A JAIPUR BOY WITH A NEW YORK VIBE—THAT’S HOW SIDDHARTH KASLIWAL DESCRIBES HIMSELF AND IT TRACKS.
He comes from a long line of well-dressed men. His father, the late Pramod “Munnu” Kasliwal, cut a striking figure in his time and along with a discerning eye for style, Kasliwal earned his spot in the family jewellery business, a legacy shaped by royal patronage in Jaipur since the early 1700s. “After my father passed, I had huge shoes to fill,” he says. “It’s a legacy and a blessing and it touches every part of my life, including my style and the way I think.”
The scion of The Gem Palace, Kasliwal moves easily between extravagant gems and the world’s best parties. Style, it turns out, was never incidental. “Even as a child, people told me I had impeccable taste. My mother says I was always strong-headed about what I wore,” he laughs. “She had six wardrobes made in the house—two for me and four for my future wife. Right now, I’m occupying all six.” The soon-to-be-wed jeweller invited Esquire India into The Johri, a boutique hotel that he launched in 2020, for a glimpse into his personal wardrobe.
BUNDI AND SHOES BY HOT PINK; POCKET SQUARE BY HERMÈS; BUTTONS BY THE GEM PALACE; TROUSERS BY LULULEMON; WATCH BY CARTIERPULKIT MISHRA
You come from a family steeped in tradition. How has that legacy shaped your aesthetic sense?
My grandfather was a fashionable man and had his own style in kurta pyjamas. He owned fifty or sixty Western jackets, always with perfectly placed pocket squares. My father wore linen kurta pyjamas with hand-stitched details, along with sixty white shirts and forty pairs of trousers. He liked wearing half-jackets over his kurtas, paired with elegant turbans and distinctive buttons.
He launched Hot Pink, a conceptual boutique in Jaipur, which my mother, Kalpana Kasliwal, now manages. When I was younger, I would contribute to the men’s section at the boutique, where he experimented with jacket cuts. My father’s involvement with jewellery and precious stones influenced his aesthetic and mine. It taught me to see things differently.
How much of your aesthetic legacy have you reshaped along the way?
I went to New York from Jaipur at 17 to do an internship at the Metropolitan Museum and since then New York has been a second home. We now also have a by-appointment studio in Manhattan. My sense of design is shaped by both Jaipur and New York.
I don’t really invest in designer outfits. I mostly wear custom-made clothes by my tailor in Jaipur, designed by me—except for maybe a Ralph Lauren tuxedo. There is so much tailoring, handcraft and design talent in India.
I’d define my style as Rajasthani heritage with a New York soul. Traditional with a twist, contemporary in its leanings, but always cushioned by our own traditions.
BANDHGALA TAILORED AT HOT PINK; POCKET SQUARE BY HOT PINK; BROOCH BY THE GEM PALACE; TROUSERS BY LULULEMONPULKIT MISHRA
BANDHGALA TAILORED AT HOT PINK; POCKET SQUARE BY HOT PINK; BROOCH BY THE GEM PALACE; TROUSERS BY LULULEMONPULKIT MISHRA
BANDHGALA TAILORED AT HOT PINK; POCKET SQUARE BY HOT PINK; BROOCH BY THE GEM PALACE; TROUSERS BY LULULEMONPULKIT MISHRA
Growing up, how early did you start expressing yourself through what you wore?
Even when I was eight or nine, I’m told I had a definite opinion about what I wore. I was obsessive about shades and wanted them in every colour.
My boyhood was spent at Mayo. My taste was different even then; I loved experimenting with colour and wore shiny purple jackets with white or cream trousers. Sometimes the jacket was electric blue or pink; that was my thing. I’d put together vintage looks with checked jackets and I wore a leather jacket on my first date, which was a bit of a shock. Boys my age didn’t wear colour then, but I was always bold with my choices. So much so that my friends would ask me about the “Govinda look.” I’ve always loved colour, probably because of the Rajasthani influence, which is all about vibrancy.
Would you say a man is what he wears?
