botox
can help you look on the right side of 50, but lets
face it: cosmetic procedures are a slippery slope
why look after your body when you can
pay someone else to do it for you?
The development of lower-cost
minimal-incision and non-invasive
medical aesthetic treatments at walk-
in clinics are not only democratizing
cosmetic beauty treatments once
only associated with celebrities and
the affluent class theyre also causing
a remarkable shift in mens attitudes,
according to Dr Lohia. We get men
from all age groups (16-65 years old), of
all socio-economic statuses. And many
clinics have started working out their
price points accordingly.
Body-sculpting treatments through
fat-freezing and Thermage (using radio
waves to reduce moobs, one cup size
at a time) are among the most popular
for men across ages and income groups
in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru,
Hyderabad and Delhi. And even in
Tier 2 cities like Raipur in Chhattisgarh,
where Dr Sunil Kalda routinely has
male patients coming in for treatments
for stubborn zones where body fat
settles and refuses to be banished by
exercise alone.
For men who are gun-shy or terrified
of looking like some kind of plasticized
freak or, worse, like Mickey Rourke
there are less extreme treatments that
require a minimal number of sessions,
have zero to negligible effects and
dont need much downtime. Like nose
reshaping. According to Dr Shetty, a
lot of men want their noses to have a
better shape or treat irregularities with
non-surgical procedures. Baby-faced
men can fight nature by joining the
beard-wagon with beard-shaping, which
costs upwards of `40,000. Theres an
increasing demand for a more sharpened
beard these days, to attain that perfectly
groomed look. Sharpening is done using
laser treatments. Six sessions, come once
a month, 20 minutes, and youre done,
explains Dr Lohia.
But mens number-one desire for
self-improvement, like their female
counterparts, remains in hairy territory.
While young men are seeking to rid
their body of hair (including laser hair
removal for smooth, silky testicles),
Sanket Shah of Advanced Hair Studio
122 JUNE 2016
tells me that, 80 per cent of our male
clients between 20-40 years come in
for hair renewal treatments to tackle
baldness or Alopecia. AHS clinics
across India take 300 consultations a
day alone, with 30-35 per cent of clients
opting for treatment. Thats a lot of men
hoping to conquer the big, bald world,
one strand at a time.
But how do cosmetic dermatologists
get their clients? The answer: hardcore
marketing and word-of-mouth. Dr Shetty
shares, Half of my male clients are
brought to me by my female patients
wives, mothers, girlfriends or daughters
who bring in their male friends or
relatives for treatments such as acne
scars, pigmentation or hair renewal.
Its no surprise then that the
majority of first-time Indian males
seeking aesthetic treatments are
scheduling appointments for quick fixes.
For example: Ultherapy, a lunchtime
facelift (minus the scalpels); stretch
mark removal; hair removal; and
Clearlift, a facelift that makes you look
photoshopped, and allows men to come
in for an hour-and-a-half and look ten
years younger with no downtime.
Plus, everyone is obsessed with their
pores now. Men and women, says
Dr Lohia.
Granted, a blast of hot and cold
waves may melt that pesky beer belly,
good facials may stimulate skin cell
regeneration and small doses of Botox
can help you look on the right side of
50, but lets face it: cosmetic procedures
are a slippery slope. And while some
patients get one or two, others go the
whole hog. Dr Lohia warns, There
are some people who are just the most
unsatisfied people in the world. They
keep getting procedure after procedure.
Those are the ones that I refuse to treat.
We have a tough screening process.
Body dysmorphia is something we
constantly look out for. If what you see
in the mirror is significantly different
from the reality for example if you cant
live because you have under-eye circles
we raise an alarm and recommend
counseling. If its not appropriate, well
advise you not to do it.
*Names have been changed.
3
THE THREE-IN-ONE CELEBRITY SECRET FACIAL
WHAT: The New York Facial
DURATION: 40-45 minutes
COST: Starts at `25,000
The New York Facial Delhi-based celebrity
dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohias proprietary skin
therapy has generated a lot of buzz over the past
year. This triple-therapy combination will get you
red-carpet ready in less than 45 minutes and involves
sloughing off dead skin and laser toning using FDA-
approved collagen-stimulating lasers that lighten
superficial spots, fine lines, broken blood vessels and
reduce open pores. The process is then followed by
a hydrating medical masque of a gentle bath of light
therapy known as Red Rx. Results last for about six
to eight months.
Available at Lumiere Dermatology, Delhi
4
PUTTING YOU LOOK TIRED TO REST
WHAT: Revital Eye Treatment
DURATION: 60 minutes
COST: Varies
Taming dark circles is tricky. While quick hyaluronic
acid fillers such as Juvderm are still the gold
standard, they arent risk-free. Side effects can
include bruising, visible lumps and allergic reactions.
If youre looking for a youthful upgrade minus
the downtime a session of Revital Eye Treatment
instantly decongests and tones the eyes through
microcirculation. The hour-long treatment involves
cleansing the delicate under-eye area, gentle
exfoliation and a specially formulated cooling
mask for hydration. Like Juvderm, the results are
visible immediately.
Available at Skin Alive Clinics in Delhi and Gurgaon.
Juvderm is available at Kaya Clinics across India
5
BODY SCULPT YOUR WAY TO A SIX-PACK
WHAT: CoolSculpting
DURATION: 60 minutes
COST: Varies with the problem area
Suitable for stubborn pockets of fat around the body
(and face), this popular treatment is not a weight-loss
treatment, but something for guys who are already
in shape but have trouble spots like unsightly back
bulges or love handles.
Available at Lumiere Dermatology, Aayna Clinic and Skin
Alive in Delhi, and Blush Clinics across India

REGAIN YOUR
CONFIDENCE WITH
DENSER HAIR
Have you started noticing that your
hairline is receding? Or that your
hair is thinning around your parting?
Dealing with hair loss is no fun,
especially when it makes your
confidence levels plummet. Put
your worries aside with L'Oral
Professionnel's breakthrough
innovation, Serioxyl
T
he inevitable aging process,
coupled with not taking proper
care of your hair, bad eating
habits, pollution, lack of sleep and
stress, leads to hair thinning. It starts
off gradually: you notice strands on
your pillow, hair falling while you
shower or caught in your brush. If
youre looking for a way to combat
hair loss and regain your confidence,
LOral Professionnels Serioxyl is the
way to go.
An anti-thinning professional
intervention, Serioxyl is inspired by
stem cell research that acts from the
first symptoms of thinning hair.
Developed after over 25 years of
research by the L'Oral Advanced
Research Laboratories, the
breakthrough product Serioxyl Denser
Hair serum is empowered by the highly
potent molecule Stemoxydine 5%.
Studies have shown that Stemoxydine
mimics the functioning of stem cells.
As a result, a dormant follicle becomes
active and gives rise to new hair in
a shorter time.
Studies have shown
that over three
months of daily use of
the serum has resulted
in the increase of
density of hair by more
than 1,700 strands*.
So how does it really work?
If hair loss is your concern visit a
LOral Professionnel salon and ask for
a consultation. To address hair thinning,
your hairdresser will start with an
in-salon treatment using the Serioxyl
range. You will then be recommended
the use of Serioxyl Denser Hair serum
at home it is to be used every night
on the scalp, followed by the shampoo
and conditioner in the morning.
The home care products contain the
ingredients Glucoboost and incell that
strengthen and energize each bre and
seal the cuticle to protect the bre for
a long time.
The in-salon treatment, combined
with consistent use of the home care
products work to make hair look fuller
and thicker in as soon as three months.
*Based on clinical tests
 HOW TO USE
SERIOXYL AT HOME:
STEP 1:
Every night, take about eight pipettes
and work the Denser Hair serum into
the roots and ensure that it covers
the scalp.

STEP 2:
In the morning, wet your hair and
apply the Shampoo. Rinse out
thoroughly and repeat if desired.

STEP 3:
Towel-dry your hair and work a few
drops of the Conditioner into the
hair. Wash it out for a softer and
smoother mane.

The Serioxyl treatment and product range

is available at select L'Oral Professionnel Salons
HOME GROWN
When it comes to skincare, the most expensive products with the
fanciest ingredients arent always the best. Which is why were
favouring a new breed of entrepreneurs whore using locally
sourced, raw ingredients to create chemical-free organic products
that are chock full of goodness. Writer Janice Pariat, who recently
launched her own line of natural soaps and lotion bars, makes the
case for getting real
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JIGNESH JHAVERI

WORDS: SHIKHA SETHI (PRODUCTS). PHOTOGRAPHER AGENCY: PHOTOLINK

I
t all began because one day I spent 43 quid on a tub of face wash.
It was some minty green product that claimed to remove,
through a nifty hot-cold liquid, blackheads and all sorts of
other uglies. It would cleanse, clarify, possibly even send me to
the moon. Now, I understand that 43 quid isnt a large enough
amount to break the bank for most people. But Im a writer.
Most of the time, Im broke. More alarmingly, I realized I was buying
increasingly more expensive products because I found that mostly 1 2

they didnt work. They didnt seem to help clear, brighten, soften my Apricot Kernel Meal Scrub
skin and do all the other wondrous things they promised in svelte PAHADI LOCAL KHAL
Mix this ne powder with milk,
adverts in glossy magazines and on television. Enough, I thought.
honey or water for a natural
Im going back to the basics. A little googling taught me that, in fact, face scrub and body polisher.
all the face wash I required was a pot of raw honey, known to be Itll slough off dead cells, reduce
anti-bacterial and moisturizing. And for when Id been out all day, ingrowths and leave your skin
feeling baby smooth. Plus, its
or felt particularly grimy? An oil cleanse. Which involves a blend of
a tub-fulls worth, so you wont
oils (usually castor, almond, jojoba) in certain proportions, massaged need to replenish stock in a hurry.
into the skin, and wiped off with a hot towel. The simple idea behind `500 for 135g
Real Softness Lip
Balm
REAL LOVE
If you think using lip balm
is girly, the alternative
chapped, rough lips is
worse. This mix has coconut
butter with a touch of
menthol to keep you feeling
fresh, and ever kissable.
`150

126 JUNE 2016


3 fountains sprinkle water
Neem Oil
KAMA AYURVEDA
Neem is a traditional panacea,
used to cure everything
from acne and breakouts to
dandruff and dehydrated
scalp conditions. This organic
oil by Kama is cold-pressed
and packed with antioxidants,
as well as anti-bacterial
properties. When using on
sensitive skin (ie, your face and
scalp), dilute equal parts neem
oil with almond or sesame oil.
`625 for 200ml
128 JUNE 2016
4 or your sinuses are acting
Damask Rosewater
Face Toner
AMRITAM AT GOOD EARTH
Toning closes pores and
minimizes that sweaty sheen.
Besides the obvious benets,
this spritz is also delightfully
cooling in summer imagine
strolling through a beautiful
Mughal garden on a hot day as
on you.
`550 for 120ml
5 6
Real Breakfast Soap
REAL LOVE
With goats milk, oats, raw
honey from Cherrapunji and
cinnamon, this soap is good
enough to eat. (Dont.) Youll
love how well-scrubbed
youll feel after (and how
good you smell).
`100
5 6
Real Bliss Lotion Bar
REAL LOVE
Q: What is a lotion bar and how
do you use it?
A: Its exactly what it sounds
like. Warm it in your hands, pat
yourself down and let the shea
butter, sweet orange and honey
do its good work. `300
7
Eucalyptus Destress
Balm
GRANNY GREGGS
Aromatherapy isnt just for
your girlfriend. The next
time you have a headache
up, try this eucalyptus balm
instead of a Disprin. Its been
formulated by Bengaluru-based
geneticist Sonia Dhawan, who
concocts her recipes based
WORDS: SHIKHA SETHI (PRODUCTS). PHOTOGRAPHER AGENCY: PHOTOLINK
on those of her grandmother
Irene Gregory, the original
Granny Greggs, well-known
for her extensive knowledge
of medicinal plants and
home remedies.
`150
8
Eucalyptus and Mint
Hand and Foot Scrub
DO BANDAR
Use it regularly to keep your
skin soft and supple, and no
one will appreciate it more
than your SO. And the dude
who does your monthly
manicure. Just make sure your
nails are short and neat for
maximum effect.
`400 for 150g
this was that oil dissolves oil, or sebum, removing muck much
more effectively than soap or water. For toner, I gathered it was
best to stick to diluted raw, organic apple cider vinegar (which still
contained the mother, strands of enzymes and friendly bacteria
that give it a murky, cobweb-like appearance). And to moisturize
my combination skin? While most creams left me with dry/greasy
patches, pure, cold-pressed jojoba oil (which closely resembles
sebum and is easily absorbable) did the trick. I tried all this for
a few weeks, and it worked. My skin had never felt better. It was
lighter; it felt like it could breathe. What if, I wondered, this could be
extended? To lip balm, and body moisturizer, and soap?
I made my first batch of products at my kitchen counter. In
a make-shift double burner. Marvelling at how simple it was to
concoct these products. Use whats in your kitchen, I was advised
by beauty blogs Crunchy Betty and Natural Living Ideas. Things
you could actually eat like oats and cinnamon. Suddenly it all made
sense. Why buy a moisturizer that includes shea butter or cocoa
butter when you could use these beautiful oils themselves, in their
natural state? Or why settle for a soap with honey extract when
you could bathe with one that uses real raw honey from the hills of
Cherrapunji? The idea was to cut through the artificiality. To use the
real thing. It was so much better, as I discovered.
In the late 1800s in England there was a strong Aesthetic
movement, spearheaded by designer and publisher William
Morris and writer Oscar Wilde. They tried to resist what they saw
as the ugliness of industrialization and mass production. Morris
handbound books, Wilde tailor-made his outfits. The idea was
to place real beauty back at the centre of peoples lives. I feel as
though making my own products is an extension of this movement.
These are principles I resonate with, that handmade things
involve time and care and customization, but dont necessitate
compromising on quality. It is, after all, about reclaiming something
we might have lost: an artisanal relationship with things; of relying
on the homemade, homegrown, and trusting ourselves rather than
faceless companies who can pay for the most advertising space.
So, out with the 43-quid face wash. In with the real.

10 11

9
12

13

9 10 11 12 13

Vetiver and Patchouli Soap
DO BANDAR
Bengaluru-based Do Bandar
formulates its hand-crafted
products everything from foot
scrubs to soaps for your pet
based on ancient Ayurvedic and
royal Mughal recipes. We dig the
hip packaging: soaps wrapped in
banana fibre paper and luxuriant
bath oils in recyclable glass bottles.
`300 for 150g
Herbal Sleep Balm
GRANNY GREGGS
Lavender is known to induce
drowsiness, and this sleep
balm is steeped in it. Apply
a pea-sized amount to your
temples and watch as your
brain slows down You can
banish counting sheep (or
clouds) forever.
`150
Gutti Ka Tel Amritam May Chang &
PAHADI LOCAL Bergamot Glycerin Soap
This all-natural unfiltered GOOD EARTH
apricot oil from Himalayan Glycerin soaps are full-fat
orchards is good for your versions of regular soaps
skin and bones, and even sometimes they lather less, but
helps reduce cellulite overall are much better for your
and stretch marks. Your skin. Naturally moisturizing,
maalishwala will love it these soaps even skin tone
almost as much as you do. and encourage proper cell
`1,100 for 200ml maturation, helpful in soothing
skin conditions such as acne.
`750 for 120g
Rosemary, Mint and
Lime Face Pat
THE SKIN PANTRY
Hand-whipped to achieve a
delicate mousse-y texture and
using a zesty combination
of rosemary, lime and mint,
graphic designer Colette Austin
makes these small-batch
aftershave creams that will
melt right into your skin and
give it a happy buzz.
`1,100 for 50ml

JUNE 2016 129

 CE
RIN p e
h e b
ct t Virat
est

P
x t
i g ht e e. Bu
m
, y ou nd fam ch
son oney a the pit

E
s e a
IPL ess, m eyond

H
an d cc b
C up on su at life
rld g ng

T
a l Wo oastin , looki
n c e
atio to be gam
H
HA
n s g HAS

a se n India he lon
G
ME
BY
e r TEN
Aft eter i ying t IT
WR
J
c k l a WA
cri li is p AB
HA
RD

Ko h V
E NDR
BY
LED
ST Y
A
HW
N VIS
U
TAR
BY
APHED
GR
OTO
PH

I cant be a wild child all my life, Virat Kohli tells

me, as we drive to the private jet that will ly him to
Bengaluru. Hes lean, more slight than he appears on
TV, with tattoos running down both arms and hair
cropped close on the sides Hes sitting beside me,
wearing his red, black and gold Royal Challengers
Bangalore uniform just before this he was shooting
for a commercial directed by Raj Kumar Hirani, with MS Dhoni
and the other IPL team captains. His jaw, which seems to grow
more acicular with every passing year, is tilted slightly towards
the sky, as though he were dressed in top-to-toe Tom Ford.
Kohlis stance is that of a winner. But his mood is surprisingly
grounded and self-aware.
Im afraid of losing, he states. Its a very real fear. Losses
on the ield Ive learned over time to deal with. But in life I
hate losing in life. Its probably why he wins so often. Over
the last year, the 27-year-old has become, perhaps, the biggest
global celebrity that India has. This country hasnt produced
demigods like David Beckham or Johnny Depp, whose fame
knows no geographical bounds, who traverse the international
ield as household names. Kohli is unique. Hes the biggest
Indian sporting talent that the world has seen in a couple of
generations. And while he will likely surpass Sachin Tendulkars
records on the ield, off it, even at this relatively young age,
hes already a commercial behemoth, quite unlike anyone the
game has ever seen. British magazine Sports Pro ranked him
as the sixth most marketable athlete in the world last year,
ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Hes been linked
with a famous actress, has his own fashion label, a line of
gyms launching soon and his name means something in every
language. Virat Kohli has a lot to lose.
Ive begun to think about my future. About how to secure
it, Kohli says. Money doesnt motivate me, but its important.
Ive gotten accustomed to a certain inancial environment. The
kind that comes with earning a reported 100 crores last year.
Its important to sustain that, he continues. Ive seen so many
athletes bankrupt at the end of their career. Its scary. So hes
been setting up a nest egg, betting big on his other interests:
itness and fashion. Hes opening a line of gyms for Tier 2 cities
called Chisel, investing in London-based start-up Sports Convo

130 JUNE 2016

 JACKET
BY GUCCI.
JUMPER BY
BURBERRY
and has launched his own fashion line, Wrogn.
The website of the label proclaims: they
thought I was wrong, until it became right.

E
ver since he was a slightly
chubby new recruit, Kohlis
been dealing with the
dark side of stardom. His
fans (Viratians, he calls them) adore him with
hints of fanaticism. But hes been attacked often
for his aggressive and arrogant tendencies on
and off the ield. I am short-tempered, he
admits. Weve seen Kohlis temper run a-ly
numerous times on camera. Hes gotten into a
near-physical ight with fellow Delhiite Gautam
Gambhir on two occasions, and hes also taken
the Aussie sledge machine head on.
Theres some charm to be found, if you were
keen on it, in his cocksure demeanour. His
temper though may be both his power, and,
according to his internet parodists, his Achilles
heel: his willingness to show emotion, to
sometimes react petulantly and to demonstrate a
lash of raw emotion in a game once renowned
for gentlemanly grace. And somewhere
between castigating a senior Hindustan Times
journalist, publicly, in March 2015 for writing an
article about his private life (turns out it wasnt
the correct journalist), and getting ined for
disrespecting an umpire, his brand of special
badass waned into regular bad.
But Kohlis working hard to ix things. Hes
visiting old age homes and setting up charities
and sending out strangely touching tweets
protecting his rumoured girlfriend. And then
this year he did the most prudent thing he
could have ever done to quiet the haters: He
played the best cricket of his life. Kohlis form
is unmatched, his focus unwavering and his
style glorious. For every expletive caught by the
microphone on the stumps, theres a shot thats
pure poetry. He plays short formats with the
technique and grace of a Test master. Much as
the marketers would like to take the cricket out
of T20, Kohli keeps putting it back. SUIT, T-SHIRT; BOTH
BY Z ZEGNA. SHOES
BY SALVATORE
FERRAGAMO. WATCH
BY TISSOT

132 JUNE 2016

 OVERCOAT BY GUCCI.
JUMPER BY Z ZEGNA.
TROUSERS BY ALEXANDER
McQUEEN AT THE
COLLECTIVE. WATCH BY
TISSOT. SHOES BY ADIDAS

JUNE 2016 133

 THEY
KEPT
TELLING
ME I WAS
WRONG,
UNTIL IT
BECAME
RIGHT

SUIT BY ETRO.
JUMPER BY
GUCCI. SHOES
BY SALVATORE
FERRAGAMO.
WATCH BY TISSOT

134 JUNE 2016

W

hat most people think

doesnt matter to me.
They dont know the
game. They dont
know me. They dont matter, Kohli states. The
car is stocked with bottles of water, tetrapacks
of buttermilk and protein bars. But Kohli seems
most interested in a handsome box, which he
TRENCH COAT,
JUMPER; BOTH
BY BURBERRY.
TROUSERS BY DIOR
HOMME. WATCH BY
TISSOT

ASSISTANT STYLIST:
VASUNDHARA
SHARMA
HAIR & MAKE-UP:
APENI GEORGE
opens to reveal eight different pairs of sunglasses. PRODUCTION:
VASUNDHARA
He picks one, wears it and ingers the others SHARMA, HYBRID 09
unconsciously.
Its tough, but Im working on it. Thats been
one of my weaknesses. Im too open. Im too
out there. But then, as we drive through the
populous streets of Dadar, he asks me with some
urgency, Why am I bad, or a bad boy? I dont
understand these terms. In my head being a rebel
isnt bad. Why the hatred? His voice is imploring,
almost childlike.
Im reminded at this point of a video that did
the rounds of YouTube in 2013, shot on a phone
camera. Its the end of an RCB match against the
Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium and the
RCB players are returning to the dressing room
after a crushing loss. A group of youths, who can
only be heard, are waiting for a particular player
to pass them by. When he does, they hoot and boo
and laugh raucously. Kohli strides past them and
then comes back into view, furious. He threatens
them, offers up some expletives and asks them
to repeat what they ind so funny. The boys only
laugh harder, which frustrates him further. The
video ends without any evidence of what happens
next. But its enough to show you that Kohli cares.
He really cares. He cares about what people think,
about why they dislike him, about losing and
about winning. Its oddly heart-wrenching, to see
a talented, hardworking young sportsman, who
showed up to win a match for Delhi when he was
18, a few hours after his father passed away, ind
incredible success, but also at times ind himself
a victim of that success. For the most leeting of
moments, he seems vulnerable.
Then there is banging. A few street urchins have
recognized him and theyre pounding their ists
on the car window, delighted. Several onlookers
on the street have also come to attention and
have begun to surround the car, yelling, waving.
His agent is nervous, shouting at the driver for
forgetting to put the black shades on the windows.
For a minute it seems as though the situation may
get out of control, but then the trafic clears and
the car is moving again. Kohli seems unbothered,
reaches into his box and pulls out a darker pair of
shades, looking resolutely ahead.

JUNE 2016 135

 MAY-JUNE 2016
INDIA
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+
THE RENOVATION SPECIAL
How to restore your heritage property

MAY-JUNE 2016 ISSUE ON STANDS NOW

architecturaldigest.in @archdigestindia architecturaldigestindia archdigestindia
 STYLE EDITED BY VIJENDRA BHARDWAJ & SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR

TAKE
COVER
UNDER A Want to survive the showers in style? Do it with Burberrys signature tartan-print rain repeller. Its better
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UMBRELLA
JUNE 2016 137
THE TASTEMAKER

LOUDER THAN

BOMBS
Philipp Plein has always been a rebel and a rabble-rouser a fashion
firebrand whose take on menswear has ignited the industry, not least for
his legendary runway shows, which feature rappers, pyrotechnics and
anything thats very, very noisy
WRITTEN BY ROBERT JOHNSTON

E
xploding monster trucks, Lil
Wayne throwing a tantrum on
stage, tuxedoed dudes riding on
Jet Skis with rapper Theophilus
London performing on the back,
Snoop Dogg rapping Drop It
Like Its Hot while Paris Hilton sings along in
the audience Welcome to the high-octane
world of Philipp Plein. Whats not to love?
universe like one of his models wearing a jet
pack. Meanwhile, his shows have become
one of the hottest tickets during Milans mens
fashion week. And with all the previously
mentioned attractions to be surpassed (no
doubt), we cant wait for the next one.
Plein, now 38, was born in Munich, where
his father was a doctor. It was a conventional
upbringing and he attended the elite Schloss
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

Until around two years ago, if you
mentioned the name of this German designer,
you would most likely have been greeted with
blank looks, but in what feels like the blink of
an eye, his name has rocketed into the fashion
Salem school, alma mater of Prince Philip. He
started to study law but, inding it unfulilling,
he decided to become a furniture designer. I
wanted to do something that made me happy Philipp Plein revs up
the menswear game
and maybe even eventually rich.

138 JUNE 2016

THE TASTEMAKER

Lil Wayne

Rack, rack, city bitch, city bitch, in the words of Tyga

His big thing was stainless steel; his

designs were very graphic and he quickly THE PHILIPP
built a successful business. Alongside
luxury dog beds and the like, his biggest
PLEIN FASHION
seller was a crocodile-skin-covered steel MONSTER
table and it was this piece that unwittingly
took Plein down a path that led to fashion.
TRUCK HAD
I was producing so many that I had to buy GOT ITSELF
a lot of leather, he explains, and there was
so much left over that I was selling it back
INTO GEAR
Welcome to the Plein show
to Italy by the kilo. So he decided to have
some of the leftover leather made into bags,
to dress his stands at the seven or so trade
fairs he would attend each year. Pretty
soon, people were asking if they could buy
the bags.

