Suket Dhir - Summer Internship

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Industry Internship 2019 Document

SUKETDHIR By Hemakshi Devi

National Institute Of Fashion Technology, Mumbai Textile Design Batch 2016-20

Faculty Mentor : Dr. Reena Aggarwal Industry Mentor : Nishtha Ahuja

National Institute of Fashion Technology Plot no. 15, Sector 4, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 410210 Tel:022 2774 7100

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 1 - Antiques kept on atabletop in the studio, Featuring the Iconic Suket Dhir Hat

PREFACE

As a part of the NIFT curriculum, at the end of the sixth semester, a student is needed to do an extensive research and a complete demonstration of independent client service at any organisational setup. He/she is expected to produce a professional document on the same organisation based on experience and understanding closely related to the respective discipline of specialisation of the student. This is known as the Industry Internship. The duration is two months, six weeks to be precise.

A jury comprising faculty members and external experts evaluates the student’s performance during the internship period based on the document presented.

This project is an opportunity for students to understand the work culture of the industry and also to demonstrate their capabilities as practitioners of design.

The internship exposes students to a real life situation of working in the industry, function under the limitations and constraints of an organisation. A student undertaking this internship project imbibes the real life experience to gain understanding of the role of a designer. But it is not restricted to design alone, but also includes time management, communication, presentation skils, efficient handling of practical constraints and proposing one’s designs to the organisation, as well as the world. This project is an excellent platform to help students realise their strengths and weaknesses before entering into the professional design world. The internship document is the culmination of the complete research of the organisation and design proposals of a subject, within the organisation.

This Internship Project Opportunity was provided by SUKETDHIR, a design Label based in Delhi under the parent company, Namus. The duration of this internship was from 29th May 2019 to 24th July 2019.

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A strong foundation makes a building stand and sustain for the years to come. Though at times, one might need to refurbish the laid foundation. In such situations, we turn to our mentors, friends and family to keep ourselves diligent and motivated. I take this opportunity to thank my college, National Institute of Fashion and Technology, Mumbai, for giving us an opportunity like this one to get an insight about the industry before we step into it. My deep gratitude to my Faculty Guide, Dr. Reena Aggarwal, for her immense guidance and support throughout the project period. I would like to thank all my faculties of the Textile Design Department at National Institute of Fashion and Technology, Mumbai for all the knowledge and training over the years.

I would like to offer my gratitude to Suket Dhir, my guide and the man behind the brand SUKETDHIR, who gave me the opportunity to experience working in a design label like his. Working with a designer with such refined sense of aesthetics and such vast knowledge of design has proven to be a very successful learning experience. I would also like to thank Nishtha Ahuja, my mentor and the assisstant to the designer at the company who single-handedly handles everything at the brand, for providing me with honest feedback and teaching me whatever I lacked the knowledge of. I am also grateful for all the help I received from the other employees of the brand. I would like to specially thank my co-intern, Putuinla Walling, for all the support and the helper boys of the brand; Ram, Ranjith, Rahul Bhaiyya; without whose help I could not have figured out my way through the working process in such a short time.

An experience of moving to a new place is always overwhelming and I would like to thank all my friends and family in Delhi for making it a pleasant shift. I am also grateful to my friends and family for their moral support and good wishes through the period of the project and for always believing in me.

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai Dr. Reena Aggarwal Centre Co-ordinator Textile Design

SUKETDHIR

Special Thanks

Suket Dhir Founder

My Family Friends Ranjit Ram Rahul Putuinla Walling

Nishtha Ahuja Assistant to Designer

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

CERTIFICATE

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 2 - Details of a garemnt from the jamdani collection

02 People of SUKETDHIR 03 Infrastructure 04 Design Philosphy 05 The Woolmark Prize 06 Collections 07 Design Management 08 Branding 09 Marketing 10 My Projects 11 Learning and Experience 12 Bibliography

CONTENTS

01 SUKETDHIR

Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

12 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 3 - Details of a double breasted blazer with the son of man(go) print

SUKETDHIR

01 SUKETDHIR is an Indo-centric, contemporary menswear brand. It combines artisanal techniques in rich natural fabrics with classic silhouettes and intricate details. With a hint of quirk, we create ageless garments that transform with the wearer and possess that innate livedin feel. For us, less is indeed more— as the wearer delights in gradually discovering the subtle nuances that go into the making of each garment.

At SUKETDHIR, elegance is in function and exquisiteness never goes out of style.

We have been retailing at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York; Boon The Shop, Seoul; and L’Eclaireur, Paris--as well as Good Earth, Ensemble, and Amethyst in India.

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14 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 2 - Display of the A/W 18/19 collection featuring the signature Golfer print

Effortless Zany Evocative Self-assured Refined Earnest

Brand Personality

Brand Pillars

Feel.

