A man of class

Ratul Sood is the pioneer of tailoured suits for men in Calcutta. The man radiates a fresh moxie as he emphasises on the importance of a finely dressed man.  Coming from a family whose legacy is related to fashion, Ratul Sood knew his destiny from childhood. “Our family has been in the fashion business since 1965. We have a brand called Burlington's. I initially started working there,” says Sood.  The iconic Burlington's of Kolkata have been providing the city's people with great style and fit since its inception in 1968. Drawing inspiration from the Milan fashion industry, the Burlington's had been styling the city's men with unparalleled designs, cuts and fits.

Working in Paris, from the age of 21 to 23, was what made Ratul take the decision to start his own line. His involvement with Pierre Cardin helped him understand global fashion, working in stores and factories. 

”That gave me the basic grounding of what the fashion industry was. I learnt a lot about marketing, merchandising, production, outsourcing parts and how designs are finally ready to wear. I was young, single, and ambitious. What I learnt then, I carry with me even now” he said. 

Ratul now owns his own brand and store called 'Sood'. His clientele is the young generation who are extremely fashion conscious. “I love when my clients challenge me through different looks. I love it when they do their research on the latest trends and know exactly what they are looking for”. 

Ratul has the perfect suit for every occasion, be it a destination wedding in Thailand or a traditional wedding, and every personality, from those who like to experiment to those who stick to the classics.

His collection at Pond's Presents The Lustrous Runway 2015 was all about elegance and masculinity. 

“I had tuxedos and suits in the collection, and I also had some indo-western suits, along with some traditional sherwanis. All my clothes have something edgy about them, and yet, they must be timeless and classic” said Ratul. 

Ratul's main source of inspiration comes from his surroundings. Infected by the love of traveling, Ratul goes to different corners of the Earth to find motivation for his work. As he takes a little inspiration away from Bangladesh, he hopes to also open up a branch here. “A lot of our customers are Bangladeshi. I always get at least one Bangladeshi customer every day. That proves how much Bangladeshi men understand my fashion.”

Ratul is also greatly influenced by Tom Ford. His clothes, even though with a hint of edginess, personify elegance and pure sophistication. 

“We follow the Italian sharp and tailoured cuts. They are not soft but they are not stiff either. Great sensible designs and good fits summarises our style and to cater to our customer's purposes, we add an ethnic touch or use Italian cuts with Indian designs which look great on Indian men.” 

With a world of experience, Ratul's advice to up and coming designers would be, “travel the world. There's a lot around us to find ideas and inspiration from. There's no need to copy. Just find inspiration and make something out of it yourself.”

Ratul Sood has worked with the KKR Team, Shahrukh Khan, Karan Paul, Shashi Tharoor, Jay Mehta, Gautam Gambhir, Manoj Tiwari, Eoin Morgan and many others. 

By Naziba Basher
Photo: Quamrul Abedin/Pond’s Presents The Lustrous Runway 2015