B
y 2007, Plein was also making
cushions; his bestseller was
decorated with a crystal skull. And
to dress the stainless steel clothes
rails on his stands, he bought a
load of old military jackets and decorated
them with a crystal skull too. Soon, it was
the jacket that people were asking for, rather
than the rail.
So after a few days, I said, OK, lets sell Supermodel Lucky Blue
Smith rips down the runway
this stupid jacket. I made up a stupidly high
price and assumed that no one would buy it.
But people started to buy it and they bought successful brands in Harrods and next year
a lot. It was a unisex piece and everybody he is opening a store on Bond Street. His
was asking for it. I sold so many of them that early advertising campaigns were all about
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, REX FEATURES

I made at least a million (dollars) in a few Hollywood bad girls and featured Mischa
months. The Philipp Plein fashion monster Barton and Lindsay Lohan. The DJs at his
truck had got itself into gear. after parties have included the likes of ex-
One of his irst shows was actually a French presidents son Pierre Sarkozy (DJ
presentation in a brothel, but soon he had name: Mosey) and Peaches Geldof. Along
opened his irst store in Monaco. And the with Snoop Dogg, Grace Jones, Rita Ora
rest, as they say, is history he now has and Iggy Azalea have also performed at
more than 40 stores worldwide, from Baku his events. The womens show in February
to Beverly Hills. He is one of the most 2015 featured a spectacular, full-sized roller

140 JUNE 2016


coaster that the models climbed aboard
after strutting down the catwalk. But then,
extravagance has become his calling card.
When I started, it was the hype of bling
and people seemed to like the concept. My
clothes were extremely expensive but I didnt
want to sell cheap. It was part of my strategy.
I thought that if I made a T-shirt that cost
500, then automatically only the best shops
would buy it. And the product had to stand
out. The label would never have worked if I
had started off doing, say, simple cashmere
sweaters. Nobody would have bought them.
They would just go and buy the same thing
at Loro Piana.
P
erhaps the most attractive thing
about Plein is that he so obviously
enjoys his success. Today, his
headquarters are in Lugano
the Swiss answer to Monaco
overlooking the lake of the same name in the
Alps. Just 15 minutes from the Italian border,
it is a favourite bolt hole for the more tax-
conscious among the Milanese fashion pack.
The building itself could be described as
a backstreet Bond baddie HQ. The marble-
lined reception boasts enormous black glass
RIGHT NOW, WE
ARE THE 20-YEAR-
OLD GIRL WALKING
IN THE ROOM THAT
EVERYBODY WANT
TO F***
chandeliers adorned with skulls. Pleins glass
eyrie is part ofice, part bachelor pad and
boasts stunning views of the surrounding
Alps. Its the most hackneyed expression in
the book, but Plein is plainly living the dream.
The Philipp Plein man is me I am the
customer so I design myself, more or less. We
also have a lot of soccer players. I can really
say I think we have all the soccer players in
the world right now, from Lionel Messi to
Cristiano Ronaldo. Theyre young, theyre
good-looking and they have money. If I didnt
sell, I wouldnt be here. The only reason we
exist is because people buy our clothes.
Today, he has homes in Cannes, Bel Air,
New York and Switzerland. He crackles with
energy though many people would argue
that this has a lot to do with his prestigious
intake of Red Bull. Plein doesnt drink himself
but serves guests what he calls champlein
champagne and Red bull. Interviewing him
is easy you merely ask him the irst question
and off he goes and does all the work for you.
He is larger than life in every way and knows
that his success is based on standing out from
the rest of the fashion crowd.
I found myself in the industry by
mistake, he laughs, and found myself in an
industry where everything already seemed
to exist. Everything. And I understood
that if I wanted to be successful I had to
do something different otherwise no one
would recognize me. Im not Coca-Cola;
Im not for everybody. Im for one per cent
of the people. Im Coca-Cola with whiskey.
Thats the difference. Anybody can sell a
Ferrari because it is such a well-known
brand. Not everybody can create and build
a brand from scratch.
Not everyone is a fan, of course. The
Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana
the organization that controls the Milan
fashion weeks obviously inds him a
little hard to handle. In the beginning
they wouldnt let me go on the schedule.
They didnt give me a slot. They told me
they didnt like me and they didnt want
me. When he was inally admitted, he
was given the last slot of the day. When I
saw this huge cost to produce a show that
would be over in ten minutes, I thought,
Thats crazy! If I am spending that much
money, I want to have fun. All you need
is a crate of vodka and everybody has
fun afterwards. And now his shows are
among the most eagerly anticipated events
on the fashion calendar.
For Plein, the only sin is to become
boring. As you get old, you lose clients
this is why brands try to stay young. I
compare them to the ladies who lunch and
arrive at the restaurant completely redone
with new boobs, new lips and lifted faces.
They look artiicial. But right now, we are
the 20-year-old girl walking in the room
that everybody want to f***.
JUNE 2016 141
THE LINE-UP

1 4 6

HAPPY

2
FEET Cover all bases with a 7
complete shoe collection

1 LEATHER BROGUES BY BURBERRY, `81,500.

2 SUEDE BOOTS BY RM WILLIAMS, `30,600.
3 SUEDE LOAFERS BY SQUIRE, `12,600. 4 SUEDE
LOAFERS BY BALLY, `36,600. 5 SUEDE/LEATHER
TRAINERS BY E ZEGNA, `43,300.
6 LEATHER SHOES BY TOMMY HILFIGER,
`20,000. 7 RUBBER/CANVAS TRAINERS
BY PRADA, `46,600. 8 LEATHER LOAFERS BY
BALLY, `40,000

3 5 8

PHOTO: EDWARD URRUTIA. STYLIST: OLIVIA HARDING

142 JUNE 2016


10 RULES
THE STRONGEST SUIT
having every slice of the men
British designer Patrick Grants
ton & Sons and
with his Savile Row brand Nor
rogyny trend
But he isnt buying into the and
1 Whats the key to getting the perfect
bespoke suit?
The irst thing is to understand who your
tailor is. Some people forget that bespoke is a
service and not a product. You need to relate
to your cutter personally. Speak to multiple
tailors, and pick one youre comfortable with.
Youll end up having a relationship that could
go on for 20, 30, even 50 years.
2
What are mistakes men make in
that regard?
In India, men bank on quick delivery and
overlook quality, even when theyre spending
a considerable amount of money. Also, trust
your tailor. There are rules about how long
a jacket should be or how long the sleeves
should be, but your cutters eye trumps that.
144 JUNE 2016
Patrick Grant at the
Woolmark Company
and Raymond tailoring
masterclass in Mumbai
swear pie
read y-to -wear label E. Tautz.
There might be a rule in the book, but it could
look wrong on you personally.
3 You come from an engineering
background. How much of suit-
making is mechanics?
Bespoke is about breaking down every
detail of what goes into a suit from why
merino wool behaves differently than
mohair to the differences between suit
structures. Having an engineering brain
is helpful for that.
4
How has technology affected the
suit-making process?
The collection of tailors that form Savile
Row have existed for over a century, and
weve always made an uncompromising
product. We couldnt be more traditional in
our methods. We dont use any technology
apart from a sewing machine. Everything
else is done by hand. There are deinitely
quicker and cheaper ways of making suits,
but there is no better way.
5 Whats changed about the way men
suit up now?
These things go in cycles. Fifteen years ago
we saw skinny short suits come onto the
runway before the high street started doing
them. Five years from now, itll swing back
the other way.
6 Do runway trends affect the Savile
Row suit-making process?
Instead of doing Thom Browne and Dior
Homme versions, we subtly shift to different
forms, but never drastically. We make
clothes that customers will want to keep for
25-30 years.
7 How do you compete with luxury
labels doing bespoke suits?
Savile Row suits are pieces that people
want to keep and wear over time. Its
bigger than fashion.
8 Whats your take on androgyny
becoming a hot trend right now?
I dont think gender-bending is new. I
think it has always been the case that men
have stolen certain ideas from womens
clothes and a lot of women take pieces from
menswear. For the moment though, the
phenomenon is still restricted to the runway
and trickles down to a very niche audience.
9 How do you see menswear
evolving?
I see a return to slightly looser cuts. Not
bad-itting clothes, but softer, drape-ier
clothes. For instance, pleats in trousers with
a bit more taper. I think weve had a long
period of constricted tailoring and theres an
easiness that will come in.
E. TAUTZ
RULE
INTERVIEW: SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR. IMAGE: INDIGITAL MEDIA (RAMP)
NO.
10
How do you balance two
contrasting labels?
rton & Sons is very much about
he customers needs. E. Tautz is
entirely my view of what looks
ood at any moment in time. But
rtain things that end up on the
z catwalk are also translated in
ned way as bespoke pieces for
Norton & Sons.
HOW-TO
6

REFRESHER
COURSE
Between the man who buys cool
5
LEAVE THE
T-SHIRT, BRING
THE CHARVET
If youre getting
a suit tailored,
wear your dress
clothes and the man who looks shoes and a
amazing in those clothes sits an dress shirt.
Having jeans
unsung hero: the tailor. But how hemmed? Lace
do you find and befriend the up the sneakers
GOOD WORK COSTS GOOD MONEY you wear most.
best sartorial consigliere for Ask up front about the cost of alterations
you? With our bulletproof guide so youre not surprised later on. A tidy
hem should be no less than `500; slimming
a jacket should run upwards of a grand.

4 7

TRY, TRY IT ON AGAIN

When you return a week or two later to be
reunited with your clothes, dont pay and
bolt try everything on. Speak up if the
final product doesnt match expectations.
KNOW THIS: HES Assuming you were clear about what you
A TAILOR, NOT A wanted at the start, a quality tailor will fix
MAGICIAN his mistakes for free.
FIRST, ASK AROUND Its sweet that you
Badger a particularly sharp friend or kept Grandpas old
the suited guy next to you in the elevator blazer. But your
for his tailors info. Pay it forward later.
And please, never, ever pay a dry cleaner
tailor isnt David
Blaine suit jacket
8
to do alterations. Thats like buying boxed shoulders and
sushi from a supermarket. lapels cant handle
much, if any,
REMEMBER TO
alteration (if they SHOW YOUR
dont already work
2 for you, they never
APPRECIATION
For best results,
will). The best tailor the tailor-tailee
is an honest one. relationship must
WHEN IN DOUBT, SHOW AND TELL If yours routinely be nurtured. A
Theres no shame in bringing a photo to overpromises, respectable tip keeps
help explain exactly what youre after.
WORDS: SAM SCHUBE. ILLUSTRATION: SIMONE MASSONI

jump ship. you at the front of

Maybe a photo torn from a magazine. One
the line. Had three
packed with absurdly well-dressed men.
suits rebuilt from
scratch? Toss in a
bottle of scotch.

3 PICK UP THE LANGUAGE

Learn a few phrases of tailor-ese and suddenly the whole process gets ten times easier.
> Break / n.
The horizontal crease in your pant leg caused by the fabric resting on your shoe. The GQ look? No break.
> Dart / n. or v.
A quick, cost-effective way to slim a baggy dress shirt by folding and stitching excess fabric down the back.
> Taper / v.
To gradually narrow anything, usually pants from the knee to the ankle, but sometimes also suit jacket sleeves.

146 JUNE 2016

 TECH THIS OUT!
INTRODUCING

From Virtual Reality and The Mars

Exploration, to the worlds best gadgets
and everything you need to know about
the future of technology.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT WITH THE GQ AUGUST 2016 ISSUE

For advertising queries, email

nida.merchant@condenast.in

gqindia.com GQ India @gqindia @gqindia

THE LIST IN THE
TRENCHES
British fashion house
Burberry is the irst and
last word in trench coats.
And this season, creative
director Christopher Bailey
shows you how to style it
like youre bang on trend
with androgyny the hint
of a crochet shirt, the spider
brooch, the patent leather
bag without losing your
masculinity. burberry.com
RACE GEAR
Daniel Ricciardo may be in third place this
season, but his team Red Bull are at the top
of the style stakes, thanks to a partnership
with Puma and the kickass gear theyve
put out together. The collections called
The Stampede and includes a graphic
illustration of charging bulls on everything
from tees and backpacks to
caps and trainers.
puma.com

THE BAG OF EVERY TRADE

Like your SO, you now have the
option of carrying a different bag
for every occasion. But what if
you want just the one? An everyday
bag to throw your iPad mini,
office stuff and gym clothes into?
That doubles as your cabin luggage
on a flight? Look to Cornelianis
classic black holdall for the
answer. corneliani.com

FINE TIME

Q
Haute horology meets
haute couture as one of the
worlds most venerable
Swiss watchmakers
teams up with one of
the worlds oldest
TIP fabric manufacturers,
Play up your
Vitale Barberis

YE
style game
with two-tone Canonico, for the
shoes Elgance Sartoriale
collection. The ive
watches depict different
fabric patterns (Prince of
Wales, herringbone) on
the grand feu enamel dials,
OP PICKS FROM created with Vacheron
HE STYLE DESK Constantins guilloche
expertise. vacheron-constantin.com

DENIM
WORDS: SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR, VARUN GODINHO

DIARIES
Fashions current icons Ranveer Singh,
Virat Kohli will tell you that wearing a
denim shirt is a no-brainer style move.
Singhs been snapped wearing one at the
airport; Kohli, at a press event; and guys
at GQ wear them under their jackets
at the ofice. And the best of the high
streets got a range of options to choose
from. blackberrys.com; gap.in; benetton.com BLACKBERRYS GAP UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

148 JUNE 2016

 FROM
BEHIND
THE REEL
The Indian soap the tearjerkers, drama and
music makes way for entertainment that
never ends. We sit down with one of the leading
players in the industry, Sumeet Hukamchand
Mittal, Founder Director of the Shashi Sumeet
Group who at 44 is making waves in the media
and entertainment industry

Tell us about the Shashi
Sumeet Groups journey. other hand, Qats Whiskers
The seven-year-old
production house, Shashi
Sumeet Productions Pvt.
Ltd. was co-founded with
my wife Shashi Mittal.
In such a short time, we
have become one of the
leading names in the
media and entertainment
industry. Now, we have
diversied to include Shashi Sumeet Productions
lms with Shashi Sumeet Pvt. Ltd. was featured in
Motions Pictures Pvt. Ltd,
along with Shashi Sumeet
Innovations that handles
branding, advertising and
events and Qats Whiskers
that looks after television
commercials. Our TV show
division, Shashi Sumeet
Productions Pvt. Ltd.
has produced 16 shows
including Diya Aur Baati
Hum, Punar Vivaah,
Tumhari Paakhi and many
others. All of these have
been aired on the country's
leading broadcast channels.
Shashi Sumeet Innovations
is a one-stop shop for Out
Of Home solutions. On the
is a service-based business
that offers 360-degree
creative and television
commercial solutions.
Our goal is to shape the
groups progress and create
premium content for our
local and global audiences.
How did you feel when
the 2016 Limca Book of
Records?
In 2015, we churned out
over 100 hours of quality
content every month with
three shows on the Star
network, three on Sony/
SAB and two on the Zee
network. The year 2015-
2016 witnessed back-
to-back shows on Indian
television during prime
time across all networks.
I feel extremely honoured
to win this recognition. It
is truly a privilege and a
testament to the notable
benchmarks created by us
for setting newer standards We are one of the trusted
for content excellence in partners for leading
the industry. entertainment channels
and are known for high
Can you tell us about your production values, great
achievement at Hanuman storytelling and for having
Galli, Pushkar? our nger on the pulse of
Our longest-running hit the audience. I believe that
soap, Diya Aur Baati Hum the movie business is a
which has been amongst natural progression for us.
the top-rated shows since With one Marathi feature
it launched in 2011 on lm, Rangkarmi already
Star Plus made history produced, my eyes are
recently. The Government already set on a Bollywood
of Rajasthan and the feature next.
Municipal Corporation
approved our proposal to I have a bigger dream
rename a street in Pushkar than what Ive created.
after the lane where the Maybe everyone cant see
soaps lead characters
it today, but I will make it
Suraj and Sandhya reside.
a reality someday!
It was one of our biggest
- Sumeet Hukamchand Mittal
achievements. Our hard
work was admired,
respected and took shape
as a public utility.
Tell us about your foray
into the movie business.
Imagine. Innovate. Inspire.
This is the brand mantra of
the Shashi Sumeet Group.
OFF THE RUNWAY

FINE PRINT
You can skip wearing
a jacket if you pick the
right shirt to pair with
slim trousers on a night
out. A graphic print in
fine silk gets our vote.

RAGHAVENDRA RATHORE
TAKE A BOW
A coloured or subtly
printed bow tie is the
dapper mans alternative
to the skinny tie. Best
rocked with sprezzatura
(mismatched) suits.
VAN HEUSEN

ROHIT GANDHI +
RAHUL KHANNA

GOTH GOD
Go all black
but play
with textures
like leather.
Sharp-as-hell
shoulders make
a strong impact.
TROY COSTA

GAMEON MR MIDNIGHT
PHOTO: SAGAR AHUJA

Black tie doesnt have

to mean wearing all
black. A midnight blue
damask (tone-on-tone
pattern) suit does the
Take your cues from the runways of Van Heusen + GQ Fashion job just as well.
Nights to be the best-dressed man in any room

150 JUNE 2016

 WEDDING BOOK 2016
THE BEST IN THE
WORLD OF WEDDINGS
Complimentary with the Vogue September 2016 issue.
For advertising queries please contact
PRASAD NAIK

vogueweddingbook@condenast.in
 EDITED BY VARUN GODINHO
WRIST PLAY
Twenty reasons why the annual Baselworld is still the
granddaddy of all watch exhibitions
WORDS: VARUN GODINHO. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
ANNIVERSARY TIME
GIRARD-PERREGAUX ESMERALDA TOURBILLON
The idea of placing a tourbillon under three bridges
to enhance accuracy was applied by GP for its first
pocketwatch called La Esmeralda in 1860. So accurate
were subsequent models that the marque was even
barred from watch contests for a while because they
were considered unfair competition. This new Esmeralda
Tourbillon wristwatch has the iconic layout of the original
pocketwatch, but now also comes with an automatic
winding movement. As for the impeccable finishing on the
$190,000 timepiece when youve been making watches
nonstop for the last 225 years, it shows.
2
ROCK NROLL
RAYMOND WEIL MAESTRO BEATLES
LIMITED EDITION
Raymond Weils Maestro collection
gets its groove on this year with a
tribute to The Beatles. Twelve of
the bands most iconic albums are
written out on the dial, one at each
hour marker. The cover art from
Help!, showing John, Paul, Ringo and
George, is at 4 oclock. While giving
his inputs on the watch, animal-
rights activist and vegetarian Paul
McCartney insisted that it not be
offered with a leather strap.
JUNE 2016 153
 SLAM DUNK
TISSOT X NBA
Tissot has tapped into several global
sports events like the MotoGP and Tour de
5
France, besides signing big-time players as
ambassadors (Virat Kohli was brought on
earlier this year). But its biggest investment to
date is a $200 million six-year deal to become
the official timekeeper for the NBA the
T-Touch Expert Solar NBA Special Edition was
on display at Baselworld. Tissots also teamed
up with several teams, including the Chicago
Bulls, Miami Heat and LA Lakers, dedicating
special NATO-strapped Tissot Quickster
timepieces to each with each teams colours
and logo on the back.

COMEBACK
KID
ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL
AIR-KING
The Rolex Air-King is back in
production after a two-year
hiatus. Its bigger (40mm, up from
34mm previously) and better (in
addition to the COSC certification,
GLAM
it also comes with an in-house
Rolex Superlative Chronometer
CENTRAL
EVA LONGORIA AT BASELWORLD
certification). On the bigger dial,
the Air-King logo is now written Hollywood-headquartered
in the same font as the very first watchmaker Technomarine got brand
version from the Forties. The ambassador Eva Longoria to drop by
larger numerals are a reference to Baselworld to unveil her new line of
the watchs genesis as a tribute by timepieces. And, expectedly, when the
Hans Wilsdorf to RAF pilots at the gorgeous Telenovela star shows up,
end of World War II. time stands still.

WORDS: VARUN GODINHO. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES (YACHT, LONGORIA), SHUTTERSTOCK (COURT)
THE PLAYBOY
WATCH
ULYSSE NARDIN GRAND DECK MARINE
TOURBILLON
Every multi-millionaire worth his
$5,000 Tom Ford suit owns a classic
yacht bobbing listlessly somewhere
along the Cte dAzur. Heres Ulysse
Nardins nod to that ocean toy. The
wood marquetry dial resembles
a deck, and includes miniature
winches, lines and a boom. The blue
aluminium minute hand is guided
along the retrograde counter by a
series of nano fibres that are thinner
than a strand of hair and tougher
than steel (each can support more
than a kilogram, without stretching).
Captained by an in-house UN 630
movement, the flying tourbillon adds
to the visual drama of this stunning
$280,000 timepiece.

154 JUNE 2016

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 NATO SALUTE
RADO HYPERCHROME ULTRA LIGHT
Although watch collectors readily pair
a high-end watch with a NATO strap,
manufacturers are less eager to sell
timepieces off-the-shelf with one. Rado
has smartly chosen, for the first time in
its nearly century-long existence, to deb
a watch with the humble and dapper
NATO strap, in a bid to make the timepie
super light: Besides using a fabric strap,
the case, buckles and lugs are made from
a combination of ceramic, titanium and
aluminium, resulting in a 56g featherwei
package on your wrist.

HIGH SHINE
HUBLOT X BERLUTI
Berlutis flagship Paris store is where Dean Martin and
Frank Sinatra frequently popped in to buy sleek leather
shoes. The legendary shoemaker and menswear specialist
has now teamed up with fellow LVMH heavyweight Hublot
to turn up this spiffy, limited-edition Hublot Classic Fusion
Berluti timepiece. The patented Italian leather is not only
engraved with calligraphy on the straps, its also used on
the dial. The Rat Pack would approve.
MOTORSPORT PICK
TAG HEUER X FORMULA 1
When TAG Heuer called time on its 30-year partnership with
McLaren at the end of the last season, the longest between a
watchmaker and an F1 team, it wasnt exiting motorsport entirely.
Instead, it decided to align itself with another powerhouse,
quadruple world champion Red Bull Racing, who placed third at
the end of 2015. As the teams new timing partner, the car as well
as its fiery 1.6-litre Renault engine are now co-branded with the
watchmaker.

MILLIONAIRES PICKS
WORDS: VARUN GODINHO

BREGUET TRADITION REPETITION MINUTES TOURBILLON 7087

This ones more a result of several years of research into
acoustics than just good mechanical watchmaking. Breguets
team sampled over 200,000 sounds for one that had the exact
frequency, clarity and intensity they were looking for in a
minute repeater. They then reverse-engineered the $450,000
watch to chime exactly that sound. In the process, Breguet
picked up six patents. Hear, hear.

156 JUNE 2016

 SPOTLIGHT
CITIZEN ECO-DRIVE ONE
Yes, it doesnt have a mechanical movement, and it isnt Swiss WORLD
either. But that doesnt make what Citizen has pulled off with RECORD
this watch any less momentous. To mark the 40th anniversary 2.98MM
of its first light-powered timepiece, Citizen has unveiled the
worlds thinnest light-powered watch, the Eco-Drive One. The THICK CASE
quartz movement that comprises 85 pieces is less than 1mm
thick. Beat that.

VINTAGE FINDS
LONGINES HERITAGE RAILROAD
Longines began making watches for people
working with the railways in countries around
the world including the United States, Chile,
Romania and Persia as far back as the Sixties.
In fact, the timepieces, which were also served up
by other watchmakers, were unofficially referred
to as railway grade watches. Not only did
they have to be accurate timekeepers, they also
had to display the time in the 24-hour format.
This year Longines debuted a novelty that looks

WORDS: VARUN GODINHO. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK (COAL, MAP)

very similar to its first railway grade watch,
with an updated automatic winding mechanical
movement. At `1.1 lakh, its one that wont cost
you your inheritance.

VALUE FOR MONEY

SEIKO PRESAGE
Want in on the world of mechanical
watchmaking but dont have big bucks?
Seikos stacked up an impressive collection of
affordable timepieces. Its updated its Presage
collection with 16 new timepieces, many of
which are priced between `35,000-50,000.
Thats a bang-for-your-buck proposition you
shouldnt pass up.

158 JUNE 2016

 4 THE SURPRISE
FRDRIQUE CONSTANT MANUFACTURE
PERPETUAL CALENDAR
When we turned up for our appointment
with this Genevan watchmaker in
Baselworld, we didnt expect to see a
perpetual calendar priced at a mere
$8,300. Thats nearly half of what youd
pay, on average, for an entry-level watch
with this complication from a Swiss
luxury brand. Moreover, this is a fully
loaded perpetual calendar it indicates
the day of the week and month, month of
the year, leap year and moonphase. With
the added heat of an in-house movement,
this puppy was one of the brightest stars
to debut at the mega watch fair.

THE BEN LEY BOYS

BREITLING BENTLEY GMT B04S CARBON BODY
The Bentley Boys were a posh set of British
playboy racers who enjoyed phenomenal success
behind the wheel of Bentley racecars in the
Twenties. Badass Swiss watchmaker Breitling has
been paying tribute to the carmaker and its racing
lineage for over a decade by launching several
racing-inspired chronos. This is the first Breitling x
Bentley timepiece with a case designed completely
out of the hard-wearing yet light carbon material
its famous for, thats also used in the chassis
of Formula 1 cars. The blacked-out automatic
chronograph and COSC-certified chronometer is
limited to 250 pieces, and priced at `16 lakh. High-
octane stuff.
BASELWORLDS
FIRST-TIMER
PORSCHE DESIGN TIMEPIECES
Porsche has been in the watch biz for over 40
years, albeit mainly through long-term licensing
agreements where it outsourced its manufacturing
to brands like IWC (1977-1997) and Eterna
(1977-2012). At the end of the Eterna agreement,
Porsche decided to go it alone, and set up its
own facility in Solothurn, Switzerland. The
brand presently makes only mechanical watches
kitted with movements from Valjoux and Sellita,
priced between $3,500-5,000. By exhibiting at
Baselworld this year, its first time, Porsche is
signalling that its ready to upshift in the luxury
watch industry.

BEST-DRESSED
OMEGA GLOBEMASTER ANNUAL CALENDAR
When the Globemaster broke cover last year, not only
was it a very handsome Master Co-Axial COSC-certified
chronometer, it was also the first Omega to be subjected
to additional third-party vetting of its accuracy, anti-
magnetism, response to temperature changes and water
resistance. Every Globemaster customer now receives
a digital copy of the results of that certification, known
as METAS. This year, Omegas stepped it up. It updated
the Globemasters movement, now the in-house Calibre
8922, and added an annual calendar complication to
the mix. The months are displayed elegantly along the
pie-pan, sun-ray brushed dial, making it, with its alligator
straps, ramp-certified horology.
 SCI-FI SPECIAL
CORUM BUBBLE DEATH STAR WATCH
Corums bulbous Bubble collection
got a whole lot more fun this year,
from casino-inspired dials to this one
inspired by Star Wars. See if you can
spot the fatal exhaust vent on that
clear depiction of the infamous Death
Star on the dial.

8
0
SLIM TIME
BULGARI OCTO FINISSIMO MINUTE REPEATER
Two years ago, Bulgari debuted the worlds thinnest tourbillon timepiece.
This year, its taken another high complication, the minute repeater, and
manufactured the worlds thinnest minute repeater wristwatch, at just
BREAKING NEW GR 6.85mm thick. Only 50 will be made, for $188,000 a pop. Our next question:
Will we have to wait until 2018 to see another Bulgari record-breaking
CHANEL MONSIEUR DE CHANEL
complicated timepiece the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar, perhaps?
This ones a coup for Chanels watchmaking division. The
WORDS: VARUN GODINHO

Monsieur de Chanel is its first ground-up timepiece specifically

for men, its first to feature an in-house movement aptly
called the Calibre 1, conceived and built at its La Chaux-de-
Fonds atelier and also the first Chanel to pack a complication
(here, jumping hours and a retrograde minute display). Thats
commitment. Take a bow, Chanel.