Fibre.

Fit. Finish.

Fashion.

Every nuance of a SUKETDHIR creation is a testament to these five hallowed Fs. Of course, masterful detailing, clever design and a touch of nazakat are added—all to create a versatile product that is a statement.

15 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

16 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 4 - Suket Dhir , the Founder

FOUNDER & FACE OF THE BRAND

02 Suket Dhir With a longing to reinvent artisanal techniques, Suket Dhir launched his label in 2011. It was this zeal that won him the International Woolmark Prize for Menswear five years later. Since then, he has been featured on the cover of The Economist and the front page of the New York Times. American Vogue alludes to him as “a global fashion superstar in the making.”

Suket Dhir grew up in a small town called Banga in Punjab. His grandfather was a philanthrope and one of the leading cloth merchants in Punjab’s Doaba region. He retailed some of the most exclusive textiles available in the country including pure Merino wool at OCM and Raymond, Banarsi silk sarees, and Dhaka mulmuls. In the ’80s, Punjab was going through a civil unrest period and his family had to move to Delhi from where he was sent to the Cambridge boarding school in Dehradun.

“I remember my science exam answers

being more diagrams than written explanations, while the other students wrote pages.” He was exposed to the international fashion through FTV which then ignited by the occasional international Vogue magazine his cousins living abroad brought with them.

“Throughout my years at NIFT, I wasn’t focused on grades. Instead, my innate perfectionism and obsession with quality led me to submit countless incomplete assignments – which obviously elicited mixed responses from my faculty.” Upon graduating, He worked for a few years in design at Vanity Fair Corporation in Bangalore, until he realized that he had to do something on his own.

Two years later, in 2010, Suket Dhir created SUKETDHIR with a clear idea about what he wanted to design. A line of natural eco-friendly fashionable product.

“My design identity was something that had to organically evolve. My intention from day one has been to deliver a very high quality product, and ultimately be a complete menswear solution.”

17 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

18 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 5 - Svetlana Dhir, The Co-founder and Wife of Suket Dhir

The Co-Founder

Svetlana Dhir A travel risk analyst at one point and now the lady behind the brand and a consistent muse of the designer is his wife, Svetlana Dhir. A woman of immense grace and poise, though a mother of two, who manages the organizational timelines with as astuteness as the lightning’s flash with a strong headed sense of promptness.

An educational background in Psychology, an intuitive mind made her managerial flow easy at SUKETDHIR and an expanse was achieved over just a short period of time. Being with the brand as it grew, her own style today has cemented to resonate SUKETDHIR.

19 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

20 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

SUKETDHIR

Suket Dhir Founder

Svetlana Dhir Co-founder

Sumit Dang

Management Consultant

Prabhat Paliwal Human Resource

Pawan Singh

Nishtha Ahuja

- Retail - Events - Public Relations - Customer Handling

Pooja Jha - Sourcing - Sampling

Rajiv Gulati

Bhupendra Shah

- Production - Costing - Packaging

The other important people of SUKETDHIR are the helper Bhaiyyas ; Ram, Rahul, Ranjit, Rajkumar; without whom the smooth running of the brand is immiscible. The Production employees include two master jis, one for pattern making and one for pattern cutting under whom there are eleven tailors, four women for all the hand done finishings and four embroiderers.

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22 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 6-13 - Excerpts showing some clients of the brand

CLIENTS

The first client of SUKETDHIR was Good Earth. The brand’s aesthetic was in sync with Good Earth’s and was appreciated as is where retailing began in October 2010 and this association continues till date.

After winning the Woolmark prize, his collections were available in department stores in Tokyo; Sydney, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and New York, including MatchesFashion.com (online), Isetan Mitsukoshi (Japan), David Jones (Australia), Saks Fifth Avenue (New York), 10 Corso Como (Milan) and Boon The Shop (South Korea).

The key clients of the brand include elite personalities like the Ambassador of Luxemburg, the High Commissioner of Australia, the Ambassador of Japan and his wife; as well as celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar, Rhea Kapoor. The ensembles of the brand are sourced often by magazines like Elle, Haper’s Bazaar, Film fare, Grazia, GQ, Verve; as well as for movies like 2 states, Dawaat-e-Ishq etc.

In the long run, the brand started retailing in many other multibrand stores in India like Ogaan, Evoluzione, No Border, Ensemble, Curato, Heritage, Cult Modern, Emred and the online store Azaa.

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24 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 14-17 - The Studio (above right and left), Inventory (below left), Office (below right)

INFRASTRUCTURE

03 Inventory

The Office

The Studio The Library

Trial Room

Overlooking the Qutub Minar, SUKETDHIR stretches over two and a half floors of building number 276 in the designers’ hub of Delhi, Lado Sarai. The main Studio space and Office area is on the second floor of the building along with an inventory space for all post production processes like heat press and packaging. The studio space has enough space for nine display racks along with a spacious lounge area, a library, a washroom and a trial room. On the same floor, the office area has the designated spaces for all the employees as well as a pantry and the employee washroom.

