LA Based Gallerist Rajiv Menon Shows Off His Style Stakes
Menon melds art and fashion, South Asian and Western aesthetics, heirlooms and modern marvels in his style stakes
RAJIV MENON IS BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN CULTURES, one gallery show at a time. The LA-based gallerist is on a mission to bring South Asian and diasporic art to the West Coast, from Hollywood to Jaipur’s City Palace, where his recent exhibition made history as the first single-gallery curation in that space. Raised between Texas, Madras (now Chennai) and Kerala, and seasoned by years in New York, Menon curates his wardrobe just as he curates his gallery, with thoughtfulness, intention and deep roots in South Asian culture.
His wardrobe is an effortless mix of heirlooms, global finds and cinematic nods. He’s as likely to mix a Saint Laurent silk shirt with pieces from Indian labels like Karthik Research as he is to layer family heirlooms like his father’s reef knot ring, his grandmother’s jewellery and his mother’s thali chain. Yet fashion, for Menon, is never just about appearance. It is another form of storytelling—a quiet extension of the identity, culture and expression he cultivates in his gallery. In Menon’s world, art and style are inseparable.
When did you first become interested in fashion?
It was in my early 20s. I didn’t think about fashion at all when I was studying in Texas. Moving to the East Coast exposed me to more culture. I started to really think about how I wanted to present myself in the world. I realised dressing was a form of storytelling and I loved learning not just about clothes but the stories behind them. I always say that taste grows with experience, it’s not inherent.
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Did you have a style icon growing up?
I grew up watching Bollywood and Tamil films. My family didn’t speak Tamil, but I’d watch it for the visuals. I remember seeing Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and thinking that they looked so cool in the over-thetop, somewhat ridiculous way that they dressed. That shaped my love of colour. I watched European films like those by Dario Argento, and (stylish Italian thriller genre) giallo, and thought that these are horror movies and horrible things are happening to the people on screen, but they’re all so well dressed! While watching Christopher Lambert and Isabella Adjani in Subway (1985) I thought that two people have never looked hotter on screen! Cinema continues to shape the way that I dress and think.
Was there a moment that made you realise that art could be more than just a passion? Was it an instant attraction or a slow burn?
It was a slow burn. During my PhD at NYU, one of my advisors introduced me to contemporary art. In New York, I wandered into Chelsea galleries, developed a love for art, and soon it had completely taken over my life. After a stint in advertising, I realised I wanted to create, challenge and surprise through art. Before November 2023, I had never curated or sold art. Now, a year-and-a-half later, I’ve found my footing.
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What role do you think personal style plays in being an art gallerist? Is it armour, branding or pleasure?
It’s a business of aesthetics. A lot of New York and LA gallerists have an all-black, minimalist vibe. It was a conscious decision not to dress like a lot of the gallerists I saw. I was also intentionally trying to bring Indian visuality and South Asian visuality to the West Coast with the textures, fabrics and colour palettes.
Does your gallery’s curation influence your wardrobe or is it the other way around?
I make a strong effort to wear South Asian designers in moments of public visibility because I want the gallery to be a platform for creativity. I also love mixing South Asian and Western brands. I want to just see where natural conversations exist between different types of clothes. I wore a Western high street suit for an event but paired it with a Rajesh Pratap Singh shirt and this beautiful necklace from Talon Jewels. I loved the textural conversation that came between the pleats of Rajesh Pratap Singh’s shirt and the suit. It all came together to tell a story about the types of influences that I’ve had in my life, but it didn’t feel forced.
Which brands do you gravitate towards?
I love Karthik Research, Harago, Kardo, Itoh, Shivan & Narresh. Beyond that, I love Loewe. I also have these primordial brown boy impulses. I cannot help but love Amiri a little bit because there’s something deep in me as a brown man that can’t stay away. There are certain types of stereotypes about brown immigrants in the US that we’re flashy, over-the-top, that we’re kind of new money. I love to play with that.
Between comfort, craftsmanship and cultural storytelling, what is it that you look for while you pick a piece?
Comfort and wearability are definitely important, although I think I can handle a little bit of discomfort for a good fit. Craftsmanship and cultural narrative is huge. Fashion is a really important storytelling vehicle. With a major brand like Gucci, I think it’s not just a brand stamp on an item of clothing but a legacy. I love that now at this stage, we’re seeing the early seeds of that in emerging labels, where they're building what one day will be a major legacy.
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What's your most prized possession?
All my jewellery comes from my parents. This ring that I’m wearing was originally my dad’s wedding ring, but he ended up picking another one. He was a ship captain, hence the reef knot. The other two rings belonged to my grandmother, who I was very close to, and I wear my mom’s thali as a gold chain. Then there are the Loewe lungi pants. As a Malayali, it felt like the perfect nod to sarongs, dhotis and our traditional drapes. I saw them on the runway and knew I needed them, but they were sold out everywhere. I was walking by in Beverly Hills one day and there they were on a mannequin. Not even in inventory. When I finally got them, it felt like destiny!
What’s one thing from your closet that you can never part with?
I have this Balenciaga bomber jacket I bought 15 years ago. It’s a little snug now and even shrunk in the wash but it marks the start of my fashion. Another piece is a sweatshirt from the Turkish streetwear brand Le Benjamins that I found in Istanbul, with a remix of a European painting and Turkish motifs. It’s no longer wearable but I still keep it. I also love silk shirts—I have a beautiful black Saint Laurent along with some amazing pieces from Indian designers like Karthik.
What’s one style tip that you’d give someone who’s trying to figure out their personal style?
Figuring out personal taste is an exercise in life. Pay attention to the people around you and notice what captures your attention. I buy a lot of clothes when I travel, and they become souvenirs that reflect different places, times and experiences. Every piece carries an emotional memory, and even if others don’t see it, I feel that narrative. I believe in dressing for your own story first and then deciding how you want to share it with the world.
PHOTOGRAPHS: AGNIDHRA RAY
STYLING: KOMAL SHETTY
HAIR AND GROOMING:SÉVERINE PERINA FROM FAZE MANAGEMENT
BOOKINGS EDITOR: VARUN SHAH
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