160 JUNE 2016

 MEET THE DREAM-MAKERS
From styling and pricing experts to the masters of marketing and brand ethics, meet the judges
at the Vogue India Fashion Fund as they bring young designers one step closer to their dreams

e
Alka Nishar Anaita Shroff Adaja Anita Dongr r
Founder, Aza Fashions Fashion Director, VO nia Fashion Desig
ne Bandana Tewari
GUE India Fashion Features Director, VOGUE India

Kunal Dass n India

Head of Design, Van Heuse
Pernia Qureshi
Entrepreneur, Stylist
Gaurav Gupta Oona Dhabhar Priya Tanna
Fashion Designer Marketing Director, VOGUE India Editor, VOGUE India

Sabyasachi Mukherjee Suneet Varma Sunil Seth Tina Tahiliani

Fashion Designer Fashion Designer President, i Executive Director,
Ensemble
FDCI
 WIN
A STAY
AT THE COCO
BODU HITHI,
MALDIVES

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JUNE-JULY 2016 | 150

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For your little champs

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ever-after to everything you need to know on where to stay, what to do and indulge in
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Dont miss our special coverage on the Valley of Flowers and Madhya Pradesh, plus our
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 EDITED BY VARUN GODINHO

Royal Enfields new off-roader takes on the motorcycle world

The cars that can take a bullet for you. And then some

PIN THE
THROTTLE
Royal Enfield has launched the Himalayan. Heres how
its scripting a massive success story for itself in the
middleweight universe
WORDS: VARUN GODINHO. PHOTOGRAPHER AGENCY: PHOTOLINK

PHOTOGRAPHED BY
JIGNESH JHAVERI

JUNE 2016 165

ROYAL ENFIELD

he automotive world is as
characteristically unforgiving,
cut-throat and volatile as
Frank Underwoods toxic
brand of politics. There arent
any golden stars for effort: One wrong
move a slightly overpriced product,
an unoriginal design, a flawed ad
campaign and the bike/car in question is
unceremoniously shunted.
Royal Enfield need not sweat it. The
brands been betting big, and winning,
in recent years. Theres the runaway
international success of the Continental
GT caf racer since its 2013 launch,
doubling production in the last three years
and nearly hitting its half-a-million annual
production capacity for 2015-16, as well as
the decision to expand its retail network
in several of the 50 countries it already
exports to.
And now, theres the Himalayan. With
this new bike, Enfield isnt living out a
legacy its creating one. Take the very
heart of the machine, the LS410 engine. Its
the first engine designed ground-up and
in-house since Enfield shifted production
to India in the Fifties. (Even the caf racer
featured a repurposed Bullet engine.) Then
theres the segment that the Himalayan is
slotted into: adventure touring. In India,
this space is presently unchallenged
and although Bajajs KTM is expected to
soon turn up a rival, for the moment the
Himalayan is a lone wolf.

I
f youve watched Grammy-winning
duo Macklemore and Ryan
Lewis Downtown video, youll
undoubtedly notice the homage to
motorcycles from the Fifties through
the Nineties and the eagle-chariot
tugged by four Royal Enfield Bullets.
Indeed, Enfield has been a part of the
zeitgeist for over half a century the
Bullet, which first appeared in 1933, is

WITH THIS NEW BIKE,

ENFIELD ISNT LIVING
OUT A LEGACY - IT
CREATING ONE. TAKE
WORDS: VARUN GODINHO. PHOTO AGENCY: PHOTOLINK

THE VERY HEART OF

THE MACHINE, THE
LS410 ENGINE. THIS
IS THE FIRST ONE
DESIGNED IN-HOUSE
AND FROM THE
GROUND UP SINCE
ENFIELD SHIFTED
PRODUCTION TO
INDIA IN THE FIFTIES
166 JUNE 2016

recognized as the oldest bike still
in production.
But Enfield has blown past its
most iconic model. The brand knows
that in order to unseat the Japanese
manufacturers and claim the top dog
position in the middleweight motorcycling
category (ie, 250-750cc engines) it cant
solely rely on the Bullet, Classic and
Thunderbird. Those three are still going
strong in the domestic market, but the
caf racer, and now the Himalayan,
will hook a breed of millennials who
dont necessarily want to ride the same
utilitarian motorcycles their dads and
maybe granddads did, but definitely want
one from the same brand.
But where the caf racer is an urban
kick, the Himalayans been touted as more
of an off-road junkie. The question then is
whether it can shine through a common
commute besides the exotic ride up to a
hill station youre likely to undertake once
every quarter. And so it made perfect
sense to call one in to test ride in the city.
T
he first thing to note is
the Himalayans riding
position: Youre not
slouched like you are
on a caf racer, but sit
with back straight and
arms spread, like on a Bullet. Its a proud,
commanding, throne-like stance. The
instrument cluster is pretty rudimentary,
with just-modern-enough indications on
the digital-analogue displays, including
two trip readouts, a fuel reserve indicator,
speedometer, rpm meter and a compass.
In a nod to its cred as an off-roader,
the Himalayan has an upswept exhaust
pipe that increases the wading depth of
the motorcycle, long travel 41mm front
telescopic forks that arent squishy, and a
rear mono-shock suspension suitably stiff
to counter the rough stuff. Theres also
the option of a bashplate for the engine
and points along the frame where, if you
choose to, you could mount luggage, water
cans and panniers.
The chassis has been designed by
British marque Harris Performance, an
ace motorcycle chassis manufacturer
name-checked at the highest levels of
racing, including the Grand Prix,
Isle of Man TT and Superbike World
Championship. Impressed by Harris work
on the Continental GT caf racer, Enfield
acquired the brand last year.
Then theres the engine. The LS410
LS stands for long stroke four-stroke
engine is, like every other Enfield, a single-
cylinder unit. That long stroke billing,
where the stroke is longer than the bore,
means theres plenty of the maximum
32Nm torque available down low the
411cc engine pulls hard from a standstill.
On the flip side, theres not much power on
tap until you really twist the throttle and
stay there for a while youll only come
close to the peak 24.5hp when you rev all
the way to 6,500rpm. But, physics lessons
aside, in real world gains the Himalayans
engine adds up to better fuel efficiency and
less goddamn heat searing the fat off of
your calves.
As a consolidated rolling piece of
machinery on two wheels, does the Royal
Enfield Himalayan thrill? In a word:
yes. Add to that some very pleasing
maintenance stats like the bike needing an
oil change only every 10,000km along with
a claimed mileage of roughly 30kpl, and
this one proves itself a neat urban treat.
To quote a statement from Underwood
that rings as true in the automotive world
as in politics: There is but one rule: hunt
or be hunted. Not only has Royal Enfield
smelled blood with the Himalayan, its
going for the jugular.
HIMALAYAN
ENGINE
SINGLE-CYLINGER,
411CC
WEIGHT
1,824KG
POWER
24.5HP @ 6,500RPM
TORQUE
32NM @
4,000-4500RPM
PRICE
`1.55 LAKH
(EX-SHOWROOM)
JUNE 2016 167
 ARMOURED CARS

The
immor
Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard
Daimlers got a fair bit of pedigree manufacturing armoured cars:
its first, the Nrburg 460, came out in 1928. This new Mercedes-
Maybach (hyphen not optional) S600 Guard is the only car in the
world with a VR10 ballistic protection rating, the highest for any
civilian vehicle. Built in Sindelfingen, Mercedes also thoroughly
vets potential customers. Dictators, mafia bosses and Donald
Trump need not apply.

BOOT: PETROL TYRES: MERCEDES-

You can kit out the TANK: Even if the run-flat MAYBACH
reinforced boot This isnt armoured, MICHELIN tyres are S600 GUARD
with an optional but it isnt shredded, it isnt
WEAPONS SAFE. vulnerable either: game over. These
The weapons arent ones are fitted with

WORDS: VARUN GODINHO. ILLUSTRATION: BY TWO DESIGN

The body of the
included, but we tank is packed steel rings that ENGINE
recommend a with a special prevent them from
couple M16 and material also slipping off the rim V12 6-LITRE; 530HP
Heckler & Koch used in BOEING and allow the car
TORQUE
assault rifles, and AH-64 APACHE to travel for over
a few Walther HELICOPTERS 25km, out of the 830NM
and Glock pistols that traps and seals ambush zone.
for good measure TOP SPEED
incoming ammo
when it comes within it before it 210KPH
down to a street can get to the fuel.
fight, the best PRICE
form of defence is `10.5 CRORE
offence.
(EX-SHOWROOM)

INDIA LAUNCH
MARCH 2016

168 JUNE 2016

If a tank is too conspicuous to get around the city, these are your next safest bets

Audi A8L Security

Its VR9 rating may be one rung below that of the S600 Guard, but this Audi
is no softie. The body and glass are designed to withstand sustained fire
from military-grade weapons, like M14s and FN-FALs, from 10 metres away;
at least three shots from a military-issued heavy artillery rifle like an M60;
and a 15-kilo TNT blast from two metres away. Audi is so secretive about the
details of these super secure vehicles that it doesnt even reveal the location
of the factory.

ENGINE: DOORS: LAB SAFETY: AUDI A8L

Even if the battery Each one weighs In case of a gas SECURITY
gets taken out, a hefty 160kg. In attack, the car has
theres an auxiliary the event that the its own oxygen
back-up battery occupant needs to supply canister
ENGINE
stored somewhere make a swift exit, worked into it.
else in the car (Audi and the doors have The EMERGENCY W12 6.3-LITRE;
wont say where) been damaged, FRESH-AIR SYSTEM 500HP
thatll kick in and TINY EXPLOSIVES first seals all the
take over so that PLACED IN THE air vents and then TORQUE
the vehicle and its FRAMES can be set releases O2 into 625NM
electronics arent off by pushing a the cabin. If the
neutralized. The button in the centre cars heat sensors TOP SPEED
massive 6.3-LITRE console. Those, in detect a fire in the
W12 is also capable turn, rip the doors engine bay or any 210KPH
of belting this right off their hinges. other component PRICE
Quattro-specd of the car, they
piece of metal to a automatically `11 CRORE
top speed of over activate a fire (EX-SHOWROOM)
200kph. extinguishing
system. INDIA LAUNCH
FEBRUARY 2016

JUNE 2016 169

 HYDERABAD SESSIONS

Hyderabad. Say it. You know the next word that pops into your mind is
biryani. Its OK, youre not the only one, but in the 21st century, forget Delhi or
Mumbai forget Bengaluru the realm of the Last Nizam is Indias new city on
the rise. For those of us not cool enough to be in the know, we set up in The Taj
Krishnas private Chambers, and gathered start-up maven Jay Kirloskar, sommelier
Suryaveer Singh, rising Tollywood star Tejus Kancherla, entrepreneur and culture
vulture Farhan Ashhar and GVK Director Krishna Bhupal ve of the citys nest
gentlemen, or yahoos, its not always clear to explain why youre soon going to be
hearing a lot more about little old laid-back Hyderabad

Photographed by ADIL HASAN Interviewed by DAVE BESSELING

In association with

Do you guys feel like youre places to go out. It was like Oh

my god, dude, the same place
underdogs compared to again? but slowly
Mumbai or Delhi? SINGH: Do you remember
SINGH: In the Nineties, whenSubwaywas the most
Hyderabadwas only known for happening place?Or was it Caf
itsbiryaniandthe Charminar,and Coffee Day?
even we viewed it as a second- KIRLOSKAR: It wasBarista
rung city. But in the last couple actually. On road Number 1.
of years, its made its own ASHHAR: BeforeBarista,
personality. espresso was something
KIRLOSKAR: In 2016, were the you got atSangeettheatre. It
big doggies now. was a machine which gave out
KANCHERLA: Two years ago, we had three extremely frothy milk coffee, which we used to

170 JUNE 2016

LOCATION: THE CHAMBERS/TAJ KRISHNA HYDERABAD

From left:
Suryaveer Singh, Krishna
Bhupal, Tejus Kancherla, Jay
Kirloskar and Farhan Ashhar

JUNE 2016 171

 theres the old city, theres
beautifularchitecture.Falaknuma,
which is one of the most beautiful
palaces in the world. TheresSalar
Jung Museum, Golkonda. This
is a huge foodie city but the best
places are always hidden away in
certainpockets.
SINGH:The hole-in-the-
wallplaces in Charminar are
still the best. Just never go to
the kitchen. You dont want to see
that. Stay at your table and eat
your food.
KIRLOSKAR: If you ever see a guy
in Hyderabad with abs, hes not
Hyderabadi.

Youre pretty thin for a biryani

JAY KIRLOSKAR AND TEJUS KANCHERLA
call espresso. The real espresso at Barista was
a completely different thing. The guy would
ask you twice, Do you really want espresso?
Thats the only thing you recognized on the
menu, but you just couldnt take the real thing
it was so strong.
lover.
KIRLOSKAR: Thank you. I keep it to the
weekends, the binge days.
BHUPAL: If you can see your feet, youre
not Hyderabadi.
SINGH: But whats new is this huge culture
of working out. A lot of my friends go to the
gym almost every day.
How do you explain the change?
BHUPAL: For one, we now probably have
the best infrastructure of any major city in
India. In terms of business and commerce,

Thats very quaint. So those days KRISHNA BHUPAL

are gone?
KANCHERLA: I have so many friends
whove come down and theyre like, Dude,
what the fuck. I never expected Hyderabad to
be like this.
SINGH: The culture has changed so much.
Our generation is one of the irst to go out
drinking. Theres no curfew anymore. Before,
it was like, 11 oclock and goodnight. Before,
the typical Hyderabadi night was, What are
you doing? Lets go for a drive. Lets go and
have ice cream.
BHUPAL: I remember a time when, to have a
drink, youd drive out behind the old airport
LOCATION: THE CHAMBERS/TAJ KRISHNA HYDERABAD

and there was this wall along the runway.

You would have to actually jump on the wall
and sit there with your drink, and you would
watch the planes take off. This was before 9/11
and there was no security.
KIRLOSKAR: Earlier, the feeling was,
whenever you go out, you see the same people
all the time. But now youre bumping into
people from Delhi, Bihar, Kashmir and theyre
all working here. Its becoming a very diverse
city. Expats are also moving in. For people
who want to see the culture of Hyderabad,

172 JUNE 2016

its probably going to be the next big thing.
Within the next ive years, for sure. This is
deinitely the place to be.

Do people compare the city with

Bangalore a lot?
KIRLOSKAR: They do.
SINGH: We were ighting for Bill Clinton
to come to Hyderabad and when he did, we
were like Yes! [Laughs]
ASHHAR: The comparison is deinitely there.
Bangalorestarted off being the IT hub andgot
aheadstart. But now with the wholestart-up
ecosystem moving here, I think Hyderabad
will eventually surpass Bangalore.
SINGH: People think this city is a bit laid-
back, but its probably one of, if not the
most, entrepreneur-friendly cities in India at
the moment.

And how is Hyderabad stealing the FARHAN ASHHAR

big guys the Googles, the Amazons

SURYAVEER SINGH
from Bangalore?
BHUPAL: If any big company wants to set up
a business here, the government sets up an
approval window of 30 days wherein youll
get a Yes or a No. If they dont give you an
answer, its considered a Yes. Plus, the land
being allotted is apparently very cheap.
ASHHAR: And, theres this thing calledSarf-
e-Khas,which is essentially the kings
land that surrounded Hyderabad. When
the Nizams government was taken over
by India, that became government land.
Its one of the few cities that has this
kind of government land on which the
Microsoft campus, etc, can come up.
And what about Tollywood? How
does the ilm industry here compare
to others?
KANCHERLA: Our market is very small
compared to Bollywood, but we spend at
least as much, or more, on making a ilm. Its
just that the actors remuneration there is
way more than here. With a 100-crore ilm,
or a 200-crore ilm, Aamir Khan takes, say,
60 crores, and a guy like Rajinikanth in Tamil
cinema takes 40 crores. A guy like Mahesh
Babu takes 20 crores. Thats the difference.
KIRLOSKAR: Were in the presence of
future Tollywood royalty here. Maybe in ten
years...
SINGH: I would say ive
KANCHERLA: I think maybe six or seven
[Laughs]
And in the South, you guys
shoot in three languages at the same
time, right?
The whole start-
up ecosystem
is here. I think
Hyderabad will
eventually surpass
Bangalore
KANCHERLA: I was the irst actor to
be launched in three languages in one
ilm. I had to do Kannada, Telugu and
Tamil. Each scene in each language. And
the Telugu ilm industry was actually
based out of Chennai for a long time. Its NTR
who is usually credited with moving it here,
because he established the irst big studios
and then the Annapurna studios came. Can I
have a whisky please?
When did it move to Hyderabad?
ASHHAR: In the Sixties. There were still
movies being made in both places. And you
know that Tollywood is a slur, dont you?
Why?
ASHHAR: Because its in comparison with
Hollywood, right? We have our own culture,
our own stories to tell, our own ways of looking
at ilms. Its not a me-too. Its a complete thing
in itself, with its own individuality.
SINGH: Im just glad we dont have a
big Tollywood sign in Hyderabad.
KIRLOSKAR: But then youd have a new
place where Hyderabadis can go for a drive.
Someone would probably open a bar there.

JUNE 2016 173

 2016

THE BEST OF THE

BEST COMPETE
FOR TRAVELS
MOST PRESTIGIOUS
AWARDS
PRESENTING

THE
READERS
TRAVEL
AWARDS
2016
 Vote for your favourites in each
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WIN A LUXURY VACATION

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Look for voting forms You can vote online at
in Cond Nast Travellers cntraveller.in/rta
June-July issue from June 5th onwards
PHOTOGRAPH: TOM PARKER
 EDITED BY SHIKHA SETHI
Science: Alanna Mitchell

TALK
NEW

Humour: Anish Trivedi

NEW Genetics: Siddhartha Mukherjee
NEW Pop Culture: Caity Weaver

arlier this week I was at a museum in Toronto,

watching an archaeologist tenderly handle the hilt

177
THE BIG CHILL
of a British naval oficers sword recovered from
the wreck of a ship that went missing in the Arctic
during Queen Victorias reign.
Its pommel was a lions head, that icon of Britishness. Its
grip was wound in sharkskin, fastened with gold.
The ship was HMS Erebus, whose captain, Sir John
Franklin, set sail in 1845 with 128 men to further the glory of
BY ALANNA MITCHELL
the British Empire, by traversing the last uncharted stretch of
the Northwest Passage, a shortcut trade route across the top
THE STRANGE TALE OF AN ILL-FATED of North America that bypassed the long slog around the tip
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

VICTORIAN EXPEDITION TO THE ARCTIC
AND WHAT IT TELLS US ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
of South America.
The wreck of the Erebus was found in 2014, submerged for
more than a century-and-a-half in the ocean near Adelaide
Peninsula, just north of the Canadian mainland. Her sister
ship, the HMS Terror,

JUNE 2016 177

 SCIENCE
TALK
remains lost. There were
no survivors. Few of the
mens corpses have been
recovered just some of
their bleached bones strewn
across the Arctic tundra,
bearing unmistakable signs
that their noble British
comrades had butchered
their bodies for meat.
It was the remorseless
Arctic ice that got Franklin
and his men. It held fast to
their ships without letting
go for a gruesome year-and-
a-half, during which time
Franklin died. Eventually,
the starving, frail men who
were still alive abandoned
ship, lurching across the
frozen Arctic desert in get
this inely woven woollen
coats, silk scarves and
smooth-soled leather shoes,
heaving the frippery of the
Empire in unwieldy sledges
behind them: scented
soaps; slippers; silverware;
a wooden clothes brush
veneered with ivory. The
only foodstuffs were
chocolate and tea.
Franklin would barely recognize the
Arctic today. The Industrial Revolution,
still mainly conined to the British Isles
when Franklin set sail, has galloped across
the world, fuelled by the excavated fossils
of plants and animals that lived millions
of years ago. As we burn these fossils
coal, oil, gas we put the carbon from
that ancient era into todays atmosphere,
where it collects, trapping heat against the
body of the planet.
All that extra heat destabilizes the
climate. And its hitting the Arctic harder
than anywhere else on Earth; the place
is in an outright melt. Now, cruise ships
and private yachts sail through a watery
Northwest Passage each summer.
I was there a few summers ago on a
scientiic cruise with some high school
students. Fifteen years ago, the same
programme used to set up overnight
camps on the ice for the students, a break
from ship-board life. The year I was there,
we couldnt even ind sea ice to show the
kids. There was just water, as far as the eye
could see. In fact, it was so warm that we
illed the swimming pool on the ships deck
with sea water and let the kids frolic in it.
So much for the immutable frozen Arctic.
RECENTLY, WE COULDNT EVEN
FIND SEA ICE TO SHOW THE KIDS.
THERE WAS JUST WATER, AS FAR AS THE
EYE COULD SEE. IN FACT, IT WAS SO WARM
THAT WE FILLED THE SWIMMING POOL
ON THE SHIPS DECK WITH SEA WATER
AND LET THE KIDS FROLIC IN IT. SO
MUCH FOR THE IMMUTABLE
FROZEN ARCTIC
Actually, one of the few parts of the
southern Arctic Ocean that still freezes
up for years on end is the very bit
Victoria Strait where Franklins ships
got stuck. Unlucky, that Franklin.
Its not just the ice. Air temperatures
have warmed up by 4 degrees Celsius
on average. Mosquitoes, once unknown,
have become pestilential in places.
Polar bears, those icons of
Canadianness, which need to surf on the
sea ice to get to their food, are starving.
Scientists fear they are on the road to
being completely snuffed out. Walruses,
which need sea ice, now get stranded
on land by the thousands
from the lack of it. The last
time I saw walruses in the
lesh their bellies were
sunburned.
The thing is that the
Arctic is the thermostat for
the planet. When its cold,
it helps cool things down.
When it warms up, so does
the globe. The warmth
feeds the warmth. In their
less guarded moments, this
is what climate scientists
refer to as a runaway train.
That sword hilt from
the wreck got me thinking
about what else has
changed. And that led
me to Louie Kamookak,
an Inuit who grew up
on the Arctic island the
doomed men marched
across in their threadbare
regimentals. He took me
around the area a few
months ago, showing me
the bones of some of the
fallen, just lying there,
not yet catalogued by any
oficial archaeologists.
Kamookak has spent a lifetime
listening to the stories of his great-
grandmother and other elders who
encountered Franklins men and their
remains, piecing together the tale of what
happened. His indings helped modern
Canadian scientists pinpoint the wreck.
British sailors were less open to
Inuit wisdom. Instead, they thought
they could import Victorian Britain to
the Arctic swashbuckling sword hilts
and all and impose it on the Inuit, the
ice, the frozen land. In the end, the lion
failed to roar. The ice got Franklin. But
so did colonizing hubris.
And those dandiied clothes.
Kamookak posted a picture on his
Twitter account recently noting that one
of the things that killed Franklins men
was their lack of warm clothing once
they abandoned ship. Theres a picture
of him, clad head to toe in sealskins,
toasty up there in the Arctic, protected
from whatever cold remains.
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
Alanna Mitchell is an award-winning Canadian
journalist, author and playwright, whose most
recent book is Franklins Lost Ship: The Historic
Discovery Of HMS Erebus, with co-author John
Geiger. She was in Mumbai last November
to perform the play she wrote based on her
international best-seller Sea Sick
 HUMOUR
TALK
000
IDIOT GUY TAKES OVER
THE WORLD
id you read that story about the
Prime Minister? asks the young
man next to me. I stop my glass
midway to my mouth to do a
mental scan of the morning
headlines. Which story might he be talking
about? Each of the four newspapers I get
has a different slant on the aims and antics of
our government, but I dont recall any one of
them having anything to say about the man at
7 Race Course Road.
No, not our Prime Minister, he scornfully
says. The one at 10 Downing. The story in
question has nothing to do with governance.
It is a speculative piece more suited to the
gossip columns. And completely untrue.
180 JUNE 2016
BY ANISH TRIVEDI
EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT
THESE DAYS
I ask his source, hinting at his closeness
to MI5 for having access to such documents.
It was on Facebook all day, he replies. And
witheringly tells me I really ought to be better
informed in this day and age.
Back when I was his age, we got our
news from news sources. Sources that
went to great lengths to report facts,
painstakingly veriied. Even American
television had standards. Well, some. But
unless you were the National Enquirer,
you understood that once you reported
something, you had better be able to defend
it. Now, anyone with the ability to share a
post can be the voice of authority.
In a world before the 140-character
capsule, people had few choices when it
came to airing their views. Apart from the
soapbox in Hyde Park, there were the op-ed
pages of the newspapers. And, for those
less lucky, the letter to the editor. And thats
the problem I have with technology today.
Theres plenty of opinion being voiced. With
very little editorial to curb it.
A few minutes spent on WordPress
gives you an instant blog. A mass mailer to
everyone in your address book guarantees
at least a few hundred visitors, for the irst
time, if nothing else. And then, like the
young man this evening, you can use social
occasions to sow your thoughts in the minds
of anyone wholl listen, prefacing each with
the phrase, As I said on Twitter today.
For the past year I havent had an
evening out where someone doesnt have
an opinion on everything from the ban on
beef in Maharashtra to the ban on liquor in
Bihar to the ban on speech in New Delhi. An
opinion unformed in facts or the law.
Theres the idiot woman who
bombarded a group chat with a story about
a kid in Bengaluru contracting HIV from
sugarcane juice at a streetside stall. Theres
the story about the former government
minister who has connections to the maia
how else would you explain his girlfriend.
Theres the story about the self-styled
swami whos sleeping with every starlet
in Bollywood, which explains why one of
them committed suicide. Theres the story
about Bruce Jenner now being a woman.
Oh. Wait. That ones true.
Whats worse is that this now forms
the basis for cocktail party conversation. A
decade ago, you could count on most men
to discuss nothing but the stock market and
their golf game, most women to discuss
children and the lack of good household
help. Now we waste the time it takes to drink
two whiskies analyzing the last edition of the
Arnab show.
I have often been told I was born two
generations too late. Quite possibly. But at
least my generation spoke about politics,
not always agreeing with the person we
were talking to. Our arguments were
about more than the RSS giving up shorts
for trousers. We talked about the best
hotel to stay at in a city, based on personal
experience, not a review on TripAdvisor.
We talked about the best place to get a
meal, having tasted it ourselves, and not
by lipping through a food blog written by
a kid who writes about the free meals he
gets. And, yes, we did read Playboy for
the articles.
We knew more about less. But that
trumps knowing nothing about a lot. Which
is where todays gentleman is gravitating.
I now have a rule for conversation at my
dining table. No politics. No religion. No
ILLUSTRATION: ROHAN HANDE
cricket. And if you must gossip, it had better
be about someone I know.
For the rest, post it. And as soon as
Facebook adds a middle inger icon, Ill give
you my opinion on yours.
Anish Trivedi last updated his blog in 2010. Hed
like to now, but has forgotten the password