Clothes don’t make the man but they do introduce him. It’s a two-way street. People with low confidence display logos; I don’t need brands to bolster me. I wear whatever I fancy and that gives me confidence. I don’t buy logos. What I wear has a Jaipur-meets–New York vibe. At times I’ll pick a Rajesh Pratap [Singh] or a Ravi Bajaj. In New York, friends often tell me I have a distinct style as I’d wear a half-jacket with a well-tailored shirt.
Who, to you, defines the idea of a stylish gentleman?
I don’t really follow trends or style icons. That said, I think Saif Ali Khan has great style and so did Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II. Among royalty, you’ll find many well-dressed men who carried Indian heritage and culture with real elan. I also admire the way some Italian business families dress, like the Agnelli family of Fiat.
EYEWEAR BY CÉLINE; SHIRT AND SHOES BY HOT PINK; JACKET, VINTAGE FROM A BROOKLYN SHOP; TROUSERS, TAILOREDPULKIT MISHRA
What does your go-to look look like for different occasions?
Formal: A beautifully cut achkan, finished with a brooch pin or custom turtle buttons I just got made.
A party in Beirut: A pink double-breasted jacket. Very James Bond in spirit.
At my farm: A shacket (shirt-cum-jacket) with jeans and comfortable jootis.
A business meeting: A half-jacket (a blend of Indian and British styles) or a classic two-button Western jacket with a shirt and jeans.
Jewellery for men—yes or no?
It used to be considered unconventional for men to wear jewellery but times have changed and people are more culturally aware now.
Jewellery on men gives a distinguished edge. Buttons, brooches, bracelets… men can carry all of these and more. Whenever I wear jewellery, I feel confident in my choices. Most of the time, I wear a Gem Palace bracelet.
What are the must-haves in your wardrobe?
Jootis, a half-jacket, a cashmere sweater, a Jodhpuri jacket with breeches and a double-breasted jacket. A normal woollen sweater is a no no; yes to round-neck T-shirts. A formal party shirt in a pop of colour adds personality. I’m most comfortable in a bundi [sleeveless Nehru jacket], so that’s an essential. I wear it so often that my friends say “the bundi boy” is here.
One piece you could never part with?
My most precious pieces are a Zegna jacket and a cashmere sweater that belonged to my dad. There’s an emotional connection—I feel close to him whenever I wear them.
JACKET & SHOES BY HOT PINK; BROOCH BY THE GEM PALACE; TROUSERS BY LULULEMON; EYEWEAR BY POLO RALPH LAURENPULKIT MISHRA
JACKET & SHOES BY HOT PINK; BROOCH BY THE GEM PALACE; TROUSERS BY LULULEMON; EYEWEAR BY POLO RALPH LAURENPULKIT MISHRA
BANDHGALA AND SHOES BY HOT PINK; SHIRT AND TROUSERS, TAILORED; WATCH BY CARTIERPULKIT MISHRA
PULKIT MISHRA
Is there anything you’d never wear?
A suit and tie. I haven’t worn one in the last two decades. I’ve never even shopped for ties. On principle, I avoid fur and animal skin.
What do you shop for when you travel?
I don’t shop brands; I only look for cool finds in thrift shops. I’m not big on watches; for me, a watch isn’t about monetary value. I like Cartier because it has beautiful craftsmanship. I do have an addiction to shoes—I have nearly a hundred pairs, from Loro Piana and classic Tods to Indian jootis. I like to experiment with custom-made boutique shoes. I love Milan and Florence; Paris is great for women. But I’d never shop in Dubai or Singapore.
You just got engaged to New Yorker Piya Mehra. What did you wear for the occasion? And what’s planned for the wedding?
For the engagement, I wore an achkan. For the wedding, I don’t want to spoil the surprise but yes, I’ll be wearing a sarpeh (turban ornament) with a Colombian emerald. Arjan Duggal is designing my sherwani and I’ll also include some kurtas by Kunal Rawal. You’ll just have to wait and see.
PULKIT MISHRA
Credits
Words by SHASHI SUNNY
Photographs by PULKIT MISHRA
Styling by MEHAK KHANNA
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