| Bollywood actor Salman Khan sported a T-shirt that read, "Me, Me, Me" at a recent jewellery brand launch. Before fashion critics could analyse his style, journalists could label him a narcissist and fans could fantasise about owning it, the T-shirt was displayed at Bollywood, a small store at Hill Road, Bandra.
The store also houses replicas of other star garments currently making a flashbulb-drenched red carpet entrance. Need proof? Just pull out a rectangular tag from inside the shirt, and you will find a picture of the actor who sported the identical garment.
The surprising bit is that none of these garments are made in India. "The range is imported from Thailand," says Ali Somani, proprietor of the 11-year-old store. "When I opened shop, wearing what the stars wear wasn't the craze it is now. Nevertheless, people were heading that way and I realized that this would be good business," he smiles smugly.
While the makers in Thailand catch on to Bollywood trends, Somani sometimes ends up offering his own suggestions and inputs. "I am constantly on the lookout for Bollywood fashion trends. I Keeping a tab of star style through newspapers and magazines helps. A lot of people have been asking for Salman's latest black Superman ganji. So, I suggested that the manufacturers in Thailand create it."
Besides flaunting Salman's ego on your chest for Rs 250, you can also buy the famous Superman shirt flagged with a tag that reveals Viveik Oberoi, Saif Ali Khan and Sohail Khan (Rs 350). "Saif's Versace T-shirt (Rs 300) is a hot favourite with customers, as is Shahrukh's Batman tee (Rs 350).
In the clutter of the ubiquitous Bangkok maal stores that cater to reed thin women, Bollywood is one of the few non-branded stores for men in the suburb. Besides their star power range, their rock band T-shirts and ultra-loose jeans sell like hot cakes. "But, if there's one thing I've learnt in this business, it's that nothing sells like Bollywood," grins Somani. |
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