000
FAMILY MATTERS
BY SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE
AN INTIMATE HISTORY OF MENTAL
ILLNESS AND THE GENE
n the winter of 2012, I travelled from
Delhi to Calcutta to visit my cousin Moni.
My father accompanied me, as a guide
and companion, but he was a sullen
and brooding presence, lost in a private
anguish that I could sense only dimly. My
father is the youngest of ive brothers, and
Moni is his irst-born nephew the eldest
brothers son. Since 2004, when he was 40,
Moni has been conined to an institution
for the mentally ill (a lunatic home, as
my father calls it), with a diagnosis of
schizophrenia. He is kept densely medicated
awash in a sea of assorted antipsychotics
and sedatives and has an attendant watch,
bathe and feed him through the day.
My father has never accepted Monis
diagnosis. Over the years, he has waged
a lonely countercampaign against the
psychiatrists charged with his nephews care,
hoping to convince them that their diagnosis
was a colossal error, or that Monis broken
psyche would somehow magically mend
itself. My father has visited the institution
in Calcutta twice once without warning,
hoping to see a transformed Moni, living a
secretly normal life behind the barred gates.
But my father knew and I knew that
there was more than just avuncular love
at stake for him in these visits. Moni is not
the only member of my fathers family with
mental illness. Of my fathers four brothers,
two not Monis father, but two of Monis
uncles suffered from various unravellings
of the mind. Madness, it turns out, has been
among the Mukherjees for at least two
generations, and at least part of my fathers
reluctance to accept Monis diagnosis lies in
my fathers grim recognition that some kernel
of the illness may be buried, like toxic waste,
in himself. In 1946, Rajesh, my fathers third-
born brother, died prematurely in Calcutta.
He was 22 years old. The story runs that he
was stricken with pneumonia after spending
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
two nights exercising in the winter rain
but the pneumonia was the culmination of
another sickness. Rajesh had once been the
most promising of the brothers the nimblest,
the supplest, the most charismatic, the most
GENETICS
TALK
energetic, the most beloved and idolized by my
father and his family.
My grandfather had died a decade earlier
in 1936 he had been murdered following
a dispute over mica mines leaving my
grandmother to raise ive young boys.
Although not the oldest, Rajesh had stepped
rather effortlessly into his fathers shoes. He
was only 12 then, but he could have been 22:
his quick-ire intelligence was already being
cooled by gravity, the brittle self-assuredness
of adolescence already annealing into the self-
conidence of adulthood.
But in the summer of 46, my father recalls,
Rajesh had begun to behave oddly, as if a
wire had been tripped in his brain. The most
striking change in his personality was his
volatility: good news triggered uncontained
outbursts of joy, often extinguished only
through increasingly acrobatic bouts of
physical exercise, while bad news plunged him
into inconsolable desolation. The emotions
were normal in context; it was their extreme
range that was abnormal. By the winter of
that year, the sine curve of Rajeshs psyche
had tightened in its frequency and gained
in its amplitude. The its of energy, tipping
into rage and grandiosity, came often and
more iercely, and the sweeping undertow
of grief that followed was just as strong. He
ventured into the occult organizing sances
and planchette sessions at home, or meeting
his friends to meditate at a crematorium at
night. I dont know if he self-medicated in
the Forties, the dens in Calcuttas Chinatown
had ample supplies of opium from Burma and
Afghani hashish to calm a young mans nerves
but my father recollects an altered brother:
fearful at times, reckless at others, descending
and ascending steep slopes of mood, irritable
one morning and overjoyed the next (that
word: overjoyed. Used colloquially, it signals
something innocent: an ampliication of joy.
But it also delineates a limit, a warning, an
outer boundary of sobriety. Beyond overjoy, as
we shall see, there is no over-overjoy; there is
only madness and mania).
The week before the pneumonia, Rajesh
had received news of a strikingly successful
performance in his college exams and elated
had vanished on a two-night excursion,
supposedly exercising at a wrestling camp.
When he returned, he was boiling up with a
fever and hallucinating. It was only years later,
in medical school, that I realized that Rajesh
was likely in the throes of an acute manic
phase. His mental breakdown was the result
of a near-textbook case of manic-depression
bipolar disease.
An excerpt from Gene: An Intimate History, a biography of
the gene that interweaves science, social history and the
story of the Pulitzer prize-winning authors own family to
explain genetics and to confront the extraordinary influence
of heredity on our lives, personalities, identities, fates and
choices. The book is out now
JUNE 2016 181
 POP CULTURE
TALK
ust as its impossible to know
000
precisely when that minor bald
patch began to annex your entire
scalp, its hard to pinpoint the exact
moment when being old became
a hot new trend in America. Was
GEEZER CHIC: THE it when Hollywoods newest bombshell,
GOLDEN AGE OF AGE Jennifer Lawrence, confessed that Larry
David (age: 68) gets her blood lowing
BY CAITY WEAVER below the belt? Maybe when the face
of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader
ITS TAKEN CENTURIES, BUT Ginsburg (age: 83) became ubiquitous on
the onesies of our nations toddlers?
BEING OLD IS FINALLY COOL Remember the 2008 presidential
election, when it was actually cooler
182 JUNE 2016
to be a handsome young black man
from Chicago than a 71-year-old
grandpa from Arizona? No longer.
Democrats are aching for Hillary and
Bernie to join forces a ticket that
would have a combined age of 142.
In 2016, the Republican spotlight has
settled not on a charismatic 44-year-old
Latino, but instead on a raving lunatic
whos a decade into his eligibility for
early-bird discounts.
How can eager geezers jump on
this trend? Geezer Chic can be tricky
to nail just right. Embrace the lifestyle
prematurely and youre just a boring

middle-aged person (Ted Cruz). Go
too old and you risk seeming as
enfeebled as you will soon be. Its all
about striking the right balance of
gravitas and joie de in de vivre. Below,
our guide to nailing Geezer Chic for
retirees who want to make friends and
inluence young people.
DO: Be 68 or older.
No one embodied the allure of
the senior citizen better than Mark
Twain, who spent his twilight years
bolting through society events in
head-to-toe lightning white. As Twain
once observed, Before seventy we
are merely respected, at best, and
we have to behave all the time
But after seventy we are respected,
esteemed, admired, revered and dont
have to behave unless we want to. In
your eighth decade, faults magically
transform into quirks or even charms,
if youre really lucky.
To put a iner point on it, if we assume
a generation spans 25 years, the golden
number for Geezer Chic is actually
68 at least for politicians (Narendra
Modi is 65). At 68, candidates are two
generations removed from the new crop
of 18-year-old voters. They have more in
common with these kids grandparents
(who send gifts of money on birthdays)
than with their parents (who are
disappointed in them). People between
the ages of 35 and 67 too young to be
old, too old to be young exist in the
no mans land between chic and Geezer
Chic. People younger than 35 are too
young to be legally elected president but
tend to make excellent DJs.
DO NOT: Attempt to slay
your way into baes squad using
basic af slang.
If there is a lesson to be gleaned
ILLUSTRATION: SUDHIR SHETTY. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, REX FEATURES
from the 2016 presidential campaign,
it is this: America still really likes The
Apprentice. If there is a second lesson,
it is this: Nothing is sweatier than an
uncool person trying to shoehorn
slang into his or her speech patterns.
For one thing, cool young people
dont even know what a shoehorn
is theyre walking around all day
in cushy Nike Roshes so the very
act is incomprehensible. Its true that
Clintons Yaaas, Hillary! campaign
merchandise got people talking, but
in the same way that wearing a thong
Speedo to a christening might. All day,
every day, millennials weather a nuclear
bombardment of targeted ads designed
NOT-SO-DOCILE FOSSILS
The Geezer Chic Continuum
Whos pulling off peak old? Who just
seems out of it? Charting the to anticipate, tease out and exploit their
spectrum, from lame to lit innermost urges. (Thats how Facebook
Morgan Freeman sells Sherpa throws.) As a result, they
Eight decades have built up strong immunities to
in, hes more attempts at ingratiation.
dapper than ever. DO: Play up how little you have
By the time hes
100, he will have
in common with these youths.
transformed into Millennials were reared in an echo
a bottle of 1937 chamber of criticisms about how
Chteau Latour coddled, feckless and incompetent they
Bordeaux.
are. Millennials are also personally
Age: 78
acquainted with many millennials, and
therefore know irsthand how coddled,
feckless and incompetent they are. The
Ruth Bader average Generation Yer wouldnt trust
Ginsburg their best friend to own and operate
Nodded off at
a Jamba Juice, let alone serve as
work, during the
2015 US State Of Commander-in-Chief.
The Union. While A savvy geezer understands that
sleepy frailty the way to earn a young persons trust
isnt badass, her is to adopt a diametrically opposite
excuse I wasnt demeanour. If the youth voting bloc is
100 per cent
optimistic, be crotchety. (You are micd,
sober was.
Age: 83 so theres no need to shout.) If its tactful,
be blunt. If its lashy and appearance-
oriented, comb your hair with a broken
pen you refuse to throw away because
youre frugal. But if youre a good
Pope Benedict feminist and theyre bad feminists,
XVI
DONT TELL THEM. They dont want
Quit because
he was too old. to be lectured on feminism (by feminist
Imagine being icons).
too old to be DO NOT: Keep those hard
Pope. candies that look like strawberries
Age: 10,000 (?) in your pocket and hand them out
to people.
People dont like those.
DO: Reference historical
milestones you were alive to see.
Hillary Clinton Todays young people are nostalgia
Was primed to
be the Geezer
junkies. Nothing gives them a greater
Chic icon, but thrill than remembering something
overnight that already happened, particularly if it
her youthful was on television in the Nineties. Many
pandering things, however, happened before
became a punch
the Nineties and thats where a chic
line. Bae was no
longer on fleek.
geezer can lex and impress.
Age: 68 Good memories will place the
storyteller in reasonable proximity to a
pivotal moment of American history: the
time he joined Dr King for the March on
Bernie Washington; the moment she learned
Sanders the Equal Pay Act of 1963 had been
With his spun- passed. But be wary of reaching too far
sugar hair, back. A careless mention of something
rumpled suits
too antiquated a childhood friend
and grumpy
scolding, he is
contracting rickets, your cello lessons
the epitome of with a gruff Civil War veteran risks
anti-chic chic. making you sound like you probably
Age: 74 should have died on the Titanic.
Caity Weaver is a writer and editor for GQ US
JUNE 2016 183
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 They dont need record labels or network
TV, book publishers or Public Relations.
Torontos second-gen Punjabi vloggers
are all about the DIY route to recognition,
an approach best exemplified by polymath
Humble the Poet, the son of a cabbie
whos driving his message all the way home
to the motherland

WRITTEN BY NIDHI GUPTA

ome on, guys! yells a mohawked

guy, arms lailing and beer dripping
down his shirt. Hes beckoning his fellow
audience members, some 80-odd of them, to
join him in front of the stage, on which Humble
the Poet is leaping about, keeping remarkable time
to DJ Uris beats while rapping into the mic. When he
performs Baagi Music, his most popular single, the audience
chants along: Our girls stay ly/Lovely Punjabis oh my.
At the other, Idhar stage at The Lost Party, a music festival in an
obscure nook of the Sahyadris, Benny Tamil Fever Dayal is pumped
about re-introducing Bengaluru-based musician Brodha V as the Genghis
of Indian Rap. At a simulated club space closer to the dark stillness of Salter
Lake, another bunch of festival-goers are popping vigorously to the dub, folk and
IMAGE: JAZZY.VIBES

commercial beats that three DJs are streaming into their wireless headphones.
Our beer-soaked friend, having righted himself enough to achieve eye contact and get a
nod from Humble, escalates his gyrate-swivel-whoop routine, lassoing blissfully into the dark
while Humble incants, Some sucka ass sucka stepped up to me, not a real fan, just a male groupie,
didnt know my rhymes but still called me his favourite INDIAN MC.

196 JUNE 2016

 After an hour of rapping about everything
from #BlackLivesMatter to gay rights to
revolutions, Humble spits the irst rhyme hed
ever written, way back in 2007, when he was still
known, in limited circles, as a spoken-word poet:
I spit hard, I spit hard as a Samurai, rip shit hit
quick run pit bottomless, Dont ever start with
this, Its better to work with all of this, Never try
to trot with this, Gotta run with my heart in it,
he slams over the dubstep.
The set winds down around 11pm, and
Humble thanks the audience for listening to
his music, asks everyone to subscribe to his
YouTube channel (130k) and Twitter feed (58.1k)
and buy his books; and then requests the crowd
for a selie for his Instagram page (201k). Mr Big
Fan, and the rest of the crowd, gleefully oblige.
Yeah, that guy really did enjoy himself,
Humble smiles, groggy-eyed, inger-combing
his trademark chest-length beard. Were at his
hotel room the next afternoon, his red checkered
shirt and black denims replaced with boxer
shorts and a Humble the Poet tee. Instead of
Wayfarers and a mic in his face, his right hand
tilts himself a sip of Bisleri.
Wild night? I ask.
Nah, I dont drink. I chilled for a bit at the
festival, watched a ilm at the open-air theatre,
but I came back early and watched TV till 7am.
Face time actual, real face time with
Humble is a strange experience. Despite the fact
that he lives in Toronto and weve never met, I
feel like I know him intimately. I know how hes
dealt with heartbreak, bullies, racism. I know
what he thinks of President Obama (cool),
Justin Trudeau (surprisingly cool) and Indian
politics (so Game Of Thrones: One step forward,
three steps back). I know that his real trip, when
he visited Peru, was on ayahuasca something
he opens up about in his latest crowdfunded
book, Unlearn: Beneath The Surface. I (and
974,391 others) have watched him get the map of
pre-Partition Punjab inked on his neck.
Right now, Humble looks exhausted its easy
to peg it on jetlag. He lew in from Toronto to
Mumbai yesterday morning, headed straight to
Lonavla, and busted out that glitch-free set after
a few hours of rehearsals with DJ Uri. I actually
pulled a muscle last night onstage, early in the
set. I couldnt rap or jump as much as I wanted
to after that. Makes you realize you gotta train
like an athlete for this job, he sighs. There I
was, with no plans to travel or tour this year at
all. Just wanted to write: books, songs, whatever.
And yet, here I am. But I like this alternative sort
of vibe at festivals.
JUNE 2016 197
 A second-gen Punjabi, and the only son of a cab driver and a
factory worker-turned-housewife, Humble now performs around
the world, travelling more in one year than in the rest of his life.
He has crowdfunded, written and published two motivational
books and done cameo roles in ilms like Deepa Mehtas Beeba
Boys, where he plays himself in a cast of Punjabi gangsters in
Vancouver. But his primary occupation, as of now, is vlogging,
his videos beginning with the incantation: Ive got 10 years to
ill a stadium, but only two minutes to ill your cranium. Hes
done hundreds of them, neatly iled under Music, Hotel Rants,
#UnLearn, Collabs, Relationships, Happiness and Spoken Word.
YouTubes fantastic! he says. When I began, I didnt even
know people were making money off it. I just found that theres
a community of people creating original content, and people
from around the world were talking to each other, like people in
Hawaii and Australia and France, and I just wanted to be a part of
that world.
Fast forward eight years: Some might still dismiss YouTube
as a wasteland of adolescent crap, but that hasnt stopped
people from building careers even empires off it. Look at
PewDiePie (43 million subscribers), the 26-year old Swede who
earned $12 million just in 2015 from videos of himself playing
videogames. TheFineBros (13.8 million subscribers), a pair of
American comedians, are now making React To That, a TV show
for Nickelodeon that features
people of all kinds reacting to
all kinds of videos. And then
theres Lilly ||Superwoman||
"As a performer, Singh, a YouTube phenom
in her own league. With
you're here for around 8.5 million subscribers
rooting for her, shes making
the audience, appearances on late-night
you're putting on a chat shows, talking about her
25-city tour, A Trip To Unicorn

Such logistics are a real

show for them, no Island (#AT2UI). Jimmy
Fallons face relects your
concern for a musician who matter if it's one feelings on the matter: utter
earned his fame off YouTube, astonishment that a girl who
and whose job hinges on or 1,000 people" started out making medium-
industriously producing funny vlogs dissing her
content. How do you do it brown parents and the Indian
when youre trotting out your
hits on stages all around the
world? Humble spent the larger part of 2015 on the road, touring
with ||Superwoman|| across 25 cities. He also spent last spring at
SXSW, that musical mecca for disruptors and unicorns of all
sorts.
Work trips to India are a regular affair for the 34-year-
old Canadian since he jammed with Midival Punditz on The
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES (STAGE), INFINITE FILMS (GRAFFITI)

Dewarists and at NH7 Weekender 2011. Hes collaborated with

Sound Avatar, Sicklip and DJ Uri, and hes fairly well-connected
with the indie scene here. But did the audience last night seem
familiar with his work? Humble cant tell. They seemed to be
having fun, he says, and thats all that matters: Its one thing
Ive learned as a performer youre here for the audience, youre
putting on a show for them, no matter if its one or 1,000 people.

emember 2008? Lehman Brothers? 26/11? The

iPhone 3G? Thats when Kanwar Singh, an
elementary school math teacher, was setting up a
webcam and a YouTube channel in his bedroom
in the Toronto suburb of Brampton not far from
Russell Peters old stomping grounds.

198 JUNE 2016

immigrant life gets to cameo in Bad Moms, the upcoming Judd
Apatow ilm with Mila Kunis and Christina Applegate.
I dont have famous friends, Humble says magnanimously.
I have friends who got famous. Hes referring to a tribe of
second-gen Punjabis from Toronto making careers from YouTube:
Twenty-somethings from middle-class immigrant families in
Brampton and Scarborough, deeply connected to their roots
(because you dont have a choice in brown fams), not quite itting
in but highly aware of the multicultural climate theyre born
into. Theres 25-year-old Amandeep Kang, whose channel has
morphed from AKakaAmazing to AKTV on the back of nearly
150,000 subscribers. His irst video was of him reviewing
a shitty Punjabi rap song because he was hella bored after
pushing carts at Costco. It got him 1,000 views overnight, just
in Brampton. If theres one thing hes thankful for, hes said, its
not living in Punjab: Because, hes hella sure smack addiction
wouldve ruined him and his generation.
Theres Jasmeet Singh, aka JusReign, 26, with almost 700,000
subscribers, a regular spot at YouTube Fanfests and now roles in
Canadian and Punjabi ilms. His irst video was called 25 things
in my room, in which he literally picks up and names 25 objects
in his room, including a Camaara and a Caculater. The video
now has almost 300,000 views. The irst comment: At 0.00 a
legend was born.
Humbles fanbase isnt quite hitting the numbers of his
hometown clan, but he doesnt see that as a weakness. His
current output mostly consists of counselling his young audience
on life: stuff like how to spot fake friends, how to be stupid,
things you can learn from Kim Kardashian (Shes a perfect
example that life isnt what happens to you, its how you deal with
it). And he spouts motivational rhymes over covers of popular
songs. I can rap about my feelings, my thoughts and anxieties,
which is what I always wanna do, but now I do it over, say, a
Taylor Swift song, because people like her, Humble says. Pop
music isnt trash or garbage; its simple and people connect to it a
lot more.
Those listening keenly to Humbles original rap without
getting distracted by his bushy bandit beard will realize that
his songs are about serious stuff. As a writer, I can help people
make sense of their own thoughts and feelings. I can simplify
things that are complex for other people. The irst time I ever
shared anything [on YouTube], the reaction I got was Oh, we are
feeling that as well!. At the time of composing Baagi, his irst
solo to go viral, Humble says he was inluenced by Kanye West.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy had just dropped, and he was
doing all these crazy things. Fashion shows and whatnot, he
says. Thats what I wanted to do. Not get famous, but bring ideas
to life.
JUNE 2016 199
 n 2014, Humble the
Poet joined forces
with old friend and
work soulmate Lilly
"Lilly Singh hit a million
||Superwoman|| Singh
for the irst time, and
subscribers and the question
ced #LEH (Translation: was: Do I want to be popular
Whatevs), a song that got over
12 million views while poking to the point I need security to
fun at its key TG. A year later
came IVIVI (3 million-and- step out?"
counting views): A pumping
rap track spun over iktara
twangs and dhol and bass
beats, a tribute to the denizens of the 416 area code (IVIVI, get it?), fandom was reserved for Michael Jackson.
Torontos multiculturalism and the delights of being global natives. In the inal ten minutes of YTFF, Humble arrives with a gang
I get to experience these two songs live at the YouTube Fan Fest of B-Boys and sets up the stage for Lilly Singh. Not that she
in Mumbai, two weeks after The Lost Party. Humble had left the needs it: The moment she enters, in a pink kurta matching his,
country and then returned for the show, but only as part of Lilly shoulders a-pop, astride an autorickshaw, the stadium erupts.
Singhs entourage. The YTFF is a world away from where we last The duo have all the bounce and verve thats expected of
met: Swap that idyllic lakeside spot for the NSCI domes steel and them, and the sets over before you know it, but everyones too
glass; a hipster YA crowd for screaming teenage girls; and Humbles emotional to have noticed Lillys voice crack.
lumberjack look for some proper Punjabi bling: A blue and gold The Unicorn Island tour with Lilly last year was amazing, says
brocade kurta, multiple strings of pearls and mojris. Fitting. This is Humble. I even have a new tattoo to mark the memory. On his
no hobo music festival; this is the motherships annual gala. right leg, 14 customized paper planes, one for each person on the
Earlier in the day, there was a red-carpet meet-and-greet AT2UI team. Lilly still hasnt illed hers in yet. She was supposed
planned for the fans. The squeals got supersonic when Kurt to do something nice, but she just doesnt have the time.
Hugo Schneider, Connor Franta, Kanan Gill walked by, high- Being good friends with Lilly has shown me a lot about
iving their fans, grinning for the occasional selie. But when Lilly where YouTube can take you, he continues. Like she was telling
Singh turned up, the kids fell all over themselves just to touch me that she hit a million subscribers recently and the question
her hand. Once upon a time, like until a decade ago, that kind of was: Do I want that for myself? Do I want to be popular to the
point that I need security to step out?

ll this attention has come off what he calls the pill:

Telling the bitter truth about life. Ive always been
about making the pill, he says. Now I just mix a lot
of apple sauce into it. The irst solo video I put up as
Humble was just a black screen, with a voiceover of
me rapping about issues in the Punjabi community
in Canada, Humble remembers, sitting up straight on a grey couch
in his no-frills Lonavla hotel room. It was an experiment, but I went
to a party a couple days later and this guy I know complimented me
on it. There was no way he couldve known it was me, except for
my voice, of course, but thats when I realized people were paying
attention. And paying attention they are, particularly halfway
around the globe in India, where Canadas Punjabi vloggers are
extremely popular in a market otherwise dominated by AIB and
TVF (about 1.5 million YouTube subscribers each).
There were no mentorships, no handbook, when we signed
up for this. You gotta learn as you go, people can only share what
they go through. Lillys like, You need to have an audience if you
wanna put upwhat you want, Humble grumbles. I can have my
exposure to her million fans, but they can see that what Ive created
is different. So for every 100 people that come to me from her, may
be only one connects with me. And Im okay with that. I just dont
wanna be popular off a lie and have to depend on living that lie to
maintain my popularity.
So whats the point? What keeps a 34-year-old churning out vlog
after vlog, scribbling poems, posting memes on Instagram, without
any chips on my shoulder?
Ill forever do it to impress the ladies, Humble shrugs. Its an
icebreaker, right? The hardest thing for any guy to do is introduce
yourself to a girl. So if you put yourself in a situation where you
dont have to do that it makes life easier.

200 JUNE 2016

 back to black
The seasons sexiest accents to add to your arsenal

PHOTOGRAPHED BY
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STYLED BY
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JUNE 2016 205

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DIABOLICAL MINDS!
UNBELIEVABLE RICHES!

208 JUNE 2016

WHAT A GLORIOUS
TIME TO BE EVIL!

ILLUSTRATION

ARTHUR ADAMS

LETTERING

TRAVIS W SIMON
 PRAXIS OF EVIL! TAYLOR SWIFT SHAKTI KAPOOR JEFF BEZOS
Have you SEEN the No one whos been so Amazons sweatshop:
Bad Blood video?! consistenly this much no picnic. But the

How to Tell Whos Its T-Swift and her

combat-ready model
army. Bow down.
of a goddamn goofball
for so long can be
considered truly evil.
shrouded 10,000-year
clock in the desert is
super-villain genius.

Really Villain-y
It aint easy being mean. Or, more to the point,
fantastically mean while trying to rule the universe.
Heres a handy chart of who makes the (enriched-
plutonium) grade.CLAY SKIPPER

FUN-EVIL! KIND OF A DICK

Awesome
Moments in THE ULTIMATE
Villainous
BE -A- BA D- GU Y
Non-Apology
KIT
ROBERT
Ever cracked open a
DURST Hammacher Schlemmer
catalogue, full of drones
and espresso-machine
camcorders, and thought,
Who buys this shit?!
Villains. Thats who.

What the
hell did I
do? Killed
them all, of
course.

Treadmill desk!
Theres just something
evil-mastermind-y
about these.

Awesome
Moments in
Villainous Electric cat shaver!
Turn any cat into
Non-Apology a hairless cat.

PR OF ILE S IN EVI L DICK CHENEY

COLOUR: NEI RUFFINO. IMAGE: REX FEATURES, SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY IMAGES

IS THE LEX LUTHOR OF OUR TIME Principle is Digital picture frame!

An impulse buy
okay up before you offed your
When, exactly, did Donald Trump cross over to pure, raw racism and misogyny. Maybe whole family.
going from rank assholery into real-deal, Donald Trump hates women, and Muslims,
to a certain
cant-not-watch, like-chugging-spoiled-milk and our socialist Kenyan president. (Okay, he
point but
super-villain evil? If we had to place it, it definitely does.) But the super-villain-y part is principle
started after he called the good people of that he didnt reeeally hate them until it was doesnt do
Mexico rapists, but definitely before he called politically expedient. Trump is truly the villain any good
for a ban on all Muslims. Because whats so we deserve in 2016 and not because he if you
delightful about Trumps villainy is how lazy it wants to take over the world. Its because hes lose. Magic 8-Ball!
It has only one
is how drowsily he shifted from hollering after something far, far scarier: applause.
answer: Yes do it.
about his BEST AND CLASSIEST campaign SAM SCHUBE MAGGIE LANGE Thousand per cent.