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12 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 18-19 - Sewing and Cutting Area (above), Kaaj Area (below)

The Sewing Tables The Cutting Tables

Inventory Kaaj Area

The third floor is where all the magic is produced. The biggest space of this floor has designated tables for Master Ji, two tailors and the cutter along with a little space for kaaj. The next biggest room has six sewing tables ad the adjacent room is the inventory for the raw material which are sourced from all over the country. The hallway sits three women doing all the kaaj, the hand done finishings and trims of the garments.

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14 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 20-21 - AariArea (above) , Sewing Tables(below)

The Aari Area

Proposed Printing Set-up

The Sewing Tables

Half of the first floor places the four embroiderers in the larger room comfortably to be working on the two khats present and three more tailors in the adjacent room. The most spacious room in the area has been proposed to be converted into an in-house block and Screen print set-up.

15 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

16 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 22 - Pading Section at Vistoso

The Pre & Post-Printing Area

The Post-Printing Area

The Printing Area

The Office Area

Vistoso, the Digital Printers that SUKETDHIR works with, is a four storeyed building in sector 83 of Noida, where the ground floor is the office space, on the first floor are two MS JP5 evo Digital Printers from Italy which only work with natural fabrics. The thrid floor is dedicated to the pre-printing process of Padding and the post-printing processes of Steaming, Washing and Drying. On the second floor, is where they finish the entire process with Calendering and Packaging.

17 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

18 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 23 - Woolmark Collection Booklet along with our son of man(go) and golfer prints

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

04 Product is king and minimal design, an art. It’s from this thought that everything takes birth at SUKETDHIR. For once the technique of knowing where to stop is mastered, the result is fashionable, comfortable, and elegant.

“That’s the experience I want to create: garments that look sharp and crisp on one day, but that you can wear in another context when they become washed out. That’s the story.”

Adherence to the ‘Less is More’ philosophy lends our garments a classic air, which is further highlighted through subtle detailing and a hint of quirk. Old school tailoring and finishing processes add to the level of luxury we strive to achieve. Each garment is crafted from exclusive natural, eco-friendly fabrics like cotton, linen, bamboo, fine muslin (mulmul), silk and wool. For us it’s the wearer that makes the clothes look the way they do and not the other way around. The brand believes in aesthetics that are fun and unpredictable but also organic. ”The social statement I would like my clothes to make is of slow fashion – things that do not go out of vogue at a moment’s notice and thus reduce our carbon footprint” A mix of handloom and digitised embellishments. While hand-woven Ikats were a mainstay of his Woolmark collection, his newer pieces have funky digital prints in some form reminiscent of social media’s obsession with ‘Mughal memes’.

Maharajas ride Segways and maharanis take perfect selfies as golf carts and the rest of the durbar crawl across lounge suits, reversible blazers and separates. A new attempt at ungendered clothing has filled the workspace and retail corners, with suits and separates in woven brocades, satin, linen and silks.

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20 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 24 - Winning moment of the Woolmark Prize captured

THE INTERNATIONAL WOOLMARK PRIZE

05 Inspired by Suket Dhir’s childhood – summers spent in mango orchards playing with children, under the watchful doting eye of his grandfather, was this collection. In true International Woolmark Prize tradition, the collection is Merino wool, woven in an Ombre range of mainly blues- reminiscent of the changing skies.

The collection sees the use of Ikat weaves and Kasuti embroidery technique characterized by the symmetry of the motifs used.

Trees laden with mangoes, populated by parrots are inspired by his memories. The linings are all printed silk, mostly hand block printed with motifs of parrots and umbrellas.

All of this has been translated into contemporary global silhouettes to make it global in true sense. Its trans seasonal and gender fluid aspects make it a very versatile collection.

This innovation is evident, too, in the International Woolmark Prize capsule collection of SUKETDHIR, which cleverly fuses classic western tailoring with elements of the designer’s national dress, such as oversized proportions and lightweight fabrics.

“My collection explores the trans-seasonal aspects of wool and the alchemic transformation of the fibrous wool into smooth, silk-like yarn, which renders the fabric light, airy, fluid and yet full and supple,” he explains. Using the traditional technique of handtied and –dyed yarn (Ikat), the collection aims to “trace the mellowed and faded experiences of the past memories through the ombre pattern. Graded ripples of colour submerge into concentric circles emulating the age rings of the tree trunk recalling the sensorial feel of the past.” Seamless moulding and heat setting of the fabric reinforces “Wool really is in my blood,” says Dhir, not- the garments, while the age-old technique ing that his father was a garment manufac- of Kasuti, a traditional hand embroidery, turer and his grandfather a cloth merchant. creates geometric, grid-like patterns in an “Merino wool was always the wool fabric update on the classic quilting stitch. “Blendthat my family would use. For us, though, ing the oriental, imperial and the traditional, it always meant winter. It meant maybe a the collection is a mix of structured and flutweed jacket. But that’s changed so much id drape that presents a transcultural style.” now with these lighter weight, cool wool.”

