Shoe Story With: The Darzi Group's Director Mr. Sushain Mital

A glimpse at the personal style of the tailor who is clothing those accustomed to the best

November 20, 2024

It is not the country’s unSUITable scene that the domain of ❝Custom tailoring❞ is not taken as touchingly, contemplatively, or discussion-provokingly by us Indians as by the Western world.

Part of the reason is that every corner of our country has endless opportunities to obtain the soundest illusion of true bespoke—the minimum standard one should expect—for relatively little money.

I’m not pleading that Indian tailoring houses did not abuse or misuse the sartorial terms to rationalize a high price tag or gloss sophistication.

A round-up of Indian tailoring houses doing Bespoke (the right way!) would be almost comically short. Just a few heritage-rich ateliers stand out to those familiar with the scene.

Those proficient in seeing the incredible artistry that goes into ❝Proper Bespoke❞ commissioning and the money to own one (at least One).

The Darzi Group in Delhi is one such tailoring Maison, often serving as the sole reason for many to visit the city.

Mr. Sunil Mital laid the groundwork for The Darzi Group in the early 1980s before honing his craft under the master tailors of London—the city that created the archetype for bespoke shirting and suits.

Rather than merely looking at his father’s accomplishments and dreams, Mr. Sushain Mital builds on his father’s work and continues their legacy.

The tailoring ethics, attuned to him from a young age, are enough to make him realize that it (the Bespoke tailoring dexterity) is worth putting the graft in.

His commitment to the art was so profound that merely being a prominent graduate of the London College of Fashion, equipped with an Honours Degree in Bespoke Tailoring and a Master’s in Pattern Design and Garment Technology, felt insufficient!

So to master the untapped details, those tailoring nuances that the most unSUITable person from the bunch can spot and admire, the young Mr. Mital passed himself through the esteemed tailors of Saville Row, a modest Mayfair row of the men’s tailors that quite simply make the best suits for men in the world.

After carving his craft forward via tailoring Maison like Richard James and Henry Pool & Co.—the company behind the tuxedo—Sushain Mital (along with his father and a cadre of craftsmen) is now clothing the nation’s most powerful individuals.

It’s quite fascinating to dissect the personal style of a master tailor who has perfected the art of deploying even the most delicate sartorial detail on the best (and most complex) fabrics across various styles.

Almost everyone’s style bears a message and holds a purpose. But his (style) is judged to check how good he is at, well, styling. How can one speak about his tailoring prowess without benchmarking it against his style?

So, of course, he can’t put on the shirt fibbing on the top of the pile or the first jacket he can find. Let’s see if we might be lucky enough to glimpse his dressing concepts amidst his busy timetable.