210 JUNE 2016

 LANCE ELON MUSK DAN BILZERIAN KIM JONG-UN BIKRAM
ARMSTRONG Only wants to nuke Lives like a villain Rodmans homeboy Were fed up with
Raised hundreds of the poles of Mars (private planes, naked has nukes, oppressive people who offer us
millions for cancer! to make it human- women, piles of cash, rule, and worst health regimens and
On the other hand, habitable. Still: Wants goats)but with of all? a self-given use their powers to
a decade of lies. to nuke Mars, people! no real kingdom. Yet. nickname.

MORE OF A DICK DRUNK ON THEIR OWN POWER P JUST THE WORST

PR OF ILE S IN EVI L
IS THE SUPERMAN OF MEANNESS
Vladimir Putin learned everything
he knows from the Bart Simpson school of
diplomacy (also, the KGB). Take a 2007
meeting with the notoriously dog-phobic
Angela Merkel, to which Putin brought his
enormous dog. I wanted to do something
nice for her! he innocently trilled. When
hes not banning homosexuality, free
speech, swearing, bacon, cheese, yoga,
V IL L A IN C R IB S !
Some Real Lairs of
the Super-Evil
sex-ed, punk rock, undesirable
organizations, porn, discussion of his
palace and everything else we hold dear, he
enjoys cuddling tigers in Siberia while his
former-gymnast girlfriend and former-
supermodel personal photographer look
WHERE Zurich
on. Hope neither is wearing synthetic lace WHAT FIFAs actually underground
another thing he declared an enemy of the meeting room. Lit by UFO?
OVERHEARD Bulbs out again, Sepp.
state. LAUREN LARSON

WHERE Under water

WHAT Vladimir Putins pod-sized
submarine for (planted) treasure
extraction
OVERHEARD You know, Pieter,
I invented water.

WHERE Ashburn, Virginia

WHAT Conference room at Heckler &
Koch, German gun behemoth
OVERHEARD Thanks for joining us in
the Zombie Apocalypse Room
while the Conceal-and-Carry Room
undergoes minor renovations.

JUNE 2016 211

 PLAY

Awesome
Moments in
MY HEART WILL GO ON
Villainous OR SH E DI ES !
Non-Apology
RICHARD Happens every six months: Incredibly Famous Pop Star X
NIXON gets paid egregious sum of blood money to flounce around
for Despot Ys birthday. Our favourite hitmaker-dictator
pairings. SAM SCHUBE

Well, when TALENT

Nicki Minaj
the EVIL GUY
President Angolan president
Jos Eduardo dos
does it, Santos
that means PAYDAY
$2 million
that it is
not illegal.
TALENT
Brit rockers Manic
Street Preachers
EVIL GUY
Cuban comrade-in-
PROFILES IN EVIL chief Fidel Castro
Awesome PAYDAY
Charged 25 cents a
Moments in ticket for the love
Villainous of Marx!
Non-Apology
IS MORE BOND-VILLAIN-Y THAN BASHAR
A BOND VILLAIN AL-ASSAD TALENT

COLOUR: NEI RUFFINO. IMAGE: REX FEATURES, SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY IMAGES

Justin Timberlake,
Taylor Swift and
Cline Dion
Three things well say about rights department. He once EVIL GUYS
Sepp Blatter: Hes only just commissioned a propaganda The Walton family
PAYDAY
been sidelined as FIFA prez, film to celebrate his own Technically:
nada. Really? Your
hes an infamously crooked legacy. And hes even got a No kids future.
exec, and hes truly one hard-to-place European accent
government
hook-hand away from Bond plus that brought-to-you-by-
villaindom. The evidence: He Ian Fleming name. His major
in the
spent years helming a shadowy gift to soccer, besides world kills TALENT
organization that commands embroiling it in bribery its people. Kanye West
EVIL GUY
unfathomable power but is scandal? Suggesting women Unless its Number one Kazakh
human-rights-
not ruled by any government. players wear sluttier uniforms led by destroyer Nursultan
He bros around on weekends with tighter shorts. Still, a crazy Nazarbayev
with Vladimir Putin and the that doesnt just make him a PAYDAY
person. $3 million
Emir of Qatar, not the most super-villain. It also makes him
exemplary guys in the human- an asshole. FREDDIE CAMPION MAGGIE LANGE

Must Love
Dolphins!
He may be totally down with some human
MUAMMAR QADDAFI KIM JONG-UN
genocide, but get a Sarah McLachlan sad-
Past the cruise ship and amusement park: Built lavish dolphinarium
puppy commercial in front of a super- a private menagerie with rare camels and for his Flipper-y friends while
villain and hes a blubbering wreck. A spin 1,000 ostriches! his country starved.
through the creepiest zoo ever.MAGGIE LANGE

212 JUNE 2016

 IL
PR OF ILE S IN EV

IS THE SUPER-TROLL WE DESERVE

(AND A KINDA-NOT-GREAT BOSS!)
Its not easy working for Martin Shkreli, the be-hoodied evildoer who jacks up drug prices
and was arrested for securities fraud last December. How do we know? We sent Drew
Magary inside Turing Pharmaceuticals to find out.

Nancy Retzlaff
CHIEF COMMERCIAL
OFFICER
My preference would be
that he sort of lay low.
But thats not Martin.

Steve Thomas
SENIOR SCIENTIST
Every time he went
on TV, people just took
less and less of a liking
[to him]. It was a really
interesting dynamic.

Edwin Urrutia
CFO
Martins a fun guy.
He was just trolling.
Theres nothing
wrong with that. PROFILES IN EVIL
Eliseo Salinas
RESEARCH &
DEVELOPMENT
If I had had a magic
wand, I would have
touched him and said,
TWITTER IS OFF.
IS THE MOTHER OF ALL
Michael Smith SUPER-EVIL
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
There were plenty Not since the Russian jeweller Faberg has a
of times where Maybe
you dont have to apply person raked in as much money from their
to be Bernie Sanderss eggs. Kris Jenner is directly responsible for
intern. Maybe you dont
have to pretend to break mankinds most popular entertainment
your hand.
franchises, babies and iPhone apps, and by
Ron Tilles insidious coup she seeped into our living
INTERIM CEO rooms nine years ago, as silent and sinister
[Ducks into office] Im a
little busy. as carbon monoxide, and shes been actually
achieving world domination ever since. In
Steve Thomas
Hes sort of like a big terms of sheer power to alter human
brother to me, maybe existence, the public has no one (who does
even a father figure.
not own nuclear weapons) to fear more than
Martin Shkreli Kris Jenner who may own nuclear
Steves my favorite
employee. I shouldnt say
weapons! I think I saw them in her
that out loud. Christmas display last year. CAITY WEAVER

VLADIMIR PUTIN SADDAM HUSSEIN ROBERT DURST

Lives for Siberian tigers raises em, names Boasted family collection Collected fluffy malamutes,
em, sides with em when they go on killing of nine lions; saved his prison all named Igor, to practice
sprees in rural China. bread for birds. (alleged) murders on.

JUNE 2016 213

 S
P Throw out your
joggers and sweats.
This seasons
athleisure combines
the comfort of
loungewear, the
details of gymwear
and the sharpness

O
of your three-
piece suit

PHOTOGRAPHED BY
GONZALO MACHADO
STYLED BY
JESS CICERO

R
T JACKET, PANTS; BOTH BY
BOTTEGA VENETA. POLO
T-SHIRT BY PEDRO DEL
HIERRO. BRACELET BY
SAINT LAURENT. SNEAKERS
BY DIADORA

214 JUNE 2016

 ZIPPERED VEST BY
MASSIMO DUTTI. KNITTED
SWEATER BY BLAUER. SILK
SHIRT, TROUSERS; BOTH BY
EMPORIO ARMANI

JUNE 2016 215

S
P
O
R
T

JACKET BY VALENTINO.
SHIRT BY SAINT LAURENT.
PANTS, SHORTS; BOTH BY
ANTONY MORATO

216 JUNE 2016

 POLO T-SHIRT BY
HERMS. PANTS
BY CALVIN KLEIN
COLLECTION. BRACELET
BY SAINT LAURENT.
SHOES BY PRADA

JUNE 2016 217

S
P
O
R
T

JACKET BY MONCLER.
BOMBER JACKET BY U.S.
POLO ASSN. PANTS BY H&M.
SANDALS BY HERMS

218 JUNE 2016

 SUEDE JACKET BY
HERNO. TURTLENECK BY
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA.
PANTS BY KENZO. SHOES
BY SAINT LAURENT

PHOTOGRAPHERS
ASSISTANT:
SANTIAGO BELIZ
ASSISTANT STYLIST:
VANESSA SEPULVEDA
HAIR & MAKE-UP:
DAVID BELLO/MERCEDES ESPEJO
MODEL: EDDIE KLINT/SIGHT
MANAGEMENT BARCELONA
PRODUCTION: CAYETANA
VILLEGAS
DIGITAL ASSISTANT:
ISMAEL VILLAR

JUNE 2016 219

INTRODUCING

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GQ CENTRAL

PALACE
GROUNDS
When youre in Srinagar to interview the states
most powerful statesmen, the Lalit Grand Palace
is the only place to meet them
Omar and Farooq Abdullah get comfortable

B
uilt by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1910 on the east side of
Srinagar, The Lalit overlooks the placid Dal Lake, ringed by
snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Kashmirs famous vista is
right outside your window a view only topped by looking back
at the former palace from the apple orchards that line the road
leading to the entrance. Once a meeting place for the Father of Our
Nation and Maharaja Hari Singh, today the Lalit retains its past
royal feel, from the palatial suites down to the dining experience,
with authentic wazwan dishes, and the customary welcome tika
and hot cup of Kashmirs signature beverage, kahwa. Of course, for
Omar and Farooq Abdullah, frequent visitors to the hotel and our
subjects on this rainy trip, this is par for the course.

For more,
GQ styles the father-son duo see
FATHERS & SONS
on
PAGE 91

The perfect spot for a cuppa

The Lalit Grand Palace Srinagar

Gupkar Road, Srinagar 190001
Jammu & Kashmir, India
Perks of being a photographer Tel: 194-250 1001/2
www.thelalit.com/
the-lalit-grand-palace-srinagar/

222 JUNE 2016


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THE MERCHANDISE FEATURED EDITORIALLY HAS BEEN ORDERED FROM
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The Watch Bar, 022-2362 Delhi, Ambience Mall, Delhi, 011-4265 8322;
0275; Delhi, 011-2469 3712; R 011-4087 8888; Bengaluru, Bengaluru, 080-4162 7077
Bengaluru, 080-4098 2100 Rado Mumbai, 022-2833 080-4936 8888 Valentino valentino.com
7244; Delhi, 011-4357 5253; Tissot Mumbai, 022-2494
K Bengaluru, 080-3016 0121 0954; Delhi, 011-4375 1174; Z
Kenzo kenzo.com Raghavendra Rathore Bengaluru, 080-6726 6283 Z Zegna Mumbai,
Mumbai, 022-6749 9481; Delhi, Tommy Hilfiger Mumbai, 022-2285 7000; Delhi, DLF
L DLF Emporio, 93111 12844 Palladium, 022-3072 8807; Emporio, 011-4606 0999
Raymond Mumbai, 022-2268 Delhi, Ambience Mall, Zara Mumbai, Palladium,
9853; Delhi, 011-4359 2848 6002; Delhi, 011-2280 1770; 011-4087 0041; Bengaluru, 022-4347 3850; Delhi, DLF
Louis Leeman Bengaluru, 080-2206 7771 Brigade Orion, 080-2268 2091 Promenade, 011-4513 7124;
louisleeman.com Raymond Weil Mumbai, Troy Costa Mumbai, Bengaluru, Phoenix Marketcity,
Louis Vuitton Mumbai, 022- 022-2494 095; Delhi, Johnson 98200 71069 080-6726 6121
6664 4134; Delhi, DLF Emporio, Watch Co, 011-4151 7519;
011-4669 0000; Bengaluru, UB Bengaluru, Rodeo Drive,
City, 080-4246 0000 080-4124 8471
Richard James
M richardjames.co.uk
Massimo Dutti RM Williams
massimodutti.com rmwilliams.com.au
Rohit Gandhi + Rahul
022-6612 3800; Delhi, Khanna Mumbai,
011-6653 8781; Bengaluru, 022-2648 5622; Delhi, DLF
080-6649 5694 Emporio, 011-4654 7462
Moncler A. moncler.com Rolex Mumbai, 022-6625
N
Norton & Sons
nortonandsons.co.uk
SUIT, POCKET
SQUARE;
BOTH BY
HARDY AMIES.
JUMPER BY
ERMENEGILDO
ZEGNA. WATCH
BY BVLGARI.
SOCKS BY
HAPPY SOCKS.
SHOES BY
CHRISTIAN
LOUBOUTIN
JUNE 2016 223
 WHERE LUXURY LIVING MEETS FASHION
Throw some shade
This season Ermenegildo Zegna presents
a wide and varied range of sunglasses with
options for every face shape. The Havana/
Blue Acetate Glasses showcased here work best
for a gentleman with a rounder visage. While
featuring a Havana front with blue temples
and lenses, it gives you that much-wanted
summer swag.
Price on request. Available exclusively at
Ermenegildo Zegna stores across India
Shower in style
Showertronics iV6 a perfect blend of
innovation and functional simplicity by Jaguar
is the first-of-its-kind experiential and intuitive
electronic thermostatic mixing system that
provides an unmatched showering experience.
From Warm Up and Pause modes to functions
like Automatic Start Up, Thermal Disinfection
and more, this shower has a battery back-up
that lets it work even during a power failure.
Price on request. Available at all major Jaguar outlets
across India
224 JUNE 2016
Home in the clouds
The 65-acre Urbana is Kolkatas first future-ready, luxury community with
bungalows and 40- to 45-storey residential towers (some of the citys
tallest). Constructed in an environmentally conscious manner, it is also
well-connected to the rest of the city. With world-class amenities like
underground parking for almost 2,500 cars, a Residents Club, an infinity
pool and more, its changing the concept of urban living in Kolkata.
Limited residences available.
`1.8crore onwards. For more information, call +919836760508 or visit urbana.co.in
Into the blue
Uplift the dull and grey monsoon
mood with this stylish blue suit
from Study By Janak a fashion
label for men that showcases
formal and occasion wear. Crafted
from a superfine checkered-print
fabric, it features a narrow notch
lapel, glossy buttons and double
pockets. Throw on a canary
yellow tie with a matching pocket
square and youre bound to make
heads turn.
`20,000. Available at SBJ stores across
India Bandra, Mumbai
Let there be light
TISVA, the designer home lighting brand
from the house of Usha International Ltd,
presents its 2016 Spring Collection, which
showcases the use of concrete interior
lighting. Backed by world-class standards
and state-of-the-art design, this collection
combines beauty with cutting-edge
technology to transform the ambience
of any space.
Priced between `3,000 and `60,000. Available at
exclusive TISVA stores and authorized dealers.
For more information, visit lightsbytisva.com
or call 1800-103-3222 (toll free)

Diesels Machinus a reformed
Machinus NSBB. The subtle yet
Meet the loafer
Put your best foot forward with boat
shoes, loafers and moccasins from
Fortune a footwear collection from
Liberty for those who appreciate that
comfort and style go hand in hand.
Extremely soft and lightweight, these
shoes have a soft cushion in the insole
and a supple upper. Pair them with casual
and formal wear this season.
Priced between `1,999 and `2,499. Available
at Liberty showrooms and select footwear
retailers across India
More than the brew
The Beer Caf introduces Beerosphere,
a new line of merchandise comprising
over 30 products and collectibles. From
coolers, chillers and the Sonic Foamer
that uses ultrasonic vibrations to create
the perfect beer head to Beer Cap
Collectors, cushion covers, playing cards,
glassware and more, this merchandise
makes for perfect gifts.
Priced between ` 95 and `3,750. Available
at The Beer Caf and select retail outlets
across India
Tic talk
If you ever feel like upgrading
your style game or just adding
to your watch collection, get
and smaller make of the
powerful design of this Diesel
arm candy is a must-have.
`17,495. Available at all leading
Diesel Boutiques, Shoppers Stop
and Lifestyle stores
As lavish as you
The residences at Nahar Excalibur are
designed around your style. Whether
its the classic facade or the global
aesthetics built into your spacious
apartment, every facet of the project is
an extension of you, your dreams and
your aspirations. Located opposite the
Royal Western India Turf Club in the
heart of South Mumbai, Excalibur takes
opulence to the next level.
For more information, call
+919619446633/+919930446633 or visit
naharexcalibur.com
Blades of glory
Gillettes new Fusion ProGlide with
Flexball Technology delivers the
smoothest, cleanest shave with just
one stroke. Featuring a precision
trimmer with an advanced blade
and stabilizer, five thinner blades,
a streamlined comfort guard and
a cooling lube strip, it minimizes a
post-shave burn, reduces the pull
and tug of your skin and promises a
comfortable shave.
Available at leading retail
outlets across India.
JUNE 2016 225
OPEN LETTER

Dear Curators,
yourself as a
take this word, apply it to
By whose authority do you pos e you are able to
its deploym ent sup
badge of expertise, and by rest of us?
m together better than the
pick things out and put the
ty guests
t your curated list of par
Its really not surprising tha pro ve useful to
like and/or wh o will
turns out to be people you the par ty is not
din ner cou rses at
you. Having more than two you r clos et,
emble you chose from
curated; neither is the ens rst ma mm oth fur
n doing since the i
the way people have bee e. And did you
e elk-bone nec klac
was matched to a favourit can
cur ate the partys spe cial playlist? Apple Genius
really itse lf a DJ.
n have the bytes to call
do that, and it doesnt eve
notion of curation its an
Oh, were not against the a
p study and years of work;
essential role that takes dee d-won,
lending itself to a har
superior sense of aesthetics ple
t few pos sess. And thats why peo
rare knowledge tha itage
rs work in the Her
rightly referred to as curato
m, not Hau z Kha s Village.
Museu

For example:
on, Conceptual Art In Britain
-The Tates ongoing exhibit
1964-1979. Curated? Yes. d? No.
Mic this Thursday. Curate
sician and live wal l-pa inter illing out your Open
-The poet, mu
.
Ufizi Gallery. Curator? Yes
Firenzes world-renowned
-Eike Schmidt, director of ry sets. Curator? No.
traditional copper jewelle

WORDS: DAVE BESSELING. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

to pair and disp lay pile s of patterned skirts with
hing shops
-The person who visits clot which new app will make
your
r fau lt you hav e bet ter things to worry about, like
its not completely you e it. (Not curation.)
We know. Its confusing, and meals will look best alongsid
in din ner plat e and wh ich of your top Instagram
face look like a porcela cape as a declaration
ed from our social-medias
ul nou n, de mo cra tiza tion. The word has emerg ll be for and by the people. And
h that awf on this digital ground sha
Part of the problem lies wit s ban ishe d; tha t out put the most
have been stormed, keeper regulate itself and favour
that the gates of creativity ts of the ir labo urs , the natural order of things will t. And fuck you
nce to display the frui ire our wares. Right? Bul lshi
when everyone gets a cha the inte rne t is wh ere we all display and adm
ators of us all. And
worthy, which makes cur
collect ion of dog selies, OK? a
and you r k towards anything, attains
ato r act uall y doe s wh ile you, whos put in zero wor out , chic o. Get
value of what a cur . Go for it. Knock yoursel f
Democratization guts the in a pub lic foru m. If thats how you roll, ine ps you dist rac ted
through partici pat ion rupt and evil joke tha t kee
certain amount of power aus e in rea l life we know democracys a cor to cre ate so little of
can . Bec so mu ch
your positive vibrations wh
ere you
on the fact tha t you feel so empowered by doing s eno ugh
corporatocracy that thrives vy weaponry, which create
from revolting against the g wars to keep selling hea
the m get on wit h the ir nasty business of creatin ntries who cant afford them and
thus will
tangible value. It lets cou
ure in wit h tho se gen erous mandatory loans to
IMF to vult
destabilization to allow the
be eith er atta cke d or rescued. tos into an
need to compiling your phones pho
the inte rne ts ma dde ning cascade of vacuity eth ing, but youre
g into coherence from youre contributing to som
Just as collecting anythin iTu nes (no t cur ation) makes you feel like by cou ntin g the
you r get
Instagram feed, making a
playlist from that slot-machine rush you
to you r act ion s, no risk s, and no rewards beyond mu st be dyin g.
ces if youre not living, you
not. There are no consequen actually living at all. And
htag to hea rt-icon ratio, which means youre not
has
f an actual life,
So please, go curate yoursel

226 JUNE 2016

 DRIVE DE CARTIER
MANUFACTURE MOVEMENT 1904 MC
cartier.com

THE DRIVE DE CARTIER COLLECTION IS ELEGANCE REDEFINED. THE SLEEK LINES OF THIS CUSHION-SHAPED WATCH CREATE
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# W H AT D R I V E S YO U

Cartier Boutique in Delhi: DLF Emporio Mall, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj - +91 11 467 88 888
INDIAS
50BEST
DRESSED
MEN 2016
INCLUDING

DAPPER DON Music

&
F hi
Special

S OCIATION WITH
GQ GIRLS!
THE HOTTEST
MODELS IN
THE COUNTRY

SHAHID KAPOOR
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TARUN VISHWA
 EDITOR Che Kurrien PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Arjun Mehra
PUBLISHER Almona Bhatia
MANAGING EDITOR Maniza Bharucha ADVERTISING DIRECTOR (NEW DELHI) Kapil Kapoor
SENIOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS Sneha Mahant Mehta,
FASHION DIRECTOR Vijendra Bhardwaj Mala Kashyap, Amit Gokhale
ADVERTISING MANAGER Vinayak Ambekar
ART DIRECTOR Mihir Shah ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER (NEW DELHI) Siddhartha Swarup
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Priyank Vora
PHOTO DIRECTOR Gizelle Cordo ITALY SALES REPRESENTATIVE Angelo Carredu
US ADVERTISING MANAGER Alessandro Cremona
DEPUTY EDITORS Shikha Sethi, Dave Besseling MIDDLE EAST SALES REPRESENTATIVE IAS Media
SENIOR MANAGER DIGITAL BRAND SOLUTIONS (BENGALURU)
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Vivek Surve Anitha Ramabhadran
SENIOR ADVERTISING MANAGER DIGITAL (NEW DELHI) Kritika Sharma
LIFESTYLE EDITOR Megha Shah DIGITAL SALES MANAGER (NEW DELHI) Akshat Saxena
MANAGING EDITOR DIGITAL BRANDED CONTENT Nisha Samson
AUTO & WATCH EDITOR Varun Godinho SENIOR EXECUTIVE AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Tanishta Singh
COMMERCIAL MANAGER DIGITAL Ishani Roychoudhary
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FASHION BOOKINGS EDITOR Vasundhara Sharma PR MANAGER Yasmin Ranijiwala
FASHION STYLIST (LONDON) Ravneet Channa ASSISTANT MANAGER PR Amrita Hom Ray
HEAD EVENTS Neha Mishra
SYNDICATIONS MANAGER Michelle Pereira ASSISTANT MANAGER EVENTS Mansi Harkisandas
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COPY EDITOR AND WRITER PROMOTIONS Karishma Mehrotra
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PRESIDENT, CONDE NAST INTERNATIONAL LTD. Nicholas Coleridge
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CHAIRMAN, CONDE NAST INTERNATIONAL LTD. Jonathan Newhouse

4 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

Etores For our seventh edition of The 50
N Best-Dressed Men In India List, we
chose a theme for this special issue
that will never go out of style:
Fashion And Music.
CHE KURRIEN
Editor

Z iggy: A lien, A sian, A nd rogynous

David Bowie
Pretty
boys
can be
cool too
I be
Adam A f rica
man
Levine original

Even hef ty Fela

Elvis had
style moves
Kuti
you can
steal

The Kg
Kanye West, rap legend,
f ashion groupie How t o
wear
plaid by
Ax l
Ax l Rose
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK

Kye W INDIAS
50BEST
DRESSED
MEN 2016

DAPPER DON
ON T H E CO VER :
Tuxedo by Tom Ford. Jumper
by Paul Smith. Pocket square
by Thomas Pink. Shoes by Heel
GQGIRLS!
THE HOTTEST
MODELS N
THE COUNTRY
& Buckle. Watch by Rado
SHAHID KAPOOR
HOT GRA HED BY ARUN V S WA

N AS OC A I N W H
 COME BACK KIDS Look up any fashion list and Jagger, Bowie and The Beatles are

Le g e n d s the indisputable leaders. All guys who never intended to be sartorial

touchstones in 2016 but went so far ahead of the male curve that
they left an indelible impact. Todays coolest designers are picking
up their style and blowing a new generations minds

WORDS: SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR; IMAGE: INDIGITAL MEDIA (RAMP), REX FEATURES, GETTY IMAGES

Led Zeppn
Robert Plants way-too-small girls
blouses, Jimmy Pages dragon suits,
crotch-bulging jeans, extravagant rings
and an arrogant strut Led Zeppelin
roared rebellion and channelled voguish
glam-rock androgyny in the Seventies.
In 2016, Guccis writing a love letter to
rock n rolls most hedonistic decade.

8 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Jimi
Hdrix
Musics psychedelic
voodoo child, all
scraggly hair and
swathed in purple,
incorporated lushness in
every item imaginable:
velvet, bell-bottoms,
embroidery, plenty
of vintage. Balmains
30-year-old creative
director Olivier
Rousteing has carefully
tended trapezoidal
eyebrows and only
wears black. But his
design aesthetic is very
Hendrix: right down
to the gold-braided
military jackets.

David Bie
He was the original pop
chameleon, ringing in
ch-ch-changes for fashion,
playing with costume,
masks and alter egos in
a way that felt organic.
Which is perhaps why
David Bowies been
referenced on the runway
more times that anyone can
remember. Most recently,
John Varvatos captured
his transition from Ziggy
Stardust to the looser-cut
suits and stripes of his
Lets Dance era.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 9

 The BeaTl
Before Nehru jackets in Krishna-friendly colours
and before the lower power Day-Glo garb of
Sgt Peppers, the Fab Four came on the scene
with mod suits and mop-top haircuts to ignite
Beatlemania. Today, Kris Van Assche at Dior
Homme wouldve been their go-to designer.

