On a workday afternoon, Samrat Som, 35, meets us at home in slim-fit dark Gas jeans and a royal blue and white shirt with patchwork prints. So that takes care of my opening question on what the creative director of Louis Philippe wears to work.
Collector’s edition: Som collects vintage sneakers, chooses ties from a textile designer’s perspective, doesn’t like watches with very large dials, and wears black belts only when he’s bored with brown. Photographs: Hemant Mishra / Mint
Over the next 3 hours, as Som, a textile designer by training, shows off his collection of retro sneakers and uses terms such as “coffee bean” and “dusty pink” to describe colour, it becomes increasingly clear that he’s more “creative” than “director”. Edited excerpts:
So this is what you wear to work. What would you wear to a high-level meeting?
It all depends on the message I want to get across. It would probably be a shirt with a self-woven texture and a classic cut-away collar. I could also wear a tiny, very light print, maybe a really light classic check, with jeans or smart cotton trousers in khaki, grey or coffee, topped with a navy or grey jacket. Shoes would be formal—wing-tip brogue derbys or Oxfords—and I’d also have a pocket square complementing the whole outfit. Ditto for the socks—for me, socks and pocket squares are the new tie and don’t come in the way as much. I am fussy about belts. I like working tans or dark tans with most things and wear black only when I’m slightly bored with the browns.
Do you wear suits a lot?
I don’t often wear suits, but I have two favourites at the moment: a two-button light grey pure cotton suit and a khaki silk-wool suit. Both are from Louis Philippe’s Luxure range. I could dress absolutely formal in the grey suit with a light textured shirt and a mauve or purple tie with minimum patterning, but I would wear a coffee-bean suede belt and shoes—thereby roughing up the ensemble a little. As a designer, one gets away with a lot.
How would you describe your sense of style?
Classic with a sporty twist. I’ll wear anything as long as I wear the clothes and the clothes don’t wear me. So I wouldn’t think anything of wearing a suit with flat trainers or a linen suit with Kolhapuri chappals. I’m not that into brands.
Where do you find shops to suit your style?
I can shop anywhere, from vintage stores and designer sample sales at the East End in London to multi-brand stores with a point of view—like Colette in Paris, 10 Corso Como in Milan—and designer stores like Paul Smith. I also like shopping at The Collective in Bangalore. For shoes, I like small multi-brand stores in the Raval and Barri Gotic areas of Barcelona.
You collect shoes, is that right?
Not shoes in general, I collect retro sneakers, like old Adidas re-issues, Tigers, etc. At one time I used to buy basic plimsolls and personalize them—now, for want of time, I’m happy just funking up the laces.
Do you collect anything else?