Style guru

Fashion Designer Ashish Soni on his ‘god’,Giorgio Armani
Almost 20 years ago,when I was a student at the National Institute of Fashion Technology,Delhi,there was one man who we all considered god and that was Italian fashion designer,Giorgio Armani. I aspired to be like him and imbibe his style in my designs. There is a certain softness in his designs and his tailoring is extremely clean and perfect. Known for his menswear,Armani helped a lot of us build dreams. My exposure to the world of styles took a leap due to his fashion.
As a 20-something,I always wanted to wear ta black Armani

suit. I had seen a lot of Hollywood celebs and football stars wearing it. After 10 years,when I was in my late 20s,I finally I got one for myself. I consider that moment of purchase to be a personal benchmark.

When I first visited one of his stores (in the UK),I was in complete awe. The touch and feel factor was so enticing. I am waiting for the day I could meet the man.
Over these years,I have developed my own sense of style. Even though Giorgio Armani did influence my sense of design but my sensibilities have changed. I respect him a lot as he was the first person who inspired me. But in two decades,I have had a lot of exposure and now I am inspired by Japanese and Belgian fashion amongst others. u

—As told to Somya Lakhani