IMAGE: INDIGITAL MEDIA (RAMP), REX FEATURES, GETTY IMAGES, CORBIS, JESSE FROHMAN (COBAIN)
Mick
Jg
The word cool would have
undersold Mick Jagger in
1976: He seemed to have
stepped directly from the
leshpots of Babylon, louche
and foppish but hell-bent
on revelry. Much like Sir
Paul Smith and the clothes
he makes rendered with
Jaggers insouciance and
spunk on stage.

10 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Smy
Davis Jr
Get on up, jive and groove
along. Junya Watanabes
Fall/Winter 2015 show
had Sammy Davis Jr
dancing all over it: slim-it
suits, shiny dress shoes,
pencil moustaches and
the slow strut of men full
of style and soul.

Kurt
Cain
Kurt Cobain was and
remains the paradigm of
cool in the minds of those
charged with manufacturing
it. Hedi Slimane was always
drawn to the gutter punk,
the whippet-thin rockstar.
During his (now-ended)
tenure at Saint Laurent, his
models strutted down the
runway with long, messy
blond hair, drainpipe ripped
jeans, alien sunglasses and
slumped shoulders. Cobain
wouldve of course been
the showstopper.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 11

 PHOTO: TARUN VISHWA

SHIRT, WAISTCOAT;
BOTH BY ROHIT
GANDHI + RAHUL
KHANNA.TROUSERS
BY TOM FORD.
SHOES BY CLARKS

12 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

COMPILED BY VIJENDRA BHARDWAJ & SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 13

SHAHID
KAPOOR
SKs A+ style transformation has got him our vote

PHOTOGRAPHED BY TARUN VISHWA

STYLED BY VASUNDHARA SHARMA WRITTEN BY SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR

TUXEDO JACKET
BY TOM FORD.
JUMPER BY PAUL
SMITH. POCKET
SQUARE BY
THOMAS PINK

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 15

 S
SHIRT, WAISTCOAT;
BOTH BY ROHIT
GANDHI + RAHUL
KHANNA.TROUSERS
BY TOM FORD.
SHOES BY CLARKS

ASSISTANT
STYLIST: DESIREE
FERNANDES
MAKE-UP: JAMES
GLADWIN
HAIR: TEAM HAKIM
AALIMS
PRODUCTION:
HYBRID09

16 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016


Over the years, Shahid Kapoors made a few style errors:
the mop-top hair, the popped collars, the T-shirts so tight
they couldve cut his blood supply. So how did he make it
to the cover of GQs Best-Dressed List?
The 2016 version of Kapoor, who walked into the
shoot in a fitted polo and jogger-jean hybrids, makes you
look twice. In fact, audiences arent just looking his 4.5
million Instagram followers are catching his every style
move. Guys salivate over his collection of shoes. Girls
press hearts on images of his bare torso compulsively.
Kapoor is 35. He looks 28. He blends experience
and youth, sitting at the sweet spot between the
establishment and the new generation. Hes confident,
almost cocksure of what he wants; dismissing even top
luxury labels if theyre not for him. But if you know
fashion, youll notice him wearing Givenchy and McQueen
the kind of edgy labels that dont bare any insignia on
the sleeve. He prefers it like that. The fact is, style is an
evolution and a reflection of who you are in the moment.
And Kapoors never looked better.
A younger Shahid wouldve never made it to this list.
I used to think I had an amazing sense of style, but when I look back,
Id say that it was bad like really bad. All the stuff you shouldnt
be doing is what I thought was fashionable. Id wear loud colours
together. You know how you see some people on the road and
think No? I was one of them.
A lot has changed.
I didnt have the exposure to understand what fashion was about. I
saw what was around me and dressed like that. Fashion in movies 15
years ago wasnt that great. I think weve started getting it right in the
last few years.
Which designers excite you?
I like offbeat designers: Scotch & Soda, AllSaints, G-Star, Diesel jeans,
Alexander McQueen, Givenchy. Rick Owens for shoes. I have about
30 pairs.
Whats your relationship with fashion?
I still dont know if Ive understood fashion entirely, but Ive
understood myself and what works for me and what doesnt.
And what works for you?
I like understated style black, grey and navy. I also like quirky, but
Im not an exhibitionist. I dont want everyone to turn around and
look at me. I still like to make a statement but I would rather be a tad
under- than overplayed its classier.
Your character Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab is the antithesis
of underplayed.
Tommy Singh is this super-obnoxious pop star whos also a massive
addict the next level of madness. I think hes my alter ego. All the
stuff I cant do, Ive let out through him.
"I like to me
a atemt
t I would
rath be a
tad under - than
ovpyed
its cs."
Do clothes help with getting into character?
Amazingly well. Its so weird but till the time you get into your clothes
and your look, its all theory.
What was your research like for the role?
I was researching coke addicts more than musicians. That was the
hard part for me because I dont drink and Ive never done any
substances.
The music part shouldve come easy. You got up and DJd at
GQs Best-Dressed party two years ago.
Ankytrixx was DJing, and hes a friend. In fact, hes the one who
taught me how to use the equipment. Thats how I spent my time
through a few months of unemployment, chilling and learning how
to mix tracks. I can understand the technicalities and how to spin a
few tracks but I wouldnt say Im a DJ. Im a wannabe DJ.
Is it true that you have a soundproof room at home?
Its a room where you can play loud music and it wont be heard
outside. But now its turned into a meeting room. So in case there
are any shouting sessions, no one can hear anything. The acoustics
do help.
What music do you listen to?
It started with Michael Jackson, Madonna and George Michael and
evolved to deep house and progressive techno.
Are you conscious of the kind of style images you put up on
Instagram?
Its how I am. Clothes are a relection of your personality and you can
use them to represent yourself.
Whats the biggest misconception people have about you?
That I have an attitude and that Im dificult. Im actually shy. Im not
dificult, Im very clear about what I want. Theres a thin line. If you
can explain to me why I should change my mind about something,
I can switch in one second. I think thats my biggest strength. But
you really need to be able to convince me.
BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 17
 BEST
JOHN DRESSED
MEN2016
ABRAHAM IN ASSOCIATION WITH

PHOTO: TARUN VISHWA (JOHN), ROHAN SHRESTHA (KUNAL 2012), FOTOCORP (KUNAL 2016), MANISH MANSINH (AKHIL)
SAYS
In 2016, the ideal alpha-
male movie star looks
like John Abraham, a
style underdog who
takes casual dressing as
an opportunity to blow
everyone else away
starting with a brooding
monochrome look that
exudes masculinity.

18 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

THE NEW GUARD

Akhil Akkine ni
Occupation: Actor. Residence: Hyderabad. Best purchase of 2016: My Mercedes-AMG
G 63. Most outrageous thing you own: Nothing is outrageous if youre comfortable
with it. #Trending: Anything with skulls and studs. Go-to scent: Tom Ford
fragrances. Favourite place to shop: All over Europe and online. Song right now:
Goodbye by Feder.

SARTORIAL DEVELOPMENT

l
Ra l
2008 Baggy de rdans
were huge at the time. Id just started my
label Dstress and the vision was to inject it
with grunge.
2012 The minute Id got a four pack,
I decided to go for slimmer fits and
a cleaner look. This was when I first
understood the power of bespoke.
2016 Ive always loved embroidery
on Indianwear but didnt like what was
around. So I started doing embroidery on
2008 2016

kurtas and gave it a modern feel.

2012

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 19

 BEST
DRESSED
MEN2016 IMAAD
IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE NEW GUARD

SHAH
SAYS
The potential to be
Bombays Bob Marley.

Gautam Seth
Occupation: Co-founder of design studio Klove.
Residence: Delhi. Favourite item of clothing:
Muslin shirts from Rajesh Pratap Singh and
Abraham & Thakore. Favourite designers: Tom
Ford. Everyday accessory: My new Skagen
watch inspired by Copenhagens cyclists. Go-to
scent: Ex Voto by WienerBlut; it smells like wood
burning in a rainforest. Favourite place to shop:
Merci in Paris; Massimo Dutti anywhere.
Music-fashion icons: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

SARTORIAL DEVELOPMENT
1980

1990

2016

Uday 1980 We didnt have shops

carrying metal/indie/punk shit. I
think I got the boots and the belt
1990 Those were the big hair
days. We didnt have the hairspray the
LA glam boys did so we let Bombays
2016 My styles less poser now.
For one, I dont have the patience
to primp. Plus I dont really give a

Benegal from the North-East Kohima or

Shillong. Those guys had the coolest
gear. Still do.
humidity do the work. There was a
little more of everything: the coiff, the
rip, the leather, the extras.
shit how people see me. If I wear
something, its because I want to and
it feels right.
 THE NEW GUARD

Shay
AIRPORT STYLE
Jhaveri
Occupation: Author, assistant curator
of South Asian Art at The Metropolitan
Museum of Art. Residence: Mumbai
& New York. Best fashion purchase
of 2016: An embroidered Nehru
jacket by Grace Wales Bonner. Top
designers: Prada and Comme Des
Garons. Everydayaccessory:My
grandfathers black leather pouch,
which he bought in Venice over 60
years ago. Musician youd imitate
growing up: For years I rocked
custom black Mary Janes with white
socks; a nod to Michael Jackson, Ive
been told.

Samir Suhag
The countrys most decorated polo player has
PHOTO: MANISH MANSINH (GAUTAM), ERRIKOS ANDREOU (IMAAD), VIRAL BHAYANI (IMRAN), JULIE ZHULDYZ SHALEKENOVA (SHANAY), KENNETH LAM (SAMIR)

style game and an enviable mane.

Whats your secret?
I feel a healthy mind and oil have allowed me to keep
some hair on my head despite the stress of the game. As
for my style, Im a big fan of jeans, and partial towards
Ralph Lauren.
Whats the coolest thing you own?
It has to be my Arjuna Award.
What was the irst record you ever bought?
Chris Isaak and Bryan Adams.

Imran han
Heres what weve discovere ran Khan over the years:
hes wholly committed to expanding his sock collection, has the
Batman logo tattooed on his sleeve, can pull off a bright yellow
suit, and is basically setting the benchmark for every new-age
dad: balancing baby, bag and Trilby.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 21

 BEST
AIRPORT STYLE
DRESSED
Akshay MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Oberoi
It should be so simple: pull on a T-shirt and a nice pair
of jeans and just go, right? But actor Akshay Oberoi
shows you that the casual look comes with studied THE NEW GUARD
nonchalance, and a few twists done right: the cuff roll,
the subtle man jewellery, the patinad shoes. A lesson
in how to wear relaxed fashion.

Benny Dayal
Hats and eyewear are to the bounding, bouncing singer what energy
is to Ranveer Singh: an instantly recognizable daily uniform.
Whats up with all those hats?
They may not be clothing but theyre deinitely the most important part of my
wardrobe. I emulate everyone from Frank Sinatra to will.i.am, Carlos Santana
and Jamiroquai.
How many do you own?
I have at least 137 hats, and 40 pairs of glasses. My favourite is a boater from
New York. Theyre normally made of cane, but mines cloth, with a similar it.
Which musician inspired your look?
Justin Timberlake. His sense of style is out of the box yet subtle
and minimalistic.

A nuj
Choudhry
Occupation: Model and actor. Residence: Delhi.
Best fashion purchase of 2016: Nike trainers.
Top designer: Rajesh Pratap Singh. Everyday
accessory: I dont wear any; my phone is the
only one I have, and I can do without it too.
Go-to scent: Dior Homme Sauvage. Music-
fashion icons: Sufi musician Saieen Zahoor and
Gary Clark Jr.

22 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 THE NEW GUARD AIRPORT STYLE

Sdeep
Gonsalv
Occupation: Co-founder of
menswear brand SS Homme.
Residence: Mumbai. Best
fashion purchase of 2016:
Herringbone TOMS. Favourite
item of clothing: My classic navy
windowpane checked suit. Top
designer: Yohji Yamamoto.
Music-fashion icons: Pharrell
Williams, MC Hammer, Michael
Jackson. Karaoke song:
Rumour Mill by Rudimental
and Disclosure ft The Weeknd
by Nocturnal.

Rohit
Bal
SAYS
PHOTO: FOTOCORP (AKSHAY), HARI NAIR (ANUJ), TARAS TARAPORVALA (SANDEEP), VIRAL BHAYANI (VIRAT)

The bad boy of Indian

fashion dresses like he
parties: no holds barred.

VIRAT KOHLI
You know Virat: The primo batsman who appears at airports
looking like he doesnt give a shit, and at a GQ party in a Burberry
suit looking top dollar. Who can turn it on and off like that?
Someone whos in complete control.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 23

 BEST
DRESSED
Mozez Sgh
The director, producer and writer of this

MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

years musical drama Zubaan is flying high
on fashion.
Whats the weirdest thing you own?
A Comme Des Garons jumpsuit that turns into
a parachute.
Which era deined music and fashion for you?
The Nineties!
Who are your music-fashion
icons?
AIRPORT STYLE Madonna, Rihanna, Pharrell
and Lenny Kravitz.
Who isnt?
Alice Cooper.

SARTORIAL DEVELOPMENT

Grav
Gupta
2002 A friend of mine at Central Saint
Martins in London was throwing bleach in
her hair. I also felt like it and it stuck for two
years I was to discover my blond side.

2010 I was getting fat so the slick

and sharp look was to give the illusion of
being, well, slimmer.

2016 This is when the hippie in me came

2010 2002

back, but with a topping of neo goth.

2016

ARJUN
RAMPAL
If youre wondering how the 43-year-olds made it to
this list when theres a new generation of stylish actors
to contend with, its because Rampals still drawing up
the blueprint for how to dress like a don. Case in point:
pairing the punk-rock trappings of zippered sweats with
the refinement of a Louis Vuitton Damier trolley.
 THE NEW GUARD

VICKY Occupation: Co-founder

of design studio Klove.
Residence: Delhi. Favourite

KAUSHAL fashion purchase of

2016: Y-3 lounge pants.
Top designers: Hedi
Slimane, Damir Doma
and Yohji Yamamoto on
the international circuit.
Everyday accessory:
A devi pendant. Go-to
scent: Lumire Noire by
Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
Music-style icons: David
Bowie, Annie Lennox,
Pharrell, Gwen Stefani
and Madonna.

Prateek Jain
PHOTO: VIRAL BHAYANI (RAMPAL, KAPOOR), TARAS TARAPORVALA (GAURAV 2015), GETTY IMAGE (VICKY)

SAYS
The indie actor
channelled
surprisingly singular
AIRPORT STYLE
style at the Cannes
Film Festival, wearing
a DB with a summer
vibe. A dark horse Arjun
candidate on the rise.

Kapoor
Hes playing up his
downtime in joggers and
bright sneakers a look
thats being adopted by
every best-dressed dude
from the Grammys to the
Premier League and
coming out on top.
 BEST
DRESSED
MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

T HE reve rbe ration

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERRIKOS ANDREOU STYLED BY VENDRA BHARDWAJ WRITTEN BY SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR

26 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Welcome to a
new world of
progressive sounds
and blowout
performances,
aided and abetted
by six of Indias
coolest musicians.
Guys who are the
full package of
talent and style.
Showmen who front
fashion campaigns
and still look
street on stage

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

ON ANKUR: SUIT, SHIRT,
TIE; ALL BY DOLCE &
GABBANA. POCKET
SQUARE, COLLAR PIN;
BOTH BY THE BRO CODE.
TRAINERS BY CONVERSE

ON YOHAN: SHIRT BY
THOMAS PINK. WAISTCOAT
BY TED BAKER AT THE
COLLECTIVE. JACKET BY
GIORGIO ARMANI. JEANS
BY VAN HEUSEN. COLLAR
PIN BY THE BRO CODE.
WATCH BY PANERAI

ON SAHIL: WAISTCOAT
BY ZARA. JACKET BY
KARL LAGERFELD AT THE
COLLECTIVE. JOGGERS
BY H&M. SCARF BY
SHINGORA. SHOES BY
ADIDAS

ON SAHEJ: SHIRT BY
MARKS & SPENCER.
TRENCH COAT BY
BURBERRY. JEANS BY
LEVIS. BOW TIE BY GUCCI.
SHOES BY TRSMODE.
WATCH BY EMPORIO
ARMANI

ON RANJIT: SHIRT, RING,

SHOES; ALL BY GUCCI.
WAISTCOAT BY ZARA MEN.
TROUSERS BY PAUL SMITH.
WATCH BY VICTORINOX

ON ANISH: SHIRT,
BROOCH; BOTH BY RARE
RABBIT. VESTED BLAZER,
JOGGERS; BOTH BY
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD AT
THE COLLECTIVE. SHOES
BY TRSMODE

BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 27

Ranjit
Arapurakal
Dont let the blonde tips fool
you. The lead singer of Ranjit
and the Ambassadors has
vocal chords that stretch
from Americana to jazz, and
the animal magnetism of a
rockstar.

SUIT BY PAUL SMITH. SHIRT, SHOES,

BOW TIE, LION RING; ALL BY GUCCI

28 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 BEST
DRESSED
MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Sahil
Sharma
Knicker-wetting teenage
girls and mussed-hair
college boys go wild for
Zaedens Bieber and
Coldplay remixes that are
slam dunk club anthems.

SHIRT, TROUSERS, CUMMERBUND;

ALL BY GUCCI

BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 29

 BEST
DRESSED
MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Yohan
Marshall
Channelling his Carnatic and
Hindustani music tutelage
into rock, funk, jazz, Latin
and hip-hop, this drummers
nimble ingers are some of the
countrys inest.

SUIT BY PAUL SMITH. SHIRT BY

RARE RABBIT. SANDALS BY GUCCI.
WATCH BY PANERAI

30 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

Anish Sood
The stylistically promiscuous producer
and DJ fuses progressive house,
electro and techno to create the sound
of this generation.

SUIT, SHIRT, BROOCH; ALL BY GUCCI

BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 31

 An kur
Tewari
Hes delightfully Hindie in the
way that Indias electronica-
hungry crowd rarely
accommodate anymore. And
yet his names still topping the
countrys biggest music fests.

SUIT, SHIRT; BOTH BY GUCCI. HAT BY

BROOKS BROTHERS

32 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Sahej
BEST Bakshi
DRESSED
MEN2016
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
The electronica artist also
known as Dualist Inquiry can
swing from chill music to dance-
loor burners in the same way
that he can go from jeans to a
loral Gucci suit, no problem.

SUIT, SHIRT, RING; ALL BY

GUCCI. NECKLACES BY
MAWI AT KOOVS. SHOES BY
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

PHOTOGRAPHER AGENCY:
DEU: CREATIVE MANAGEMENT
ASSISTANT STYLIST: TANYA VOHRA
HAIR & MAKE-UP: MONA ANAND/BBLUNT
FASHION ASSISTANT: DESIREE FERNANDES
PRODUCTION: VASUNDHARA SHARMA,
HYBRID 09 PRODUCTIONS

BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 33

 Prik BEST
DRESSED
MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE NEW GUARD

Hes refashioned his life but his style is still badass. Dont be surprised to
see him in all-out leather, ribbed for his pleasure.
Which musician would be your spirit animal?
Axl Rose for his kooky, crazy ways and Slash for all that leather.
Whats the coolest thing you own?
Techno sunglasses I recently bought from Giorgio Armani.
Whats in abundance in your wardrobe?
Leather jackets and white tees.

ASHISH
N SONI
Nikhil
SAYS
Few make and wear
Sharma
Occupation: Owner of menswear e-label
a windowpane Lacquer Embassy. Residence: Delhi. Best
checked suit fashion purchase of 2016: A Reiss briefcase
as well as this in sand leather. Top designers: Raf Simons,
Delhi designer. Acne, Antonio Azzuolo, Maison Margiela.
Everyday accessory: Hand-crafted
neckties. Music-fashion icons: Brandon
Flowers, Alex Turner and Vampire Weekend.

34 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 THE NEW GUARD

lqu Salma
Occupation: Actor. Residence: Kochi and Chennai. Top designers:
Tom Ford (love everything by him), Alexander McQueen shoes, Hugo
Boss suits and Dolce & Gabbanas white shirts. Most outrageous
thing you own: A couple of ridiculous Louboutins that Im too
embarrassed to wear out. #Trending: Espadrilles. Theyre the most
comfortable shoes to walk around in. My wife is ready to throw out
every pair I own. Music-fashion icons: Frank Sinatra and all of the
Rat Pack, Springsteens white shirt and denims, and Kanye on a good
day. Musician youd imitate growing up: I grew up around the hip-
hop phase of the late Nineties, early millennium so Id say Jay Z.

AIRPORT STYLE

SARTORIAL DEVELOPMENT

Acquin
Pais
2007 The long hair started over 9
years ago. I used to live in London and
see all these indie bands play. Plus,
artists like Devendra Banhart or Julian
Casablancas had it. I thought it was cool.

2013 My most memorable tattoo

is of the Indian shaman woman on my
chest, which took eight hours straight to
get done.

2016 Fashion goes around in circles,

2013 2016

I still wear stuff from 10 years ago.

2007
PHOTO: ARJUN MARK (PRATEIK), VIRAL BHAYANI (RANBIR), R BURMAN (ACQUIN 2016)

Ranr
Kapoor
RKs Yankees cap, LV holdall and Nike dunks
might resemble a traffic signal here, but his
look also falls under the regulations of a well
put-together guy who doesnt try too hard.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 35

 Tarang BEST
A rora
The creative brain behind Amrapali
DRESSED
subscribes to a philosophy of more
is more. MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Is there such a thing as wearing too
much bling?
I wear seven bracelets, two pendants
and an earring. So according to me, no.
But it also depends on how you carry it
off and how comfortable you are being
that bold.
Whats the weirdest thing in
your closet? AIRPORT STYLE
A shirt printed with the screaming face
of Charles Bukowski wearing a Band-Aid
that I picked up from Huemn. Its also one
of the coolest things in my wardrobe.
Whats the ultimate style mantra for
a rockstar?
Not being conventional but also not
trying too hard.

THE NEW GUARD

Viv Kanakaran
Occupation: Designer
and co-founder
of fashion brand
Viia. Residence:
Chennai. Best fashion
purchase of 2016:
My resolutions
been to wear my
own label through
the year. #Trending:
Palazzos and
printed bundis. Top
designers: Rohit Bal,
Alexander McQueen,
Elie Saab and Viktor
& Rolf. Everyday
accessory: My leather
wristbands. Music-
fashion icon: Lady
Gaga all the way.
Karaoke song: Sway
by Michael Bubl.

Ayushmann
Khurrana
The least vain actor in Bollywood always seems
to take roles that obscure his consummate style.
But out of costume, hes a clotheshorse who can
pull off Antar-Agni as impeccably as he can a
three-piece suit.

36 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 NIKHIL ME HRA

Rainh Jadeja of
Mya (No)
Hes the coolest royal to come out of the
Subcontinent.
Whats the weirdest thing you own?
A pair of really old dungarees. Dont know whose
they are. But I have them from university.
Whats the irst record you bought?
The Bangles. You know, the guys who sang Walk
Like An Egyptian.

SAYS
One of the best engineers
of menswear is also his
own best advert.
PHOTO: FOTOCORP (AYUSHMAAN), TARUN VISHWA (NINO)

THE NEW GUARD

Ayush Mra
Occupation: Director at Study by Janak. Residence: Gurgaon. Best fashion
purchase of 2016: A Paul Smith bathrobe. Favourite item of clothing: Suits.
Top designers: Etro, Stefano Ricci, Jean Pierre, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul
Gaultier. Everyday accessory: A tie. Go-to scent: Tom Ford.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 37

 AIRPORT STYLE

BEST
DRESSED
MEN2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE NEW GUARD

Karan Sgh
Occupation: Scion of the Thakur Group. Residence:
Mumbai. Favourite fashion purchase of 2016: A
RANVE E R
Saint Laurent sequinned blazer. Favourite item of
clothing: My Balmain biker jacket. Top designers:
Tom Ford, Saint Laurent, Balmain, Gucci, Abu Jani SINGH
PHOTO: VIRAL BHAYANI (RANVEER)

& Sandeep Khosla, Herms. Most outrageous

High-fashion labels, like the ones Ranveer Singh likes to wear, can overwhelm a
purchase: A Tom Ford double-layered cashmere
guy who doesnt have the right swagger. But Singh a walking fireball of high-
overcoat. #Trending: Bomber jackets. Music-
def entertainment and A-list charisma has a way of making designer clothes
fashion icons: Harry Styles, Jay Z, Jared Leto.
serve him. If my stylist brings me a dozen suits, Ill invariably pick the one that
has flowers or teddy bears on it, he says, something thats not navy blue, black
or grey. And if he wears black? Itll be served with blinding metallic, obviously.

38 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016


2008
Suk Dhir
2008 This was on the way to
Kashmir when Id wrapped myself
in a pashmina. Id just met my
wife Svetlana and I think my
style exuded my romantic state
of mind.
SARTORIAL DEVELOPMENT
2009
2016
2009 Iwasrebellingagainst
ready-madesuitsandgotthisone
hand-stitchedbymymaster,whod
comefromGiorgioArmani.Idalsojust
launchedmylabelandwasgunning
forsharptailoringatthetime.
CHE TAN
JAIKISHAN
SAYS
Dont age gracefully.
Age bossfully like SoBos
Gucci don.
2016 I saw guys riding
Royal Enfields in Punjab who
had these amazing beards,
and started growing one. Now
people rarely forget who I am
because of it.
THE NEW GUARD
Sgar
Mra
Occupation: Creative director at
Sunil Mehra. Residence: Delhi. Best
fashion purchase of 2016: Pirarucu
shoes. Favourite item of clothing:
Suits. Top designers: Its a long
list: YSL, Andrea Pompilio, Tom
Ford, Stefano Pilati, Karl Lagerfeld,
Justin OShea, Sir Paul Smith, Etro...
Go-to tailor: Itll always be Sunil
Mehra. Music-fashion icons: Axl
Rose, Steven Tyler, John Lennon
(those glasses!), Jim Morrison,
David Bowie, Tupac. Musician
youd imitate growing up: Michael
Jackson doing the moonwalk.
BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 39
 BEST
DRESSED THE NEW GUARD

MEN2016 Ji
IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Sa h
Occupatio esidence:
Mumbai. Favourite fashion
purchase of 2016: A blue checked
Herringbone & Sui suit. Top
designer: NorBlack NorWhite is
groovy. Everyday accessory: A
marbled tan-brown laptop bag I
bought in Budapest; it hangs out
with me. Music-fashion icons:
David Bowie, Tom Waits, Prince,
Kurt Cobain. Karaoke song: Love
Me by Elvis Presley. Musician
youd imitate growing up: Mmm, I
had a Marilyn Manson phase going
on for a while.

