In the three years that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led India -- he was sworn in as the prime minister of India on May 26, 2014 -- he has made headlines for several reasons. While it is normal for a prime minister to garner the attention of people worldwide, Modi has also made news for being one of the most stylish prime ministers the world has ever seen.
And quite surprisingly, Modi too believes that he is fashionable, a trait he says is God-gifted. "God has gifted me the sense of mixing and matching colours. So I manage everything on my own. Since I'm God-gifted I fit well in everything. I have no fashion designer but I'm happy to hear that I dress well," Modi told Lance Price, who penned his biography "The Modi Effect".
The 66-year-old Indian PM has made quite a statement with his crisp and well-tailored kurtas, proving time and again that the attire is not necessarily boring. He often pairs them with intricately woven shawls in bright as well as soothing shades.
While the media and common people are bound to talk about the Indian prime minister's sense of style, it even caught the eye of former US president Barack Obama who even jokingly said that Modi had outshined his wife Michelle Obama, who herself is known to be a fashionista worldwide.
And to think of it, it sort of is true. During Obamas' India visit, all eyes – specially those of fashion-lovers were expected to be on Michelle, but Modi stumped them all when he joined the Obamas sporting a saffron pashmina shawl – that shone brighter than everything else. He also donned the same shawl when he visited Nepal in 2014.
Modi's sense of style isn't really restricted to the attires he is comfortable in. He has proved numerous times that he can pull off various kinds of trends and ensembles with elan. Just when the shade burgundy was considered the hottest colour of the season, Modi impressed the onlookers when he arrived at the JFK Airport dressed in a burgundy bandhgala.
The Indian PM also seems to be very comfortable with the idea of "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." He makes quite a mark with his headgear every time he visits a state in India. When in Assam, he was seen trying out the traditional hat called Jaapi, and in Nagaland, where he attended the Hornbill Festival, he donned the traditional Nagamese hat. He was also seen donning the traditional headgear in Arunachal Pradesh.
However, what really gained the spotlight was the prime minister's navy blue customised pinstripe suit, in which each stripe had his full name Narendra Damodardas Modi printed in it. While he faced quite some backlash for the extravagance, we must admit that the suit was one of a kind.
Not just that, Modi is also said to be quite big on accessories. "It has been widely reported that his glasses are from Bvlgari, his watch is a Movado and the pen that often pokes from his top pocket is by Mont Blanc. The shirts themselves, a short-sleeved version of the traditional round-necked kurta, have become an internationally sought-after brand," Price said in the book.
