Siddartha Tytler Is Allergic To Tradition…And It Shows!

If there’s one word that could summarise Siddartha Tytler (and his work, of course!), it’s unapologetic. The designer will not mince his words before declaring that designing for brides is “meh” or denouncing the quiet luxury and sustainable movement in fashion in favour of his long-term relationship with “high-octane glam”. 

Whether it’s presenting a collection inspired by Mughal courtesans with his collection ‘Husn’, or exploring dark and provocative couture inspired by the Roman emperor Caligula through his recent showcase at the Hyundai India Couture Week, Siddartha Tytler is all about decadence and indulgence.

The designer takes a moment to catch up with Manifest about his inspirations, art, ridiculous client briefs and more! Read an excerpt here…

In Conversation With Siddartha Tytler 

Manifest: What inspires you to create every day?

Siddartha Tytler: I usually pick up inspiration from my surroundings and everyday life. I’m a big, big fan of horror and sci-fi movies. I like to pick up dark elements and make them beautiful. I love to call this ‘ beauty in the macabre’, and that’s how my collections get started.

M: How would you define your brand as a designer? What sets you apart from others?

ST: I can comfortably say in the world of silent and sustainable luxury, I stick to my ethos of high-octane glam. I cannot move away from it, I will not move away from it. Effectively, that’s who I am, that’s in my DNA.

M: Who is a Siddartha Tytler bride or groom?

ST: A Siddartha Tytler bride or groom is someone who loves to experiment and steer away from tradition. They are allergic to it, just like I am. It’s always traditional embroideries with modern cuts for us. Our clients want to stand out, whether, in a good or bad way, that’s up to the audience. 

M: Your last collection was inspired by the maximalism of the Mughals and the latest ICW collection was inspired by the Roman emperor Caligula. What is it about royalty that serves as a continued inspiration?

ST: One of the main fabrics that we use for our collections is velvet. We also use a lot of crystals and sequins. As I said before, we’re all about high-octane glam and who is more fabulous, regal and glamorous than the kings and queens of the years gone by? They are always an inspiration point.

M: What is a request or a brief given by a bride or groom (or wedding attendee) that left you shocked?

ST: This one time the aunt of the bride came to me, her daughter was 17 years old. Now this mother had the audacity to tell me ‘Make sure my daughter dresses more fabulously than the bride because it’s her turn to get married next’. It made my jaw drop!

M: What is the one line you would never cross for art?

ST: Nudity!

M: When it comes to Indian weddings, what is your favourite and least favourite part?

ST: I love making clothes for sangeets and all the parties and stuff. I don’t find designing for brides super exciting. We do a lot of grooms and that’s a lot of fun because they are ready to experiment. Personally, I don’t like going to weddings but I love attending sangeets.

M: Can you recall the funniest/most memorable response to one of your creations?

ST: From my recent ‘Caligula’s Feast’ collection, there’s a very cool, young blogger (I won’t be taking any names!), he critiqued my collection and called all the skeletal pieces inspired by ‘Naagin’! I just couldn’t stop laughing at the way he said it! Also when Malaika (Arora) wore our skeletal blouse while walking for the ‘Caligula’ showcase, Diet Sabya wrote: “I need to reach for my Epi-pen”!