Troy Coa

Sanjiv
Shanmugam
The Bengaluru real estate honcho is an
accessories aficionado. He isnt afraid to wear
them all together, either.
How do you put your look together?
Im currently in a more-is-more mood. I always
wear a pocket square but have started wearing
cuflinks and hats more than ever. Im also
obsessed with these rose lapel pins from Angelo
Fusco in Milan.
What was your irst signiicant accessory?
SAYS
My parents gave me an Omega Seamaster for When hes not
my college graduation. I still love it and wear it all wearing Philipp
the time.
Plein at fashion
Which brands rock your wardrobe? week, the suit-maker
Ralph Lauren, Etro and Brooks Brothers. plays it cool in hard-
boiled denim.
 THE NEW GUARD

Rin
Singh
Occupation: Pro footballer for the
Indian national team. Residence: Delhi.
Favourite fashion purchase of 2016:
A Bulgari watch. Favourite designers:
Marc Jacobs and Armani. Go-to tailor:
Hugo Boss. Everyday accessory: My
headphones and music. Karaoke song:
Wasnt Me by Shaggy.

SAYS
After nailing the detective
vibe as Byomkesh Bakshi,
PHOTO: VIVEK MUTHURAMALINGAM (SANJIV), MANISH MANSINH (TROY), NIMISH JAIN (ROBIN), R BURMAN (SUSHANT)

Sushants set to play MS

Dhoni and will no doubt
prove hes as comfortable
in a dhoti and sports pads
as he is in a leather blazer.

Sushan t
Singh Rajpu t
BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 41
 GQ HALL OF FAME Perennially best-dressed men
who made it out of the top 50
and into a league of their own

Rahul Khan Sunil Shi

IMAGE: MANISH MANSINH (THERON)

Good genes and a great wardrobe, propelled by The doyen of Indias apex fashion
ine taste. council knows better than to put
SAYS SAYS a wrong sartorial foot forward.

42 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 A. D.
Singh
You never know what
the restaurateurs going
SAYS to turn up in, but you can
be damn sure it wont be boring.

Th
Carmine
De Sousa
The branding consultant,
equestrian and voice expert
SAYS treats style as he does his
career: Theres nothing he cant do.

no
Vikr Moa
Raizada SAYS
Looks good in everything
he puts on. Even a
Batman-esque cardigan.

A playful agitator
of bold fashion and
SAYS often the standout
guy in a room.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 43

 T h em e n's
G e nGt luei d e

The Great Gatsby, 2013

ALL T HAT JAZZ

Borrow from an era where style and substance went hand in hand and men understood the importance
of dressing up. Van Heusen's Spring/Summer 2016 collection is a good place to start

Benny Goodman

Do The Dails
Carefully chosen, subtle
PHOTO: SAGAR AHUJA (RAMP). IMAGE: REX FEATURES

accessories always punch

above their weight. It
could be a printed bow tie,
round eyewear or even
a beret. The point is, the
little things make a big
difference, whether youre
Frank Sinatra rocking a dressing for the races, a
printed bow tie in 1940
jazz festival or brunch.

44 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Miles Davis
working a
DB suit like
a bawse
Herbie
Hancock Louis Armstrongs
looking ly trumpet is the perfect
in 1978 accent to his elegant suit

Tailor
"Muc d fe a al
out yle." -Mil Davis
made
Doesnt matter what kind
of suit youre investing in.
Whether it costs `10,000
Louis Armstrong and King or `1,00,000, is lannel or
Olivers Creole Jazz Band
seersucker, two-button or
three, its always, always
about the it. Get that right
and youll be the best-
dressed guy in the room.

Che it
A lot of guys straight-out avoid colour and
patterns, thinking theyre going to look like
fools. In fact, mastering the art of patterns is
whats going to separate you from the
pack. Just look at Louis Armstrong and
Herbie Hancock.

Lay Up
Traditionally
speaking, a topcoat
is your most
dependable option
when layering. But
tradition can also
get tedious, and in
the modern world
wearing a Henley
under your suit is
the smartest, most
stylish way forward.

Humphrey Lyttelton

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 45

 N e we
Ag

@PlaidItWellStyle
FOLLOW
Sarthak Raswant

He supports young designers like Sahil Aneja and Huemn at fashion week.
But his Instagrams proof that he can also wear a classic double-breasted suit
the GQ way.

Style 2 0
In a fashion universe driven by stylized visuals and rapid updates,
these four menswear bloggers are on top of their game
@_ABIX_
Abhinav Mathur
FOLLOW

The co-founder of Delhis Hive Kitchen & Bar shows off

his versatile style to over 30,000 Instagram followers:
sporting head-to-toe Adidas by day; tailored suits by night.

@urbaneyebyrg
Riaan J George

FOLLOW

From Vienna to Sri

Lanka, this journalist,
and grooming expert
decodes style via
travel snapping his
personal attire (from
WORDS: SHIVANGI LOLAYEKAR

scissor-shaped bow ties @thedapperlabel

FOLLOW
to printed board shorts) Usaamah Siddique
and other curious finds
along the way.
Hes one of the first menswear bloggers in the country
and a pro at pulling off sports luxe.

46 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

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 WRITTEN BY CAITY WEAVER
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC RAY DAVIDSON

Allow Me to
Rein t roduce
Myse lf Sure, Justin Bieber has made mistakes. The monkey. The
mop bucket. A few historical desecrations along the way.
Then he spent all of last year telling us he was sorry. (Though
T it turns out he didnt mean sorry so much as Well, well let
him explain.) Now hes found a better way to make up with the
world: by making the best music of his life and forcing all of
us to rethink what we believe (Beliebe?) about him

he chicken-inger platter that has just been placed
before Justin Bieber is like something out of a childrens
book an illustration from a story about a boy who
becomes king, whose irst and last royal decree is that
its chicken-inger time. The dish is so massive that
in order to accommodate it, a metal urn illed with
enough ice and soft drinks to sustain a pioneer family
on a trek across Death Valley is moved to an adjacent
table. Tenders are not even listed on the menu of this
restaurant; its offerings are conined to ideas like
parsnip pure, pomegranate gastrique and dill. snuggled into a pair of caf au lait Yeezy Boosts. He is
The ingers have been conjured, unbidden, out of the
invisible fabric of the universe for Justin Bieber, who is
not eating them.
Bieber and I are sitting in a private open-air cabana
on the rooftop of the hotel in Beverly Hills where he
now lives. Bieber moved into this hotel almost two years
ago, after he sold his six-bedroom Calabasas mansion
to Khlo Kardashian, following numerous clashes with
neighbours and police. (His skate ramp was removed.)
He is slight, with rashes of tattoos spreading down
both arms. His hair, cropped short on the sides but long
enough on top to be tied in a short bleached ponytail,
is tucked under a grey Supreme beanie. His feet are
wearing what could be anywhere from two to 41 black
sweatshirts of various lengths, layered, and distressed
leather pants that retail for $2,590. Everyone else by the

50 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 NECKLACE
BY MIANSAI
pool is wearing clothes; he is wearing fashion. When he
arrived just a few minutes ago, he was escorted by a Def
Jam executive for the ive-second walk from the elevator
to this cabana.
Are you Justin? I asked.
I must be, he replied.
If someone asked you to list the ten worst things you
have ever done in public, you would probably have to
rack your brain to come up with a list even half that long.
Justin Bieber has an encyclopaedic knowledge of his
public fuck-ups. He could recite his list off the top of his
head, because he is asked to revisit its contents every
time he is interviewed. He treats the list of things he has
done wrong as assumed knowledge. We know pi is 3.14;
we know Justin Bieber was arrested on suspicion of
drunk driving in Miami (a charge dropped as part of a
plea deal); we know he abandoned a monkey a young
monkey in Germany.
One year ago, for all these sins and presumably
for many more that we will never know about Bieber
embarked on a whirlwind public-apology tour. He
sat down for a chat on Ellen (bearing lowers for her
birthday) and then uploaded a poorly lit cell-phone
video to Facebook saying he felt awkward during the
interview and expressing remorse for his behaviour
over the past year, year-and-a-half. He was the
subject of a Comedy Central Roast organized by his
management team, which, unlike the roasts of beloved
comedians, illed the air with an acrid smell, as if a witch
were being burned at the stake. (Hannibal Buress:
I dont like you at all, man. Im just here cause this is
a real good opportunity for me.) He smouldered on
the cover of Seventeen alongside the statement I
Was Disappointed in Myself. He bought dinner for
cops. And then, last fall, Justin Bieber did the most
prudent thing he could possibly have done to earn the
worlds forgiveness: He released an album of face-
melting bangers.
Purpose achieved for Justin what years of wearing
saggy pants could not: It made people regard him as an
adult artist capable of appealing to people old enough to
rent a car. Suddenly, everything was going mostly right.
Collaborations with EDM maestros Skrillex and Diplo
earned sterling reviews from music critics. The album
produced an unbroken string of hits. Grown men
now love Justin Biebers music, too, reported the
Associated Press somberly. As 2015 drew to a close, if
you thought Justin Biebers music sucked, you were
worse than snobbish you were uninformed. People
were even beginning, experimentally, to enjoy Justin
Bieber the person.
In October, Bieber released the single Sorry,
in which he apologizes to an unnamed girl for the
three catchiest minutes of your life. Many interpreted
the track as a winking mea culpa for the sum of his
wrongdoings the capstone to his year of penance.
Today, Justin Bieber says it was not.
People ran with that that I was, like, apologizing
with the song and stuff. It really had nothing to do
with that.
It wasnt meant to be an apology?
No. It was about a girl.
I point out that for much of the past year, hes been
seeking forgiveness. He tells me it was more about
52 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016
Evye  by
the pool is wearg
clh; eb is
wearg f
acknowledging past mistakes. Not Im sorry I broke
your vase but, rather, Man, I broke your vase thats on
me I admit that.
Everyone, when they start growing up, realizes, Man,
I did some dumb shit when I was younger. Its not just
me... If I could go back, I wouldnt really change much. I
think its all my journey. That stuff made me who I am.
Lets note before we go too much further that Justin
Bieber is not easy to talk to. A linguist would say he
violates backchannel norms. That is, he withholds those
subtle signs short verbal cues like mmm-hmm,
right and yeah; quick head nods that indicate an
engaged listener and that encourage the speaker to
continue. You perform these signs countless times a day;
its something humans do whether they speak English,
Hungarian or Farsi. There are a number of reasons
why Bieber might have developed this irregular habit.
Perhaps it was drilled into him that two people talking at
once makes for poor audio quality on talk shows. Maybe
he was warned that a stray yeah to demonstrate youre
paying attention could, in the wrong hands, turn into an
on-the-record afirmation that Bush did 9/11. Maybe he
wants to be unsettling.
Whatever the reason, it is unsettling. Its unsettling to
share a personal story, or ask a long-winded question,
and be met with Justin Biebers silent, cool-eyed stare
the entire time youre talking. Justin Bieber makes eye
contact like a person who has been told that eye contact
is very, very important.
He can be dificult to talk to in other ways, too. He
generally does not respond to irony. He speaks more
quietly than a mouse thats asleep, so you frequently
have to ask him to repeat things. (More than once,
WORDS: SAM SCHUBE (STYLE RULES)
sensing my anxiety that my recorder cannot detect the
minuscule sound waves of his speech, he moves it closer
to him, assuring me, I got you.)
I ask him to tell me everything about the monkey.
Heres what we know. In March of 2013, Justin
Bieber suffered every animal lovers worst nightmare:
coniscation of his pet by the German government. His
capuchin monkey, OG Mally, was seized by customs
oficials when Bieber landed in Munich for a tour stop.
 RULE 1
CARDIGAN,
TROUSERS;
HIDE YOUR HOODIE
BOTH BY GUCCI. We love a big, baggy hoodie as
SHIRT BY much as the next guy. (OK, maybe
SATURDAYS NYC.
BRACELET BY not as much as Justin.) But if you
MIANSAI. RINGS want to look extra polished, trade
(FROM LEFT)
BY DAVID your hooded sweatshirt and jeans
YURMAN, DEGS for a fitted cardigan and a pair of
& SAL, CARTIER
(VINTAGE).
slim suit pants.
SHOES BY
BERLUTI
RULE 2
TEE OFF
Sub a stylish polo the kind that
cinches with a waistband in for
your T-shirt and youll be on your
way to looking like a professional.

The exact reason is a matter of dispute, but in any

event, OG Mally was placed under quarantine. Oficials
gave Bieber until May 7 to reclaim him, with proper
paperwork. May 7 came and went. By August, Germany
was demanding nearly $8,000 in fees related to the
monkeys relocation to a zoo.
Almost as soon as it broke, the OG Mally story
took on a mythic quality. The primate, a pet owned
by noblewomen in Renaissance art, and by Michael
Jackson, became a symbol of Biebers excess. His loss
of it was indicative of irresponsibility. His failure to
reclaim it marked Bieber as uncaring: the father no
monkey deserved.
SUIT, POLO But as best I can tell, he really loved that monkey.
SHIRT; BOTH BY When I bring up Mally, I mispronounce his name I
CALVIN KLEIN had assumed it was pronounced Mal-ee, like rally
COLLECTION.
LOAFERS BY
and Bieber immediately corrects me. It was Mally,
GUCCI. WATCH he says, pronouncing it Maul-ee, like having properties
BY BULOVA. characteristic of or similar to a mall.
BRACELET BY
OG Mally, he says, was named after a human man
MIANSAI. RINGS
(FROM LEFT) named Mally, who gave him the monkey as a birthday
BY DAVID present, because Bieber had always wanted one.
YURMAN, DEGS
It wasnt like I went looking for a monkey or
& SAL, CARTIER,
DAVID anything. It just kind of fell in my lap.
YURMAN. I ask if its true that Bieber didnt have the papers
SHOES BY required to transport the monkey across international
BERLUTI
lines.
I had the papers.
So what was the issue?
In Germany, that monkeys endangered or
something But I had the papers. I even had it
written out that he was a circus monkey and he could
travel and all that shit. I had all the right papers. Things
get twisted.
Its hard not to feel a little bad for Bieber, for losing
his monkey to Germany. I tell him I wouldnt expect a
teenager to be totally up-to-date on the ins and outs of
German wildlife-transport policy. A shadow passes
over his face.
Honestly, everyone told me not to bring the
monkey. Everybody.
He says this with such gravity that I burst out
laughing. Bieber does not.
Everyone told me not to bring the monkey. I was
like, Its gonna be ine, guys! It was he shuts his

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 53

 SHIRT, TROUSERS;
BOTH BY PRADA.
SNEAKERS BY
VANS. BRACELET
BY MIANSAI.
RINGS BY DAVID
YURMAN. WATCH
BY BULOVA

54 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 eyes the farthest thing from ine.
Would you ever go back and visit him?
Um, maybe.
Would you get another one?
Yeah, one day. Just gotta make sure I got a house
and it stays in the fucking house. Im not gonna bring
him to Germany or travel with it anymore. People are
always like, Why did you get a monkey? If you could get
a monkey, well, you would get a fucking monkey, too!
Monkeys are awesome.
A few days before we meet, Bieber makes the sort of
headlines pre-acknowledging Bieber used to, when he
is asked to leave a site of pre-Columbian archaeological
ruins in Mexico. His alleged crimes: climbing on
700-year-old not-climb-on-able ruins; performing acts
so diabolical the Spanish-language reports describe
them simply as doing outrages. (A local oficial
eventually told Entertainment Tonight that Bieber
pulled his pants down and insulted our staff.)
Today, by the pool, I ask Bieber if hed like to clear up
what happened in Tulum. First Bieber calls out to one of
his hulking bodyguards (Yo, Mikey!) and asks him to
RULE 3
CHANGE YOUR HAIR WITH THE TIMES
Today, Justins style is one part pompadour, one
part Brooklyn buzz. In other words, the exact
midpoint between classic and current.
please bring his silky terrier, Esther, over to the cabana.
Then he begins by telling me it wasnt in Tulum.
I forget where it was. It wasnt Tulum.
It actually was in Tulum.
The reason why I went there [NB: Tulum] in the irst
place was to go see those ruins. Because I love history.
Things that were irst... And the Mayans had such a big
impact on society today. Whether its the calendar, or
whatever it may be. They have a lot of irsts.
The problems, he says, taking a drag of a Newport,
arose due to a lack of proper signage. When he jumped
on a low stone wall to pose for a photo, he was unaware
it was considered off-limits. Oh, and he did pull his
pants down.
Me and my boys have been doing this thing where
we moon each other whenever we take a picture. So
[my friend] went to take my picture, and I mooned
him. And I guess [the guards] thought that I was being
WORDS: SAM SCHUBE (STYLE RULES)
disrespectful to the site or whatever. Thats not what I
was doing. I immediately was like, Man, I didnt mean
any disrespect but they werent really having it. They
were like, No! You this disrespectful! I said, All right,
cool well bounce. So I just walked out. I just knew it
would escalate into something else. The dudes that were
escorting us were like four feet tall, and I just wanted to
The old Bieber came back, and I wanted to smack them
around a little bit. But I realized, you know what, obviously
it looked bad, and it was disrespectful, because I was in their
sacred area, showing my ass and stuff. But it was all in good fun.
My boys we do this wherever we are. Its like a last-second
thing: They go to take a picture, and I just turn [around] But
yeah, you know, clarifying that, you know, to the Mayan people
or whatever, whoever was Felt any disrespect, Im truly sorry
for that. I never meant to disrespect anybody.
B
ieber is notoriously antsy. In the middle of
a line of questioning about his coat, which
is such a complicated tangle of sleeves and
latticework that I will not even attempt to
explain it here, except to say that Bieber
himself describes it as very a lot, he suggests we go for a
walk. I soon realize he means through the hotel a tour of the
Plaza with Eloise.
Im getting restless. I take Adderall, too.
Adderall is a stimulant commonly prescribed to treat
ADHD. Bieber, who is 21, says hes been on it for about a
year now, but I think Im about to get off of it because I feel like
its giving me anxiety.
I ask if he intends to replace it with something else or wean
himself off stimulants entirely.
Heres the thing, he says as we exit the pool area. The
doctors been telling me that the reason I havent been able to
concentrate during the day is because Im not getting
Bieber is interrupted in the middle of a thought about
concentration by a tanned, wrinkled gentleman a fellow
hotel resident, it turns out, who has decided, seemingly at
this very second, that he might like to attend a Justin Bieber
concert for free. Bieber extricates himself as politely as a
Maia don. We resume our conversation in the elevator.
Im not getting restful sleep, so during the day I need
[Adderall] to concentrate because Im not getting the
proper you know, when you sleep, your body creates
endorphins, creates these things, and when youre not
getting that sleep
Justin Bieber tells me a lack of sleep is compromising
his entire immune system. He says he hopes to cut out the
Adderall and replace it with something really natural, like a
natural sleep aid. Thats what Im going to New York for.
Bieber asks his bodyguard, Is Hailey in my room?
Hailey is Hailey Baldwin, daughter of Stephen, niece of
Alec. She was with Bieber over New Years and is rumored
to be his girlfriend. (She was with him in Mexico when he did
outrages.) Most 21-year-olds might ask Hailey where she is
directly, over text. Bieber doesnt text.
I dont want people to feel like they can just get in contact
with me that easy, he tells me later when I ask about the
logistics of a pop stars personal phone. Very few people have
his number. He doesnt even bother memorizing it because it
must be changed every six months, for security.
One of the most endearing things about Justin Bieber is
that for the entire time Im with him, he never once looks at
his phone.
Hailey is in his room. She is the only one in his room
(except for Esther the dog, who smells incredible). When we
enter, Hailey is wearing a black crop top and tight black pants,
BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 55
sitting on a pristinely made bed in a silent room. She is
doing nothing no TV, no book, no phone, no computer,
no music, no oil paints, nothing. She is pretty and polite
and 19 and asks me, Whats up? I am impressed she
does not hide in the bathroom with the shower running,
which is what I would do if my super-famous rumoured
boyfriend showed up unannounced with a journalist in
the middle of my day. I feel guilty for keeping Justin from
her. The suite is lovely, but smaller and less opulent than
I wouldve imagined. The interior is lit like the inside of a
cave at sunrise. Hailey and I (and Esther) take seats at a
round table while Justin takes up an acoustic guitar.
Bieber plays a new song he is working on called
Insecurities, the lyrics of which are about ixing a girls
insecurities. He asks me if I like it. I do like it. The hook
Oh, oh Oh, oh Fix all of your insecurities rattles
around my head for days.
Bieber and I head for the hotel courtyard, leaving
Hailey alone in the suite. I ask if theyre dating, and
he shakes his head emphatically, affecting a confused
expression, as if he cant possibly fathom why I would
assume that he is dating the young woman in his hotel
room, whom he has been photographed kissing. I ask
if she is just a friend he kisses. Uh-huh, he says. I
guess so. He later amends his description of Baldwin to
someone I really love. We spend a lot of time together.
In matters of romance, Bieber is extremely practical
about his extraordinary life. While he says hed love
to get married one day, he also emphasizes that, at the
moment, hes young, hes busy, and hes Justin fucking
Bieber. An attempt to settle down now, when he is
globetrotting with women around would surely
end in disaster. He is wary of resenting a partner for
making him feel conined, and wary of being resented
for struggling against his bonds. Saying he doesnt want
to be tied down is not the noblest admission, but it is far-
sighted and honest.
I dont want to put anyone in a position where they
feel like Im only theirs, only to be hurt in the end. Right
now in my life, I dont want to be held down by anything.
I already have a lot that I have to commit to. A lot of
responsibilities. I dont want to feel like the girl I love is
an added responsibility. I know that in the past Ive hurt
people and said things that I didnt mean to make them
happy in the moment. So now Im just more so looking
at the future, making sure Im not damaging them. What
if Hailey ends up being the girl Im gonna marry, right?
If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then its always
gonna be damaged. Its really hard to ix wounds like
that. Its so hard I just dont want to hurt her.
56 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016
Hes yog,
hes sy, d
hes Jun
g
W
hen I meet up with Bieber in New
York the next day, his plan to
slowly start taking less Adderall
has been drastically accelerated.
This is my irst day off
Adderall, he declares out of the blue as we sit in trafic in a
silent Range Rover. He tells me he feels ine and that the
doctors ofice has provided him with natural sleep aids.
Ive been getting a lot of anxiety, and they think its
stemming from the Adderall, he says. Thats why Ive
stopped taking it. Or else I wouldnt stop, because I really
enjoy it.
Bieber describes his doctor Carlon Colker as a
genius, a physician and a bodybuilder. You might
recognize his name from multiple lawsuits iled against the
manufacturers of weight-loss pills, in which Colker was
accused of falsifying data in order to downplay the risks of
the drug Ephedra. (Colkers attorney denied the charges
and he was dropped from the suits; dietary supplements
containing ephedrine alkaloids are now banned by the
FDA.) You might also have seen Biebers 2015 tweet
crediting the doctors vanilla-lavoured myostatin
inhibitor, MYO-X, for helping him achieve his ripped,
underwear-clad body for a series of Calvin Klein ads.
At irst, Bieber seems keen to enumerate Dr Colkers
credentials, emphasizing that he specializes in high-agility
athletes and people who have a lot of stress, to either their
body or their mind. But when I ask who recommended
Colker to him, Bieber shuts down.
I just dont think, like, the whole doctor thing is, like,
something awesome to write about, he says. I think you
should probably understand that. Im surprised by his
reaction, since Bieber brought it up. Hes certainly gone
quiet before, but in those cases I had brought up a touchy
subject his conirmed past use of pot, his rumoured past
use of other drugs (like codeine syrup) and hed simply
refused to answer. I igured the question about who
recommended the doctor was pretty banal; hed mentioned
taking Adderall as casually as if it were a vitamin. But
PROMOTION
 something about the question,
or the nosy phrasing, or the tone
RULE 4
triggers an instant clam-up.
GRAB THE BRASS In any event, we run out
(OR GOLD OR of time to inish our Adderall
PLATINUM) RING conversation which Bieber now
If youve dabbled refers to as deep fucking doctor
in dude jewellery shit because we arrive at our
a cuff here, some destination: an arcade.
beads there step up Inside the arcade, Justin
Bieber is good at everything. He
your game with some
beats me at Mario Kart. He beats
masculine rings. They
me at air hockey. He beats me at
should be simple and understanding how to swipe the
handy in a fight. plastic cards that give us gratis
game credits in the machines. His
score on the Pop-A-Shot machine
more than triples mine. I gently rib him when he
lubs an attempt to put a ball through a hole: Youre
supposed to get it in the hole, I say. Later, when I
miss, he throws the joke back at me, adding, Is that
what your boyfriend says? I tell him it wouldnt
make sense for my boyfriend to say that.
The arcade has been shut down just for us, and
for about 90 minutes, it is the perfect environment
for Bieber: spacious, full of diversions, devoid of
people and louder than a rocket launch, which makes
interviewing dificult. When the appointed hour of
our exit arrives, after which he will never have to
sit through another of my torturous questions (Can
you tell me anything about the day you were born?
March 1), we are faced with a security issue. Stray
teenagers are showing up. Camera lenses are being
pressed into windows. Bieber cannot leave through
the front door.
At age 15, Justin Bieber shot to fame because
he was polished: He had shiny hair and great teeth,
and he sang about wanting a girl to fall in puppy
love with him. He was also rejected because he was
polished: All that stuff was lame. So he became
less polished. He got tattoos and a police record.
But somewhere between egging a neighbours
house and nodding off next to a Brazilian escort, he
overshot it, sailing past badass into regular bad.
Now hes recalibrated again. Hes acknowledged he
was bad, released a killer album to prove hes cool
SUIT, TIE; BOTH BY and doubled down on his vows to do better. For the
EMPORIO ARMANI. irst time since he was a kid, Justin Bieber is regarded
SHIRT BY GIORGIO
ARMANI. TIE, TIE as neither a dork nor a monster. He has the tentative
BAR; BOTH BY THE respect and unfettered attention of the general
TIE BAR. BRACELET public. Hes on the brink of a world tour, where a lot
BY MIANSAI. RINGS
BY DAVID YURMAN, can go wrong (see: Germany). Hes only 21.
DEGS & SAL, While his driver and bodyguard coordinate
CARTIER (VINTAGE). an escape plan, Bieber returns to the Pop-A-Shot
WATCH BY BULOVA
WORDS: SAM SCHUBE (STYLE RULES)

machine. He makes basket after basket to the blaring

HAIR: snarls of Ke$ha, but no tickets shoot out and the prize
JOHNNIE SAPONG/ cupboard is locked until the arcade re-opens. He is
LEONOR GREYL
making the most of it, going through the motions in a
GROOMING:
KUMI CRAIG/ vacuum of fun. A few minutes later, he slips through
SISLEY PARIS a back door and into one of two identical black
SET DESIGN: ROB Range Rovers that have appeared in the parking lot.
STRAUSS STUDIO
PRODUCTION: BAUIE Hes been in New York less than 24 hours, but its
PRODUCTIONS time to ly back to the hotel where he lives.

