RIGHT: Suit jacket and shirt were custom made; Garon Garca pants were purchased in Argentina; bow tie was purchased in Palm Springs; pocket square and custom-made cuff links were purchased in India; socks by Thomas Pink; shoes by Hugo Boss; bracelets were purchased in Chile and Peru; watch by Philip Stein.
LEFT: Suit is custom made; shirt from Neiman Marcus; bow tie and pocket square were purchased in Palm Springs; socks by Thomas Pink; shoes by Mezlan; watch by Kenneth Cole; bracelet was custom made in India; hair barbered by Alex Flores (Barber Culture).
It’s said that a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, so it’s fitting that ophthalmologist Dr. Chirag Shah provides a bit of eye-candy to his patients by way of his eclectic, colourful collection of signature bow ties, socks and pocket squares.
A frequent traveller, Shah is always on the lookout for new pieces in far-off countries that will complement his brightly coloured nods to his Indian background. His patients appreciate his dapper appearance so much, they’ll often bring him new bow ties or socks to add to his collection.
“Fashion is something I do for fun, for myself. I dress up for work because I like it, and my patients [like it],” says Shah. “When I don’t wear a bow tie, they’re like, ‘What happened to you? Why are you not wearing a bow tie?’ They check my socks, they check my cufflinks – even my 97-year-old patient asks me, ‘What are you wearing today?'”
What’s your current Calgary fashion obsession?
“I buy clothes or accessorize when I travel, but it’s similar to Calgary in that my wardrobe is a mosaic; the mosaic of options Calgary offers complements the mosaic of options I get when I travel.”
What’s your dream outfit?
“A bow tie and pocket squares to match a fitted suit, hand-stitched and made in India in a very fine fabric. For shoes, [a pair of] Magnanni’s and my pearl cufflinks, specially designed in Calgary by Emmanuel Maxime.”
Where do you go in Calgary to be seen fashion-wise?
“Ming on 17th [Avenue S.W.] is casual place for drinks or food [where] you see different styles and colours, or Anejo on 4th Street S.W. – it’s very trendy, very fashionable and very cool.”