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Figure 26-32 - Momwnts from the regional and international win (top row), excerpts of press for the win

www.pambianconews.it 15 gennaio 2016

VOGUE.COM INTERNATIONALE WOOLMARK PRIZE 14.01.16

20

BREAKFAST WITH...

INDIA’S CROWN JEWEL

“I was figuring out what I wanted to do, but certainly kept getting to know what I didn’t want to do,” says Suket Dhir, winner of the 2016 International Woolmark Prize for menswear.

While sitting at a cafe in Bengaluru, he spotted a guy wearing a Wrangler-designed T-shirt.

That’s where the idea zoomed in! Today, the Suket Dhir label is a tour de force. We met the maverick, and took an interesting walk down memory lane with him...

By DUHIN GANJU

How daunting was the journey to wards winning the International Woolmark Prize, especially in the menswear category?

I was on the verge of passing out. I had to sort of calm my nerves.

I had got two-and-afor the last 15 an invite from Woolmark to participate was encouraging and daunting , with the pressure to prove myself building up. And once I put it all out there, I did whatever best I could; it didn’t remain as tough as it seemed.

What were some of the challenges that you faced on this path to glory? a few of them. Firstly, I had to go out of my from light-weight fabrics, like linen or silk. Secondly, it was a bit Furthermore, we were developing our own woollen fabric with our weavers in Telangana, so that too, was challenging.

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SUKET DHIR WINNING THE COVETED PRIZE.

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Figure 33-44 - The Woolamrk Collection at a glance

24 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

“ There’s always a bit of a quirk, even the designs have a less-ismore look to them. But that twist doesn’t need to Be in your Face. it can be something subtle, like the way the fabric is weaved or the way the garment is put together. “

“I started doing menswear because it was much easier to design for myself. The philosophy of my brand is that I will make what I can wear. It is, as a result, effortless and you get a more soulful product. ”

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Figure 45-55,- The Jamdani Collectionv at a glance

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S/S 18/19

06

As delicate as the aesthetic choices of the past, this season’s inspiration comes from the ethereal nature of Jamdani and its slow mindful process.

This collection pays tribute to one of the finest weaving techniques of India- Jamdani, which is delicately and slowly woven with a fineness of 300 count khadi yarn. The technique is creating iconic motifs of clouds, parrots, guava trees and mangoes with the signature details of the intricate jalli stitch and buttons stitched using coloured thread

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28 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 56-64 - The Royal Within Collection at a glance

THE ROYAL WITHIN

Our very first autumn/winter collection, it is essentially the coming together of hand-spun, hand-woven fabrics that are block-printed, pin-tucked and finished with exquisite handcrafting techniques, such as sarju, kantha and tur- pai. This is balanced with the same finishing techniques applied to lus- cious mill-made wool and pashmina blends, linen-silk and cotton-silk textiles. Accents of dusty jade, yellow ochre and bluish Teal lend a dash of spice to a neutral palette.

Understanding the rigours of the crafts of India, where each technique is season-specific, region-specific and labour intensive, The Royal Within is a contemporary translation of the above. Portraying the royalty’s recreational mood, the concept is a light-hearted symbolic manifestation of one’s inner aspirations to achieve the ultimate.

Drawing inspiration from the memories of a pure youth, the memory of his grandfather, always sporting an umbrella under his right arm – ideal archetypal of an elegance devoid of superstructures – down to the summer holidays in the mango orchards and plantations of a subcontinent that was very different from today’s India, though equally rich in suggestions: composed men with an outstanding sense of shape and proportions. Clean lines and a natural taste for colour are this collection’s main features.

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Figure 65-76,- The A/W 18/19 collection at a glance 30 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

A/W 18/19

SUKETDHIR presents a curation of fluid silhouettes for men in reimagined fabrics. Gossamer mulmul gets structure with blazers, bandis, and trousers, as poplin and linen translate into playful creations perfect for autumn sojourns. Meanwhile, heavy khadi and cotton silk is fashioned into tony outerwear. Taking centre stage are bombers crafted for all seasons and reasons, and meant for relaxed trousers and basic tees. Bold hues—from brilliant mustard and jubilant fuchsia to subtle salmon and dashing plum to all hues of the colour blue—complete the collection, fashioned for suave updates and seamless style

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32 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 77-84 - The He For She Collectionv at a glance

HE FOR SHE

Nazaqat, a word that often manifests in the SUKETDHIR aesthetic. A hint of grace that manifests into men’s wear collections.