58 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 TECH THIS OUT!
INTRODUCING

From Virtual Reality and The Mars

Exploration, to the worlds best gadgets
and everything you need to know about
the future of technology.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT WITH THE GQ AUGUST 2016 ISSUE

For advertising queries, email

nida.merchant@condenast.in

gqindia.com GQ India @gqindia @gqindia

 The Nshewmt
E t

60 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 THREE-PIECE SUIT,
SHIRT; BOTH BY DOLCE
& GABBANA. COAT BY
TOMMY HILFIGER.
SUNGLASSES BY
GUCCI. SCARF, SOCKS;
BOTH BY PAUL SMITH.
BRACELET BY
CARTIER. SHOES
BY BERLUTI

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Therell never be
another DAVID
BOWIE. He was an
original. A style icon.
Rockstar and rule
breaker.

Supermodel and
Instagram sensation
LUCKY BLUE SMITH
I
T he re s a channels the slick
spirit of the Thin
White Duke. And wins

Starm an BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 61

 I dont know
where Im going
f rom here, but
I promise it
wont be boring.
DAVID BOWIE

SHIRT BY NEIL
BARRETT. VEST
BY CALVIN KLEIN
UNDERWEAR.
PANTS BY DOLCE &
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62 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 IN STYLE, AS IN MUSIC,
A YOUNG BOWIE COULD
DO IT ALL. HE TRIED ON
FASHION PERSONAS
(FROM SPACE ODDITY
TO ROCKABILLY DANDY)
THE WAY THE REST OF
US TRY ON SOCKS.
THE ONE CONSTANT?
THE MAN LOVED BOLD
PATTERNS AND SHIRTS
LIKE HIS ARE NOW BACK
ON THE RACKS.

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 63

 OVERCOAT, SHIRT,
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64 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 65
 T HE Eye y
Cd
A LIST

ON DAYANA: SHIRT, TROUSERS; BOTH BY ALICE TEMPERLEY LONDON. SUSPENDERS BY THE BRO CODE. HEELS BY TRSMODE. ON MARIIA: WAISTCOAT BY
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66 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Indias sexiest models
turn up the heat for GQ
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TARUN VISHWA
STYLED BY TANYA VOHRA

ON DIVA: TUXEDO BY PHILIPP PLEIN. HEELS BY TRSMODE. ON NAMRATA: JACKET BY GAURAV GUPTA. EARRINGS, CHAIN; BOTH BY AQUAMARINE. ON ERIKA:
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BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 67

 NAMRATA
SHETH

HASLEEN
KAUR

T
-Blur

ON NAMRATA: LACE
BRA BY AGENT
PROVOCATEUR.
EARRINGS BY
CHRISTIAN DIOR.
NECKLACE BY KOOVS

ON HASLEEN: BLAZER
BY ALL SAINTS. BRA BY
WACOAL. EARRINGS BY
CHRISTIAN DIOR

ON DIVA: BLAZER
BY PHILIPP PLEIN.
NECKLACE BY
CHRISTIAN DIOR

Ig
-R Kelly

68 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 DIVA
DHAWAN

Wicked
G
-The Weeknd
BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 69
 ERIKA
PACKARD

BELLA
CARLSTRM

Bet Of rd
-The Rolling Stones
ON BELLA: LACE BRA,
KNICKERS; BOTH BY
AGENT PROVOCATEUR.
JACKET BY ASOS.
NECKLACE, HEELS; BOTH
BY TRSMODE

ON ERIKA: CROP
SWEATER, EARRINGS;
BOTH BY CHRISTIAN
DIOR

ON KANISHTHA: LACE
CORSET BY TOPSHOP.
KNICKERS BY AGENT
PROVOCATEUR.
EARRINGS BY
CHRISTIAN DIOR
Sexual Heng
-Marvin Gaye

70 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

KANISHTHA DHANKAR

Fev
-Peggy Lee

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 71

RACHEL BAYROS

Kiss -Prince
72 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016
 ALICIA
KOM

ON RACHEL:
BODYSUIT BY
TOPSHOP

ON ALICIA: TOP BY
PHILIPP PLEIN.
EARRINGS BY
KOOVS. CUFF BY
AQUAMARINE

ON SURELEE: SHIRT
BY CHALAYAN.
BRA BY TOPSHOP.
BRIEFS BY AMANT

Light
My Fi
-The Doors

Electric Fl
-MGMT

SURELEE
JOSEPH

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 73

 DAYANA ERAPPA

Sex On Fi
-Kings of Leon

I Fe
You
-Depeche Mode

MARIIA
CHERNIAKOVYCH

74 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

KETHOLENO KENSE

Smoh
Optor -Sade

ON MARIIA: BODYSUIT BY
ASOS. JACKET BY ALICE
TEMPERLEY LONDON

ON DAYANA: SHIRT BY
PHILIPP PLEIN. NECKLACE BY
AQUAMARINE

ON LENO: BLAZER BY PHILIPP

PLEIN. BOW TIE BY THE BRO
CODE. HEELS BY CHRISTIAN
LOUBOUTIN

HAIR & MAKE-UP:

ELTON FERNANDEZ
ASSISTANT STYLIST:
DESIREE FERNANDES
MODEL AGENCY:
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TOABH MANAGEMENT
(BELLA, ERIKA, DAYANA),
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HASLEEN, NAMRATA)
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SHARMA & HYBRID09
PRODUCTIONS
 JACKET BY GUCCI.
T-SHIRT BY LEVIS
VINTAGE CLOTHING.
CORDUROYS
BY SALVATORE
FERRAGAMO.
SNEAKERS BY
GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI.
SUNGLASSES
BY SUPER BY
RETROSUPERFUTURE.
NECKLACES
(FROM TOP) BY LOUIS
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YURMAN (2), DEGS
& SAL (FEATHER
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76 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

A LI E N
PHOTOGRAPHED BY BEN WATTS
The
ari

WRITTEN BY DEVIN FRIEDMAN

INVASION
Theres nothing about Young Thug thats not a paradox. He wears womens Uggs but travels with AR-15s
everywhere he goes. He calls his friends, the same ones carrying the AR-15s, babe and lover yet is
from one of the toughest parts of Atlanta the south side where he is at once a hero and an outsider
and a leader of the psychedelic fashion movement of rap hippies. GQ chases musics most colourful
enigma around the streets of Atlanta to answer one question: Exactly what planet is Young Thug from?

W hen the time comes to actually sit down and interview Young
Thug, its extremely unnerving. Even for people who are friends
with him, Thug can be dificult to talk to. Over the course of
observing him for 20-something hours over several days,
I did not witness a single act of what might be described as
conversation. Hed be sitting next to his little sister Dora at a console in the
recording studio or playing a high-stakes dice game with various professional
gamblers and the rapper Offset, from the group Migos, and hed be doing what
preschool teachers would refer to as parallel play.
Young Thug is a igure of unique fascination, the rapper who seems
to embody the most mysterious and alluring aspects of the Atlanta
music scene, which is itself the object of unique fascination.
And, being a highly sought-after rapper whose music has
been played on YouTube alone 250 million times, he often
inds himself in crowds. But Thug is alone even in a

BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 77

room full of people. He is unapproachable. He radiates volatility. I
cant even imagine him making actual, on-purpose eye contact with
another human. Looking into a persons eyes seeking some kind of
a connection is an admission of neediness, and Young Thug would
rather be shot dead in the street than need a thing from another
human being.
Plus, theres the fact that even when hes talking, no one
knows what hes saying. I mean, literally: Hes famous for being
unintelligible. Its a Thugger meme, a joke. Hes the most successful
lyricist in the history of the world whose thing is that you cant
understand what the fuck hes talking about. It points to the central
mystery of Young Thug: How could the world be in love with a guy
who isnt asking you to like him, who, if anything, is giving you the
inger, whom you cant understand, and who demonstrably doesnt
care whether or not you can understand him? And yet? And yet.
Talking to him has been especially dificult for journalists. He has
been known to sit with an interviewer and not answer questions. Not
even betray that he knows there is another person in a room with
him. GQ once scheduled a photo shoot with him, and he could not
be persuaded to get off his kitchen counter to have his picture taken
(though clearly, as you can see, he enjoys having his picture taken).
When he likes something, he calls it sexy.
He calls a Gucci shirt sexy, he calls men sexy,
and women he f lirts with
He didnt say no; he just never acknowledged that anyone had asked
him anything. Once, in the middle of another interview, he got up,
walked out of the room, went to the airport and lew away.
Throughout the two days I was with him, people kept asking me:
Have you had your interview yet? And when I said no, they raised
their eyebrows and smiled knowingly and said, Yeah, good luck
with that.
Time was set aside for us to talk. At the appointed hour, someone
from his team set two folding chairs in a room, facing each other. The
room was troublingly quiet Thug seems to hate quiet. In time, he
came in and sat down. He held his chin high in the air, a regal pose.
He wore sunglasses so aggressively mirrored you couldnt detect any
sense of a human eyeball.
The irst question was what you could call soft. Because what does
hardball even mean to a guy like Thug, who speaks openly about sex,
about the drugs he does, about the beefs he has? Also because of my
being afraid hed walk out of the room.
Whats a question you wish an interviewer would ask you, but
they never have?
Thug was silent for a minute. Possibly looking at me.
Possibly looking out the window. Possibly asleep. It was a very, very
long minute.
Meaning? Every word he says is short. Clipped. Hardly even a
syllable.
People probably ask you the same shit all the time. Whats
something you wish people would ask you?
Do I care.
Okay. Do you care?
No. I dont give a fuck.
I think, after spending time with him, that this is true. If Thug can
teach us one thing, its what a deep, profound, disquieting, beautiful,
78 BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016
attractively nihilistic thing what a generationally and musically
signiicant thing it is to reach the state of NOT GIVING A FUCK.
What does that mean, to not give a fuck?
No feelings.
You have no feelings?
No. Not at all.
His real name is Jeff. JEFF. He is 24 years old and six feet three
inches tall but has the tiniest little feet, like someone had bound them
when he was a child. A 26-inch waist. He eats almost nothing. Says
he does not like to eat, and goes for days without food. On the third
of every month, a doctor shows up at his mansion and injects him
with vitamins. All the greens, he says, to keep me healthy. His toenails
are immaculately manicured and painted iridescent. They look like
tiny soap bubbles. He wears little girls dresses as shirts sometimes,
womens pants. When he likes something, he calls it sexy. He calls
a Gucci shirt sexy, he calls men sexy, and women he lirts with. He
recently called the 2-year-old son of a woman he was lirting with
online sexy. He has six children by four women. Hes on-again,
off-again with his girlfriend, Jerrika, but at the time we talked he
said theyre engaged. He is one of 11 children, dropped out of high
school, had his irst child at 17. He grew up in a very poor, violent part
of Atlanta. He had nothing, his irst manager says, when he began
rapping. Like, a few shirts, a pair of shoes. He was shy then. He didnt
have the gold front teeth yet; his teeth were rotted, discoloured. He
covered them with his hand when he talked.
He is extremely close to his mother, who suffers from an enlarged
heart. They call her Big Duck. They call his dad Big Jeff. His mom
and dad call each other brother and sister now. His little sister Dora,
whom he calls his twin, is almost constantly by his side. They call one
of his brothers, phonetically, Oonphoonk. Oonphoonk is in prison
on a murder conviction another of Thugs brothers was murdered
outside his house when Thug was a kid.
Thug recently took possession of two new purebred dogs, lown
by airplane First Class from Snoop Doggs dog breeder.
Thug drinks prescription cough syrup all day, takes Xanax,
smokes marijuana, eats molly. Sometimes he does all of them at once.
He rarely sleeps. A former friend said Thug would stay up for days,
take lots of different kinds of drugs, then sleep for 24 to 48 hours.
Thug got in trouble when a mall security guard said Thug
threatened to shoot him in the face. Hes been questioned about
iring shots at the tour bus of Lil Wayne, who was once and probably
still is his greatest artistic hero. (Thugs former road manager was
convicted for the incident.) He is known to have a temper, to have
more and more dangerous bad blood with different factions
in Atlanta than any other rapper. He refers to those allied against
him as peasants. There are always lots of guns around him. The
people who travel with him cut an equally fashion-forward swath.
His main security guard carries a semiautomatic assault rile even
when Thugs at the recording studio. Just the week before, a former
security guard had been assassinated in his home near downtown
Atlanta. No sign of forced entry. Shot to the back of the head.
And still, the main engine in his life is his music, and the world

JACKET, PANTS; BOTH
BY DIOR HOMME.
TRAINING TIGHTS
BY NIKE. T-SHIRT
BY THE KOOPLES.
SNEAKERS BY BALLY.
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VUITTON. WATCH BY
AUDEMARS PIGUET.
SUNGLASSES BY
RETROSUPERFUTURE
loves it. Thugs put out 76 solo tracks in the past two years. Hes
at a spot now where he can make at least $50,000 for a verse on
another rappers song, at least $50,000 for every appearance. Last
year he did his irst tour and sold out 17 nights. But more than
that, Thug has become a kind of status symbol, an unadulterated
modern version of the give-no-fucks rockstar for people who
dont care about the pop charts. All in ladies Uggs.
arkness had dropped artlessly around the
trafic-choked arteries of greater Atlanta. It
was circa 8pm, the day before our interview
would take place, and Thug was in a black
Chevy Suburban being driven to a Weeknd concert at the
Philips Arena. He sat behind a (different) pair of aggressively
mirrored sunglasses. Next to him in the car was Lyor Cohen, the
legendary music industry executive who now works with Young
Thug. I guess at one point Lyor dressed like a hip-hop guy, but
now he looks and sounds like a well-bred European banker
getting into his chauffeured Mercedes after his acquittal for a
white-collar crime. His shirtmaker is deinitely French.
Lyor did some shtick about trafic in Atlanta, and how could
you call this a city, wheres the downtown even, wheres the
centre of it, how can you have a city with no centre, get me
back to New York. Thug didnt/couldnt give a fuck about the
relative deiciencies of the urban planning in Atlanta. It would
be like asking him to get upset about the air quality on Saturn.
Thug simply played music from the mixtape he was working on at
maximum volume on the SUVs sound system.
You said I need to put a girl on Birthday, he said to Lyor at
one point, about a song called Birthday that was playing. Maybe
Rihanna. But you know who I want to do a song with no matter
what? Adele. Shitd be over.
Thugs manager and partner, a small woman named Amina with
fragrant hair and knee-high burgundy socks with fur trim, said
from the back of the car: Lyor, if they met? You know theyd have
that musician bond. They could do it.
Thug kept playing his music. He played the same songs
over and over again at maximum volume, like he was sitting
in a recording studio by himself. The music was otherworldly,
consistent with the evolution of the otherworldly music hes
been creating since he started making songs ive years ago. Like
always, it sounded weird, nocturnal, feral, funny. Like always, he
was talking about how many white girls he gets: Pour water off a
white bitch and call her Ricki Lake. Like always, there were wails
and grunts and caterwauls. Like always, the music had kind of an
internal quality, as if youre overhearing him mumbling to himself
while in a dream state. Like always, the unintelligibleness was
punctuated by stuff you could understand and yet still not really
understand. Like in one of my favourite new songs, he reaches this
point of intense emotional fulcrum; then he belts out the words
Patrick Ewing. As if instead of plaintively screaming Why me?!
he is saying Patrick Ewing?!
For some reason, we all stayed in the car after we arrived at
the Philips. The VIP entrance is underneath the arena, and the
whole of the Atlanta music overclass/underworld was coming
through. Famous dudes TI, 2 Chainz. And still Thug sat there in
the hollows beneath the Philips, listening to the sounds of trucks
off the concrete pillars. Then, the way house cats do in the middle
of a nap, Thug suddenly roused and made to exit the car. We all got
ready to follow him. Amina quickly opened her purse and sprayed a
substantial amount of perfume on her wrists. Then she leaned over
and rubbed her wrists against Thugs neck, perfuming him.
Inside, we were a group of seven or eight. Amina, Dora, Be
EL Be (his video guy and creative director), Duke (a rapper, a
compatriot of the imprisoned Atlanta rap legend Gucci Mane),
Thugs lumbering security guy with pistol glommed sweatily
against his back. In a wider orbit: his dad, Big Jeff, who travelled
tonight with his nerdy teenage daughter and ilmed the entire
evening on his iPhone.
The stage was high above us, built on scaffolding. Thug
wandered restlessly underneath it, where tired men with ambitious
facial hair worked at sound consoles and computers. Eventually he
paused and signalled to one of his guys, who took out some small
baggies containing little white pellets. Thug shook them out onto a
dollar bill. Would he snort them? Light them? What oriice would
the pellets go into? He made the dollar bill into a little funnel, poured
them into his mouth with a swig of Sprite. (I guess it was molly.)
Then he bent over, tied his little Raf Simons running sneakers, and
climbed to the stage.
Travis Scott was opening for the Weeknd. And when Thug
grabbed a microphone and came on to join him for a couple of
songs, lights shot out and illuminated 15,000 screaming white
girls in their 20s going bananas. Throwing up their slender arms,
exposing further their tube-topped midriffs, mouthing his name.
I mean, not every single person in the audience was white girls.
But they were the salient thing out there. I dont know, thats maybe
because it was a Weeknd show. But they all seemed to lose their shit
when they saw the dangerous, the trippy, the unpredictable, the
GENUINE Young Thug.
The next night, the last night I was with him, I was in the studio
with Thug. Or, more accurately, in the studio not with Thug. It
was like ten or eleven at that point, but it already felt like a million
oclock. Sitting in studios with rappers takes years off lives. Its
interminable. Here at Patchwerk Recording Studios, built into a
little bungalow on a residential street, I was just like the rest of the
BEST-DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 79
people around Thug: a human with the job description of your
time is less valuable than his time. But at elevenish, wed become
an entourage without a rapper.
Thug had been absent for an hour. Dora said he was probably
upstairs smoking weed, since at Patchwerk they dont let you
blow in the studio. And when I got up there, it was like this
totally different thing had broken out. There was a big room with
a pool table in the middle and 20, 30 people. Some milling. Some
standing along the walls. Women chewing gum and licking at
their cell-phone screens like moms waiting at a drop-off birthday
party. One guy was asleep on a sofa in a pair of sweatpants printed
with the trademarks of Americas most enticing prescription
pharmaceuticals: Xanax, Percocet, Vicodin, Norco, Lortab Elixir,
Roxicodone. And gathered around the big pool table, gamblers
were playing a high-stakes dice game.
Thug was at one end of the table, eating Hot Fries from a vending
machine (only thing I ever saw him eat), wearing a Bathing Ape
hoodie and holding upwards of $10,000 in twenties and hundreds.
80
People even people who live in the same world he does ind
Young Thug to be truly scary. One of his primary character traits
is: disproportionate response. All stakes are high with him I saw
Thug and his sister almost cause a riot because a door wasnt opened
for them at the Weeknd show. I thought Dora was going to swing
at someone. An Atlanta guy who knows him said thats the kind of
person he is. He just jumped off the porch, this person told me,
using an expression for someone who only recently came out of
the hood. Having a rapper tell you about how street they are, thats
expected at this point. So much of rap is just unrelenting sameness.
The entourage, the SUVs, the prescription cough syrup, the weed,
the late-night studio sessions. So many of the stories told in rap
songs are the same, too. Bitches, drugs, experiencing death and
destruction. And unfortunately, since that part of the story has
been told for 30 years, it often doesnt have much power anymore.
Tragedy volume = no impact. In a sense, Thug is telling the same
stories weve become desensitized to. But its not his stories that
make Thug an electric presence. Its Thug himself. He is the product.
Thug is able to channel a kind of genuine nihilism that most people
rapping about their rough neighbourhoods just cant do.
I have never been around anyone like Thug. He doesnt care about
your feelings. He seems to entirely lack empathy. Not in the sense that
he doesnt feel bad when babies get killed, Im sure he does. But in
the sense that he seems not to know how you (and by you, I mean me
and most of the people reading this article) see the world. He cannot
translate himself for you. He does not appear to have any interest in
trying. He does not code shift, as they say. He has only a single code.
Among artists, he may be the most authentic Ive ever met. That
authenticity makes him a hero to the people who come from that
same universe, and a igure of intrigue to people who dont kind of
the ultimate in black-male fetishism. Its his ability to close himself
off from the world most people live in that gives him his power. Hes
not playing a role for you, because he doesnt seem to be able to see
himself from your perspective and play to your desires. But how long
can you continue to live in that small south Atlanta world? How long
can you channel a mentality in which youre going to fuck people up
if they dont open a door for you? How long can a very successful
millionaire musician keep the rest of the world at bay?
I asked his former manager where he expects Thug to be in ten
years, and he said, Either dead or in jail.
When we inally sat down for our interview, I asked him that same
question: Where do you think youll be in ten years?
Shit. Top of the world. You know where. Where everybody want
to be.
Is it dangerous to be you?
Its dangerous to be anybody popular.
True. But come on, I said. Some people are in more danger
than others. Why is it that way for you? Do people want to prove
something with you?
Oh, people want to prove a point, he said. I dont know what
the hell they be thinking. I dont understand why everybody be
jooging at me. Jooging at kind of means giving someone a hard
time.
Later, when wed moved on, we were talking about being a
inesser. A inesser is someone who gets what he wants by tricking
people, by being psychologically superior. I asked him whats the
number one thing to know if you want to be a inesser. Never
back down, he said. This seemed true. You can get away with a lot
simply by pressing forward, sticking with your inesse in the face of
mounting odds. But, I asked him, isnt there a time to back down?
Would you ever back down?
Nooooo.
Would you rather get shot than back down?
No, he said. Id much rather back down than get shot up. He
paused for a minute. But I know I would get shot up. Because I wont
back down. Im not backing down.
 HIGH FASHION HAS
GONE CRAZY (WHICH
MAKES TOTAL SENSE).
NOW THAT THE LIKES OF
ZARA AND H&M HAVE
REVOLUTIONIZED THE
MENSWEAR GAME
ALLOWING US TO BUY
ALL OUR BASICS AT
SHOCKINGLY AFFORDABLE
PRICES DESIGNER
FASHION HAS VEERED TO
THE COMPLETE OTHER
END OF THE SPECTRUM,
MAKING CLOTHES WILDER
AND MORE ORIGINAL
THAN EVER. THE IDEA IS
THAT THEIR EXCLUSIVITY
JUSTIFIES THE SPLURGE.
YOU WANT A PLAIN
CHARCOAL SUIT? YOU
CAN GET THAT ANYWHERE.
BUT NO ONE EVER SAID IT
WAS GONNA BE CHEAP TO
BE THE ONLY GUY IN YOUR
TOWN WITH A PRADA
BUNNY SWEATER.

SWEATER, SHIRT, T-SHIRT, PANTS; ALL BY

PRADA. SUNGLASSES BY THOM BROWNE
EYEWEAR

OPPOSITE PAGE:
WORDS: SAM SCHUBE (HIGH FASHION)

JACKET BY DOLCE & GABBANA. JEANS BY

DSQUARED2. SNEAKERS BY CONVERSE. SOCKS
BY PANTHERELLA. SUNGLASSES BY DITA
EYEWEAR. BLUE RING BY DAVID YURMAN

GROOMING:
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SCHUPFER MANAGEMENT
PRODUCTION: SABINE MAAS AND DIANE
KOZLOWSKI/GHIBLI MEDIA PRODUCTIONS

81
 The ucs


T HE
LEG ACY
PROJE C T
The music world is still the most innovative, energizing and
eclectic slice of the global pop-culture pie. Whos high on the
style stakes? Which artists should a man be listening to? And
who will we still be talking about ten, twenty, even ifty years
from now? These are the names to lag

WORDS: ERIC SULLIVAN

PHOTOGRAPHED BY
PARI DUKOVIC

82 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 Drake
FIRE-STARTER
Hes been running rap the past ive years, yet hes still releasing music and wearing fashion like a ferocious underdog: Alexander
McQueen sweatpants in Hotline Bling and a Louis Vuitton jumper in Work. Can anyone knock this guy off hip-hops top spot?

LOCATION:
DRAKE VS LIL
WAYNE TOUR,
PHOENIX
 GROOMING:
BERTA CAMAL
LOCATION:
GRAMERCY PARK
HOTEL

WORDS: STAN PARISH (MARK); ERIC SULLIVAN (DIPLO)

Ma rk Ronson FUNKY WHITE BOY

We didnt know what to think when we found out that this one-time party DJ and Amy Winehouse producer had a new
album with lyrics by Pulitzer-certiied novelist Michael Chabon. Then we heard Uptown Funk, with vocals by pops
golden child, Bruno Mars, and saw a zillion drunk coeds shaking their asses to it and happily realized we didnt have to.

84 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016

 plo
POPS SONIC EXPLORER

Hes known for being

such a good DJ that
EDM girls in bikinis
cant resist twerking
while he spins records
at his Mad Decent
Block Parties. But what
you cant google is the
fact that when the pop
world from Beyonc
to Madonna needs
innovative new sounds,
hes the man they call.
(Or simply knock off.)

GROOMING:
TONY CHAVEZ
LOCATION: MAD
DECENT OFFICE,
LOS ANGELES

BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 85

Pharrell
Willia ms
THE MAN WHO
NEVER SLEEPS
The music industrys
become rife with style
collaborations but
Pharrell is a name we
can get behind from his
co-ownership of G-Star
RAW to his kicks for
Adidas. Only he could
make shorts on the Oscar
red carpet look good.

WORDS: ERIC SULLIVAN (FUTURE)

STYLIST: CYNTHIA
CACTUS LU
GROOMING: HEE
SOO KWON
PRODUCTION: STEVE
BAUERFEIND/BAUERFEIND
PRODUCTIONS-WEST

Future
SOUTHERN HIT MACHINE

The name its: Future sounds like a highly advanced hip-hop robot, banging out Auto-Tuned anthems, while wearing the
iciest chains. In 2015, he and Drake released a collaborative street-eating mixtape, What A Time To Be Alive. This year, he
released another mixtape, Purple Reign, and premiered his fourth studio album, EVOL. Theres no stopping him.

BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016 87

WHE RE TO BUY
THE MERCHANDISE FEATURED EDITORIALLY HAS BEEN ORDERED FROM THE
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G Renvi renvi.com
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Gaurav Gupta Mumbai, 022-2269 RM Williams rmwilliams.com.au
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U
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porsche-design.com Victorinox Mumbai, 022-2283 6330
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Puma Mumbai, 022-6671 0973; at The Collective
PHOTO: TARUN VISHWA

Delhi, 011-4056 6907;

Bengaluru, 080-4092 5357 W
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R
Rado Mumbai, 022-2833 7244; Z
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BY TOM FORD.
SHOES BY CLARKS

90 BEST DRESSED MEN JUNE 2016