Corporate Attire: Dressed To Thrill

Meher Castelino gives the latest on what the well dressed executive is choosing

Corporate dressing for both men and women has come a long way from the traditional suit and sari. If one wants to rub one’s fashionable shoulders with the CEOs and MDs from MNCs then the sartorial style has to match corporate standards.

The most favoured executive attire is still the suit. For the lucky male executive there is no dearth of labels to choose from. The list is endless starting with Park Avenue, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Van Heusen and Zodiac to Arrow, John Player, Wills Lifestyle, Blackberry, Peter England and Pantaloon to name a few who offer shirts or the complete executive wardrobe.

Friday dressing which had caught on in the ’90s in America and India has been pushed aside in the 21st century with banks and corporations around the world insisting on the sober stiff collared business suits, ties and shirts.

“The Swiss and German bankers’ shirt which has the typical white collar and cuffs with blue stripes in mercerised linen is the new trendy look,” informs Salman Noorani, managing director, Zodiac Clothing Co. Ltd.

Stripes on white are back for executives but they must be on structured textured surfaces. The silhouette is slim with striking collars. Shirt fabrics range from twill, bird’s eye, herringbone, cords, Cotley Oxfords in shades of ice blue, the international shades of blue and green, lilac, beige, ecru and of course the all time favourite - white, which never moves off the executive fashion charts.

The Italian influence on executive wear is very apparent with Zodiac and other labels. The Dolce Vita Collection from Zodiac in wine, chocolate, midnight blue and passionate violet for formal executive shirts is a dramatic after dark look. Ravi Bajaj has dressed Indian corporate heads for two decades. He gives a thumbs up to formal linen suits slightly semi-structured. “My executive look is completed with formal trousers in cotton spandex and polynosics with flat fronts and medium bottoms.”

The two foreign labels that are dressing Indian executives successfully are DAKS and Ermenegildo Zegna. DAKS of UK has been a favourite of three Royal heads - HM the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and HRH the Prince of Wales, with its classic British elegance. The DAKS range comprises traditional jackets, suits, blazers and trousers along with basic shirts. DAKS also offers sober executive skirts, jackets, trousers and shirts for women.

Stylish heads of Indian companies like Vijay Mallaya favour the Zegna label’s Italian chic look. Besides off-the-rack choices Zegna provides custom tailored suits made from Italian fabrics and stitched in Italy.

The latest executive line up of labels that are doing brisk business all over India have a mind boggling collection of shirts, jackets, trousers and ties to suit the tastes of the most fastidious CEOs as well as the trendy yuppies. Van Heusen shirts are in shades of lime green, cobalt, turquoise, khaki, maroon, peach, lemon and brown. Louis Philippe, the classic label offers shirts in pin checks and thin mesh checks and matching suits, while Colour Plus has a formal medium coloured collection and Nexus has one in pastel tones.

The Park Avenue label from Raymond presents multiple executive colours while Arrow shirts are in grey, brown and sober basic executive shades. Allen Solly is still the most trendy formal wear label with a vibrant shirt line. The Blackberry label is popular for its sharply cut three-button suits and trousers in beige, black, grey and brown.

Ready to wear labels for executive men’s wear are many in India, but in the 21st century the lady executive also gets numerous fashion options. In the late 80s, women made a conscious effort of projecting their business acumen by resorting to power dressing. So the heavily padded, narrow waist and hips image tried to emphasise to her male counter parts that the lady meant serious business. In the 21st century women executives all over the world and in India have made their mark in the corporate world. There are still many designers who swear by the jacket, skirt and trouser look but there are many that feel a softer look in a sari or kurti and churidars is as efficient.

Designer Jay Ramrakhiani who has dressed lady executives in large corporations says, “Beige is my favourite colour for lady’s executive wear either in blends or linen. Besides suits I also feel dresses teamed with natty scarves are a perfect choice for formal meetings. A good basic item for an executive are shells or blouses in different colours which can be worn under jackets or dresses to give the outfits more variety.”

Shaina NC offers budget executive wear. Her popular black skirts in varying lengths with matching jackets are her best sellers. Her figure hugging tops in assorted colours are a good buy for the busy lady executive.

Rocky S dresses stars like Diya Mirza and Bipasha Basu in sexy seductive garments but his working woman’s wardrobe is as striking. “I prefer straight narrow trousers designed with jackets that have peaked or notched lapels in shades of brown navy, beige or grey in single or double breast cuts. I quite like the slightly masculine look of a shirt and a tie added to the jacket,” Rocky confesses.

Shahab Durazi is another designer who dresses top lady CEOs. Shahab was responsible for putting the Indian women into suits and jackets and creating a new genre for dressing for the working women. Shahab feels that short sleeved jackets are ideal for the Indian weather. “The jackets are best in linen and blends, softly padded without emphasising the “suited for power” look while the silhouette has a nipped in waistline.”

High fashion designer Ashish Soni has some smart red, white and black mix and match options in trousers, jackets and shirts for the office and Narendra Kumar Ahmed’s Chai label is just right for women who want to change their work wear wardrobe several times in a year.

Labels like Splash and Sumeet Suri at Lifestyle store have ready to wear budget executive wear for women. There are jackets, trousers and basic shirts in beige brown navy and black with assorted shirts in stripes or pastels. Even men’s wear label Allen Solly has added on a line of executive women’s wear to cater to the growing demand from stylish CEOs. For the CEO who prefers more feminine wear the Lina Tipnis and Anita Dongre labels have stylish tunic like kurtas, trousers and scarves or shift dresses teamed with tailored jackets.

Dressing up men and women who make important corporate decisions is now part of the fashion scene. Designers are creating complete looks each season giving our leaders of the industry that international well-dressed look.

Corporate Dos and Donts

Build a classic wardrobe by selecting sober suit colours for boardroom meetings. Don’t hesitate to mix colours like a dark suit and a lighter coloured shirt or vice versa. The three-button single breast jacket is still the most favoured. Peak lapels for the jacket are more overpowering than notched ones. The shape of the shirt collar makes a difference to the face so pick the right one. It is important that half an inch of the shirt cuffs peek out from under the jacket sleeve and the same amount of shirt collar peeps out at the nape above the jacket. The tip of the tie should touch the top of the waistband and should not be too short or long. The double breast suit jacket is ideal for the slim tall man. Socks should match the suit and trousers. White socks only look good on Michael Jackson and not at the board meeting. Flashy jewellery dangling earrings and clinking bangles should be kept for festive occasions. Sensible medium heels for work are best. Shoes are important so go for lace-ups in plain or wing tip styles or for sober moccasins. The tie should complement the suit as well as the face and match the profession of the wearer. The navy blue pinstriped suit is still the best bet. Chiffon and georgette saris are elegant with pearls. Choose subtle colours and prints. Stick to neutral colours like black, brown, navy, maroon, beige and avoid vibrant red, fuschia, turquoise or parrot green for the office. Hair should be neatly conferred without fancy hair pins .