SUKETDHIR is a men’s centric brand that believes in the philosophy of minimalism and classic styles quirked by subtleties of playful prints. Rooting deep into traditions, is this brand that contemporizes pieces with modern silhouettes. Details and fabric experimentations remain the core peculiarity of SUKETDHIR. What surprises is the love of our design aesthetics that have stretched through the women. Women who have appreciated our effortless personification of dressing. Women who feel the power emanating on donning SUKETDHIR. Over the years, we have seen women leaning towards our core products and adding those styles into their own wardrobes. Understanding this space, the brand has now launched the ‘He for She’ collection. Men’s wear made for women, designs which remain signature SUKETDHIR, just with slimmer silhouettes. Beautiful play of fabrics like silks, brocades and cottons bring in elements of femininity.

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34 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 85 - A corner at the studio

Design Direction Concept Presentation Research for Prints and Silhouttes Sourcing Fabrics Sampling of Silhouttes Strike-offs of Prints Review Meetings Production Meetings Range Plan Finalised Review Meetings

DESIGN MANAGEMENT PROCESS

07

Production Test Studio Samples Launch and Distribution

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36 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 86 - Satin Silk Fabric, Lining fabric detail, Zipper detail

FABRICS

Cotton Silk Khadi Bamboo Linen 25 lea 60 lea 70 lea 80 lea Satin Velvet Brocade Damask Merino Wool Cashmere Wool Cotton Linen Cotton Silk Satin Silk Satin Linen Muga Satin

SUKETDHIR garments are crafted from exclusive natural, eco-friendly fabrics like cotton, linen, bamboo, fine muslin (mulmul), silk and wool. For us it’s the wearer that makes the clothes look the way they do and not the other way around. A new attempt at ungendered clothing has filled the workspace and retail corners, with suits and separates in woven brocades, satin, linen and silks.

“Mill fabrics can’t be replicated on the hand loom because of their toughness and sturdiness. There are certain techniques, motifs, yarn quality that can only be achieved on the hand loom. So, my whole effort was to ensure that we do not pit power loom against the hand loom. The idea was to bring about a synergy between the two,” explains Dhir.

37 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

38 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 87 - The Signature “Jaali” stitch

DETAILS

Buttons Iconic Motifs Coloured threads Ribs Zippers Jaali Stitch Morse Code Aari Rich Linings Pin Tucks

An impromptu fix that turned into a signature SUKETDHIR design detail.

This technique of jaali stitches running across the seams, technically also called fagoted seams strengthen the seam and reduce slippage. More so, it adds on as a beautiful finishing detail.

Blue, red, yelow, then orange - a fun play of colored threads that sew the buttons. Unnoticed in the first glance, these are the details that add to the brand’s quirks. Little details that make even their classic shirts so interesting.

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40 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 88 - Block print and colored thread or buttons

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Figure 89 - Embroidery detail on garments

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Figure 90 - Sukrt Dhir with his woollen ikat fabric

TECHNIQUES

Ikat Jamdani Dyeing Block print Digital Print Embroidery

The Ikats, Jamdanis and Brocades are sourced from the weavers of West Bengal and Banaras who are always enthusiastic about the kind of whimsical patterns that they receive from the brands for their fabrics. Mill made cashmere, merino blends, velvets and duchess satins co-exist with pashmina from Nepal and Kashmir, handloom brocades from Banaras, handspun 32-count khadi and signature handloom ikats.

The iconic SUKETDHIR motifs; Cloud, Tree, Umbrella, Mithoo(parrot), Mango; are block printed onto fabrics like cotton, linen, khadi, silk, cotton linen, satin, cotton silk, satin linen, satin silk, at a block printing unit in Faridabad. The brand is now planning to employ their loyal associate of twelve years to become their in-house block printer with a set-up in the production area of the studio.

Details being the brand’s forte, they do fine aari work which looks like a print unless you feel the texture on their fabrics using gold, pani gold coloured zari threads or similar colored threads as the colour of the fabric. The aari work vary from simple running stitches for kurtas to detailed outlines along the prints or the iconic motifs of the brand.

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44 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 91 - Prints of SUKETDHIR at the Digital Printers

Padding (pre-printing process) Done manually using Sodium Alginate, Urea, Soda Ash/Sodium bicarbonate and Resist Salt Printing on Digital Inkjet Printers Using reactive dyes on the two MS JP5 evo printers, both manufactured in Italy by MS – Printing Solution MS Curve-D Steaming for color fixation At 102°C for about 15-18 minutes in the Steamer manufactured by Fab Care in Delhi

DIGITAL PRINTING

Fabrics received from the brand

Fantasies printed to reality is what defines SUKETDHIR prints the best. For this , the brand resorts to digital printing using only reactive dyes as the intricate details of the prints are best visible using this technique. At Vistoso, the brand’s digital printing associate, the following processes is as mentioned in the adjacent column.

