Raghavendra Rathore: The up-there designer helped pick these wardrobes

SELECTION SIGHT & SOUND

THE MISSION: to pick clothes, shoes, even bags for a CEO for a three-day trip
THE BUDGET: Rs 40,000
THE EXPERT: Raghavendra Rathore, the Jodhpur-based designer who trained at the Parsons School of Design, New York, and worked with the likes of Donna Karan and Oscar de la Renta.

I shared the rules of the game with Rathore, a relatively shy but sporting gentleman from Jodhpur, whom we pick up from his studio in Greater Kailash, Part II, a South Delhi borough. There are only three: one, we would do the exercise twice, once for men, and the second time for women (glass ceiling be damned, I wasn't going to spend a Sunday afternoon shopping for boring men's clothes). Two, we would have to necessarily pick branded garments, not designer stuff. And three, our budget for each was not to exceed Rs 40,000.

So, on a sunny September Sunday afternoon, I set out with one of the most happening designers in the country to phantom-shop for three-day CEO wardrobes.

It's easy to shop if you know what you are looking for, and where you can find it. Our first stop is a men's store in Delhi that stocked everything from Arrow shirts to Hugo Boss suits (outside our budget, unfortunately). Most metros are likely to have at least one such store; not all stock HB, but since we can't afford that, it doesn't matter. Rathore recommends we start with the trousers and we (actually, he) end up choosing two, a grey tropical wool one ("it doesn't crumple") and a black fine cotton one. He also spends what seemed to me an inordinate amount of time choosing a belt before picking a simple black one with no visible stitches (yuck!) and a simple silver (non-shiny) buckle ("you wear a nice belt, and it gets noticed").

The shirts are easy; a dark grey (you guessed it, the man is partial to greys) and an off white. ''Blazers and double-breasted jackets are out,'' says Rathore as we move on to what I consider the toughest part of the assignment, choosing a suit. The man takes no time at all before settling on, what else, a grey suit in tropical wool stretch fabric. He spends considerably more time explaining how a jacket should be packed. "Reverse fold in such a way that the shoulders are back-to-back; smooth the creases at the neck; place your hand at the centre of the jacket and fold the suit over."

Rathore pays the price for his grey-fetish when we got down to the ties. Grey suits need good ties to liven them up and there are simply none to be had. A CEO on a three-day trip, says the designer, needed at least four. He finally settles on a Dolce & Gabbana black-and-grey combination. ''A more expressive individual, or someone in an industry like media,'' explains Rathore, ''can go in for a trendy colourful tie.''

The designer had an easier job picking women's clothes

The casual wear is easy: a pair of jeans and a twill evening shirt with a semi-formal collar. Rathore is shocked when I suggest a turtleneck. ''You are always going to be bumping into people," he shrugs. The shoes take the longest, but we finally find one at the Marks & Spencer outlet (I didn't want to take names, but shoes are, well, shoes)-soft Italian leather Oxfords (black, of course).

We save women's wear for Monday (binge-shopping on a Monday, am I in consumer-heaven or what?). There are few national brands in women's wear, so we agree to pick some local ones (I am sure there must be similar stuff available in the other cities).

The designer shows us the best way to fold a trouser

The western suit-what would the modern woman do without it?-is first on the list. Rathore's tips: pick two, a beige for the day and a black for the evening, and watch out for that polyester content. A suit with too much polyester could pick up a tacky shine while it is being ironed. Purchase segues into purchase; maybe it is easier for me because we are shopping for clothes for women. Rathore's next picks are a pair of black (or beige, or grey pin-striped) trousers and a crisp white Dobby shirt with French cuffs for the day, and a pair of black formal trousers and a red silk shirt or a short purple silk tunic for the evening. Rathore is convinced that we need a denim option-''for a casual afternoon''-and picks a pair of black jeans and a black short-sleeved tee. We indulge and choose another casual ensemble-comfort fit white trousers and a stylish striped shirt with extended cuffs.

The shoes are easy, but we pick so many pairs (three, black Karen sandals, black Jolanda shoes, and black Unicorn boots) that I feel distinctly uncomfortable with the one we have chosen for the men.

The total bill for the woman comes to Rs 37,030 after Rathore insists on picking a gym outfit and sneakers ("for a possible visit to the hotel gym"). The bill for the man is Rs 37,249 (including three pairs of socks). I still feel guilty about the shoes. So, after Rathore is gone, I quietly insert a pair of sneakers (for all-terrain running) into the list. New total: Rs 39,947. We are almost there.