PROFILE PLATINUM MAKING THE CUT Paul Jheeta has broken into the tightly knit world of Savile Row, the Mecca of bespoke men’s tailoring BY ANUPMA MISHRA AUL JHEETA HAD an unusual ambition. He FIT AND FINE wanted to be a men’s tailor (ABOVE) Jheeta has a host of celebrity clients including cricketer Virat Kohli; (ABOVE RIGHT) Jheeta’s newly opened lounge at — but not just any old men’s Mill Street in Mayfair where he meets clients tailor. He wanted to be a star on Savile Row, where the rich and famous from around the world Farhan Akhtar, photographer and movie Once that’s done, the pattern’s drafted Phead for bespoke suits or jackets. producer Atul Kasbekar, Hollywood director onto a piece of paper and then chalked onto The odds were against Jheeta when he James Gray and even the Prime Minister of the cloth. These are sewn together loosely started out as Savile Row has always been Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit. but only completed after a third fitting. The a bastion of conservatism and nurtured a “I was introduced to Sachin by Kasbekar and entire process can take 10-12 weeks. positively snooty image. Inevitably, it didn’t later met him at Lord’s where he was practising Born to a father in the Indian Navy and have room for outsiders. But Jheeta overcame at the nets,” says the master tailor who has done a home-maker mother, Jheeta always had a all the hurdles and has today established his over a dozen suits for the cricketing legend. strong eye for clothes and fashion. Even as a own eponymous brand at 12, Savile Row. On Savile Row, making a suit can be a five-year-old, the only thing he liked about Also, Jheeta has recently set up a lounge at lengthy and intricate process. You start by his school uniform was a pair of socks that Mill Street, another prestigious address near picking the fabric and the style, and getting fitted perfectly. By the time he reached high Savile Row, where he interacts with his clients. measured up. Be prepared to answer a long school, all he wanted to do was learn embroi- “Savile Row is a close-knit community and list of specific questions like whether you dery, crochet work and doodle. it’s almost impossible for an outsider to fit in experience major weight swings, how often Initially, he trained to become a pilot but here unless you have an exceptional set of do you look at your watch or if you prefer ended up working as a designer at Kachins, skills,” says the 43-year old who has been in boxer shorts over briefs. “A consultation is a bespoke menswear brand in Mumbai. “I the industry for two decades. important since I need to know my client and wanted to join the Indian Air Force but since Jheeta has measured up the best in recent sometimes it takes a full day as people take I couldn’t, I joined Kachins,” says Jheeta. “In years. Sachin Tendulkar has stopped by time to open up,“ says Jheeta whose clients hindsight, I think it was the artist in me that between matches and is a great fan. So include entrepreneurs, bankers and even made me take decisions that I would have are other celebrities like Virat Kohli, actor Asians, Russians and Arabs living in London. never taken otherwise.” A PERFECT STITCH Paul Jheeta claims it takes an exceptional set of skills for an Jheeta recently opened a lounge at Mill Street, near outsider to make it to Savile Row Savile Row where he interacts with clients 17 / PLATINUM / APRIL 2016 PROFILE SUCCESS STORY PLATINUM (FAR LEFT) The Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit is one of Jheeta’s star customers; (LEFT) Jheeta likes to work with fabrics like wool, cashmere and even vicuna, a rare soft wool from the South American camelid with the suit trousers,” says Jheeta. Ask him about the latest trends and his reply comes quickly. “Savile Row is all about classic style,” he says. “So it doesn’t matter what’s in fashion, the style never changes.” cashmere and vicuna — a rare and soft wool Still, he doesn’t advertise or use social me- from the South American camelid. dia to spread the word about his label. “When This apart, he also makes custom sepa- a high-profile client like Tendulkar tweets a rates. “From shirts to jackets to ties to three- picture of himself wearing my suit, it becomes and two-piece suits and dinner suits, I do the like an advert for me,” says Jheeta proudly. whole lot,“ he says. Jheeta’s now looking at making an Indian Adding an Indian twist to his repertoire, comeback via a tie-up with Mumbai’s Amy Jheeta has now started making Nehru jackets Billimoria House of Design. “India’s a huge with dinner suits. “I was a bit apprehensive market and ready to embrace luxury bespoke about this as Savile Row has a very niche services,” he says. “So I now have a base in reputation of creating only classic pieces but Mumbai and will come to India four times thankfully, it was received well,” says Jheeta. annually for measurements and fittings. The He recently delivered a velvet dinner suit garments will then be hand-stitched back in with a velvet Nehru jacket. “If you don’t wish my studio.” to wear a bowtie then pair the Nehru jacket And he’s ready to get it all stitched up. P In 1996, after a year with Kachins, Jheeta MASTER STROKE Sons, one of Savile Row’s star names. It was (ABOVE) Jheeta met Sachin Tendulkar for the first time at headed to London to do a post graduation Lords and has now made over a dozen bespoke suits for the here that he perfected the craft of making degree in Industrial Pattern & Cutting from maestro of the cricketing world; (LEFT) Bollywood actor men’s bespoke suits.” By then, I was already 27 the Central School of Fashion in Foley Street. Farhan Akhtar is a Jheeta fan and is seen here walking the and so, I had to move up the ladder really fast.“ red carpet in one of the master tailor’s creations “Designing wasn’t my cup of tea,” says Four years later, Jheeta’s hard work bore Jheeta. “Your job is restricted to scribbling on fruit when he became a bespoke tailor at paper which you pass on to the technical team. Chittleborough & Morgan, the two star I wanted to create menswear as it’s a challenge to stay put since I had paid for the full term.” tailors who had taken over the legendary to spice up a garment with limited options.” But finishing the course early meant he firm Nutters founded by Tommy Nutter, who At the school, Jheeta learned about paper could do a placement with Philip Kanwal, a famously revived the fortunes of Savile Row patterns, fittings and draping and even made prestigious freelance designer and couture tailoring and whose greatest moment came illustrations for their textbooks. tailor in London. when three of The Beatles wore his suits on Jheeta, however, knew he was racing In 1998, Jheeta joined Antony Price, a the cover of the album, Abbey Road. against time. He joined the school at 23, noted British designer. He became Price’s “From being a designer, to pattern cutter which is considered very late by Savile Row chief assistant and worked as pattern cutter and fitter, I had done it all with the best in standards. “They like to catch people young and fitter, who creates paper patterns and business and that gave me confidence to set and nurture them,” says Jheeta. “So, I fin- cuts the garment for fittings. up my label in 2008,” says Jheeta. ished the course in four months flat but had Next came a big move, to H. Huntsman & His signature style is a classic single- breasted jacket with a single button and peak lapels. “Waistcoats and classic pieces are also in demand,” says Jheeta who likes to work The master tailor is all set to have a base in Mumbai via a tie-up with MEASURE FOR MEASURE with velvet in shades of burgundy, navy or (ABOVE LEFT) Celebrity photographer Atul Kasbekar is a great fan of Jheeta’s and so is (ABOVE RIGHT) American movie the Amy Billimoria House of Design dark forest green. Jheeta is also fond of wool, director James Grey 18 / PLATINUM / APRIL 2016 19 / PLATINUM / APRIL 2016.