Washing With hot water(80°C), Detergent, Fixer and Softener in the Laundrometer by Fab Care Hydroextractor/Drying Water extraction in the hydroextractor by Fab Care with the capacity of 100 meters in 15 mins. Line drying for delicate fabric s like silk, satin or Tumble Drying for fabrics like cotton, jersey, velvet etc.

Finish and Delivery Calendering process carried out in the two Calendering Machines from Gamco Mech Tools INDS, Amritsar.

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46 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 92-93 - Padding before Printing (above), Digital Printer machine (below)

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Figure 94-95 - Washing (Above), Packaging (below)

RAINFOREST 48 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

PRINTS

SUKETDHIR prints draw most of their inspiration from nostalgia.

Pulled from the designer’s childhood; parrots motifs are from trips to mango orchards visited with his grandfather. “Our house had guava trees, and where there are gauva and mango trees, there are parrots! My grandfather was a dapper dresser, more so than my parents whose sensibilities got lost in the 80’s, an era of mass production.

He used to wear felt berets, tailored jackets and carry an umbrella.

The umbrella motif launched in Monsoon ‘17 referenced his style.

I’m particular that unless I have a good concept I don’t do prints.”

Can we use design to redefine our relationship with fashion through cultural heritage? This was the starting point of the Golfer Print design theme. Through these print designs Suket introduces the world to what’s familiar and whats taken for granted.

They reinforce our playful relationship with the world around us.

The Golfer Print is classic, whimsical and playful. Peeking into India’s rich history. There are tongue-in-cheek prints showcasing the royal life – Maharajas avoid their hunting escapades to play golf and maharanis are no more veiled but instead take selfies. And to infuse an element of quirk, he has experimented with Kangra style miniature paintings in specification to ‘Raas’ and ‘Krishna Leela’ to create prints.

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NARAAZ MITHOO 50 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

MANGO

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MITHOO JHAROKHA 52 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

MITHOO JAAL

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TURQUOISE STRIPE FUCHSIA STRIPE 54 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

LOTUS JAAL

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GOLFER PRINT 56 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Size 60” x 44” Technique Digital Print

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CHERRY BLOSSOM 58 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Size 60” x 44” Technique Digital Print

59 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

60 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 96 - Picture from He for She collection featuring most of the product categories

JACKETS 18,000 - 98,000 Bomber Biker Cape Long Caoe Trench Long Trench Matrix Smocking SHIRTS 11,000 - 24,000 Classic Bush Band Collar Vardi Bullet Crop Kurta Long

PRODUCT RANGE & COSTING

BLAZER 18,000 - 78,000 Classic Bandi Double Breasted Gilet

TROUSERS 9,650 - 32,000 Classic Azaad Raahi Carrot Chaplin Pant Pyjama Palazzo Shorts KURTAS 12,000 - 34,000 Chote Miyan Bade Miyan Bullet OVERALLS 18,000 - 98,000 Jumpsuit Suit Sets Lounge Sets SAREES ACCESSORIES Scarves Pocket Squares Bow-ties

Costing of theses products include the cost of the fabric consumed, cost of dyeing, cost of printing, cost of overdyeing (if done), cost of trims and materials used, labour cost which includes patternmaking, cutting, sewing, fusing, finishing, ironing, designer’s margin and overhead expenses.

61 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 97 - Branding Collaterals of the label

62 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

COLLATERALS

08 Inspired by René Magritte’s painting Son of Man, featuring a mango instead of Magritte’s apple and a man with a beard under the iconic hat— a quirky imprint of himself hidden in his clothes. Rene Margritte’s Son of Man is given a beard and a mango and transformed into ‘Son of Man(go)’, which is the identity of the brand and can also be seen in the lining fabrics of garments adding in a little personal detail to the product.

All the collaterals and website development of SUKETDHIR is done by the design firm, NowFrom.

Brand words Experiential, Discovery, Classic, Elegant, Exclusive, Youthful, Quirky, Humorous, Effortless, Subtle, Light-hearted, Discovery

63 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

64 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 98 - Graphics used for Garments tags (above), Marketing (Below)

BRAND CONTENT GUIDELINES

Refer to the brand as SUKETDHIR (all caps, no space) in all communication mediums including social media and media coverage. This is to distinguish the brand, SUKETDHIR from the designer, Suket Dhir.

Words that can be used to describe SUKETDHIR any given day, are: zany, nazaquat, whimsical, peculiar, curious, effortless, evocative, refined and earnest.

Less is more- this is the design philosophy behind SUKETDHIR. Our

logo

typeface

of

SUKETDHIR

is-

Livia.

The logo has to be placed vertical on the left on all creatives and visual graphics. Like attached below.

The fonts used to represent the brand on all visual materials is- Source sans pro and Cormorant.

65 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

66 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 99 - The website and the instagram page, desktop and mobile versions

MARKETING

09 Just like Suket Dhir’s work, the website was designed to be simple and elegant at first glance, but full of surprises on further inspection. The website was created using a colour palette of washed out greys and a dash of ochre, to bring out the sophisticated elegance of the brand as well as hint at its quirkiness. The website uses a pinky finger hover cursor rather than a traditional cursor, keeping in mind the brand’s sense of cheeky humour.

A set of icons were designed to make the users’ experience more engaging. Suket Dhir’s iconic bowler hat, which he’s never seen without, was converted into an icon for the footer and used as a magician’s hat. Interactions and animations were incorporated throughout so that the website would remain surprisingly delightful while maintaining a classic old-world charm.

67 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

GOOD EARTH Khan Market, Delhi open 7 days a week 11:00 am - 8:00 pm IST Shop No.9 A.B.C.Ground 1st & 2nd Floor Khan Market, New Delhi – 110003 T: +91-11-24647175 +91-11-24647176 +91-11-24647179 OGAAN Open 7 Days, 10am to 8pm Kala Ghoda 6/8, Navbharat House, Burjorji S Bharucha Marg, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400023 +91-84520-04386 Hauz Khas Village H-2 Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi 110016 + 91 9711991998 +91-11-26967595 Malcha Marg No. 3 & 4, Malcha Marg Market, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi -110021 +91-011-41716121 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 8-2-602/B/3&4, Road No. 10, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500034 +91-40-23352000 / +91-40-23357000 CURATO Plot No. 566, Delta Houses, 18th Rd, Khar, Khar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400052 11AM - 8PM Phone: 088793 81014

68 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

EVOLUZIONE 10:30 AM - 7:30 PM monday - saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM sunday Chennai 3, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 06 +91 4428333627 Delhi The Kila, Seven Style Mile, Mehrauli New Delhi - 110030 +91 9560333793 Bengaluru 14, Vittal Mallya Road, Embassy Classic Bangaluru - 560001 +91 8041121088 ENSEMBLE Timings: Monday to Saturday, 11.00 am to 7.00 pm Mumbai Great Western Building, 130/132 Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai 23 Phone: +91-22-40564825/40564800 Fax: +91-22- 22872966 E-mail: liongate@ensembleindia.com White Hall, Ground Floor, West Wing, 143 August Kranti Marg, Kemps Corner, Mumbai 36 Phone: +91-22-23672416/23672418 E-mail: kemps@ensembleindia.com Mi-Casa, Junction of St. Theresa Road, 28th Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai 50 Phone: +91-22-26420643/26420644 E-mail: bandra@ensembleindia.com

NOBORDER Ferriera House Address: 47/G, Khotachiwadi Trail 1 Ln, Khotachiwadi, Ambewadi, Girgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004

CULT MODERN Fort Kochi 1/258 Napier Street, Fort Cochin 682001 Kerala, India business.cultmodern@ gmail.com ; shopcultmodern@gmail.com ; +91 9349156499 ; +91 484 2704646

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE New York 611 Fifth Avenue New York, NY, 10022, US Sun:11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Mon - Sat:10:00 AM - 8:30 PM

BOON THE SHOP South Korea 21 Apgujeong ro 60 Gil Gangnam 06015 Seoul, Korea +82 2-2056-1234 Hours 11:00 - 20:00

10 CORSO COMO Corso Como 10, Milano, 20154 Italy T. +39 02 29002674 shop@10corsocomo.com

Sydney Market Street Customer Services on 3, 65-77, 65-77 Market Street, Sydney 2000 Phone: 02 9266 5544

AZA Online Store

DISTRIBUTION

DAVID JONES Melbourne Bourke Street Mall Customer Services on 4, 310 Bo, 310 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000 Phone: 03 9643 2222

ISETAN MITSUKOSHI Japan

MATCHESFASHION.COM Online Store HERITAGE Bengaluru EMERALD Kolkata

69 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

70 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 100-105 - Excerpts of Articles about the designer and the brand

PRESS

71 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

72 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 106 - The working space in the office area

PRINT STORY 1 The Surreal Dream PRINT STORY 2 The Reverese Psychology PRINT STORY 3 Icon Prints Blocks

MY PROJECTS

10

RESEARCH WORK Sunbathing Ladies Kamasutra Sculptures Miniatures for intimates FLATS Flats for A/W Collection Mapping MISCELLANEOUS Studio Set-up Updation of Sourcing List Brand Fabric Board Organising the Print Directory

73 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

74 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

PRINT STORY 1

The Surreal Dream SUKETDHIR’s print stories are a conjuncture of reality and fantasy inspired from a personal story of the designer. In continuation of this inspiration, The Surreal Dream portrays the whimsical imagination of a child’s free mind while sun basking in the backyard of Nani-ka-ghar during the summer holidays. The mind wonders about the beautiful trees that it saw in the miniature paintings from the museum visit with grandfather the previous day along with the animals you see grazing around in that small green town doing the cool things that one sees happening in the city.

This project has been divided into two parts - Print 1 and 2 which are a realistic imagination and are very detailed depictions of reality. Hence these two prints are to be digitally printed only. Wheras Print 3 and Print 4 are inspired from the aesthetics of the miniature paintings and a mixed medium of digital printing and embroidery or block printing and embroidery is to be used.

75 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

SD PRINT 1 SD PRINT 2

Size - 60” x 44” Technique - Digital Print

76 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Thinking from the perspective of a child’s mind and adding the signatire quirk factor of the brand’s aesthetic, each animal is imagined to be doing something very human-like and socially trending.

The process of this print started with drawing the animals on paper and then scanning them to be rendered digitally on Illustrator giving them an organic, watercolour effect.

The trees selected are the ones which we could see in our grandmother’s backyard from our memories. The process of the trees was completely digital and started with first making the leaves of the trees on illustrator and then compiling the leaves in various shapes on color gradation onto the body of the tree with details like flowers and fruits added for a more layered and real look.

The process for these two prints started with the trees which were first hand drawn and painted using natural colour pencils and then cleaned digitally to give clarity to the details on being digitally printed. The animals are to be block printed and detailed using the barnd’s signature aari work.

77 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

78 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 107 - Surreal Graphics of M C Escher

PRINT STORY 2

The Reverse Psychology Keeping the brand's surreal inspiration and whimsical aesthetics intact, The Reverse Psychology narrates the journey of the brand through this change in roles in the world. The inspiration behind this collection of prints is the literal reverse concept of the brand’s previous signature print, the golfer print where their were Maharajas and Maharanis wandering around in the habitat of the wild, the orchards and jungles, doing things that are trending socially and polluting their homes. In this collection, we see the inhabitants of that wilderness, the birds and animals doing the same trending things in the habitat of the Humans, the Concrete Jungle and evolving to take over this world in return.

The inspiration behind the concept and aesthetics of this project is the famous graphic artist, M C Escher. The architectural surrealism that his work portrayed has been the experimental technique for this project along with adding the designer’s like for minimal flat graphics and a pinch of Indian aesthetics as well.

79 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

80 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 108 - Role Press of garment after production

LEARNING

11 Over the years, I had heard from my seniors and acquaintances working in the industry that we can never know what we end up doing as we enter the design industry as a professional. During the period of my internship, I realised how true this concept is. Over the years of design education, I had developed a signature style which could be described using words like sustainability, minimal, simple, organic and earthy. When I started applying to organisations for the internship, I only picked out the brands with a similar philosophy. I have been following SUKETDHIR since 2016 when he won the International Woolmark Prize, the first ever in the Menswear category. His collection and techniques were very inspiring and on getting a positive response from the brand after an interview with the designer himself, there was a sense of excitement and uncertainty, at the same time, which continued till I started working at the brand and understood the work culture. The internship turned up to be a lifetime experience for me where I got the opportunity to closely work with the designer I have been looking up to ever since I started my design journey.

The past two months took me through a journey filled with a lot of first timers along with many ups and downs. There were times where I had to make impromptu decisions and come up with fast but good results. But that is where the learning happened. The entire period was a scope of gaining knowledge through research, discussions, presentations, explorations. This project helped me grow, articulate and turn odds into evens. It helped me explore new horizons and broaden my array of skills through understanding the attitude of acceptance and rejections and keeping myself open to new things.

81 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

82 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR

Figure 109 - Details of a Satin Silk Lounge suit

suketdhir.com/ indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/ the-importance-of-being-subtle-5501194/ livemint.com/Leisure/oqIbZGo8P2wJf3Nl9W14SK/ Menswear-designer-Suket-Dhir-turns-to-women/ borderandfall.com/suket-dhir/

BIBLIOGRAPHY

12

elle.in/article/menswear-designer-suket-dhirs-foray-into-womenswear-is-as-organic-and-individualistic-as-anything-hes-ever-done/ forbesindia.com/article/work/suket-dhir-weavingstories-in-style/42999/1 nytimes.com/2016/11/04/fashion/mens-style/ suket-dhir-menswear-designer-delhi-india-global/ instagram.com/suketdhir/ openthemagazine.com/features/fashion/suket-dhirthe-man-and-his-motif/ Pictures Self and Brand Owned

83 | Hemakshi Devi | SUKETDHIR