The garden city’s Prestige-The Man Store has been the go-to location for bespoke clothing for the city’s sartorial elite since 1956, and it has only got bigger and better

Bangalore’s salubrious weather affords men the kind of dressing opportunities that most Indian tropical Indian cities can only crave. One can wear suits and jackets comfortably pretty much through the year. So, it was not surprising that the city was home to one of the earliest clothing stores devoted entirely to men. Razack Sattar, a local entrepreneur with a long-term vision about male sartorial preferences, started Prestige House for Men in 1956 from a   650 sq. feet store on Commercial Street, then the most fashionable part of Bangalore. Its specialty was high-end bespoke tailoring for men using the best fabric available.

It didn’t take much time for Prestige to establish a reputation, and to attract the cream of the city’s who ’s who for their formal wear. It is a reputation that has withstood the vagaries of changing fashion trends for well over six decades now. The city’s elite continues to flock to the store in large numbers.

The stores’ success over the years enabled the group to diversify into real estate, where Prestige is among the biggest players in the country. However, men’s fashion continues to be a core area of strength, and synonymous with its image in Bangalore. The original store, since renamed Prestige – The Man Store, has expanded to encompass an area that sprawls over 20,000 sq. feet over different levels.

Over the years the store’s cornucopia of offerings has widened to include everything related to male clothing, from bespoke and accessories to ready-to-wear. It even provides customisation services for denim and leather. The carefully curated collections include a diverse selection from a wide variety of brands including Van Heusen, Rare Rabbit, Levis and Tommy Hilfiger amongst others. What hasn’t changed is Prestige ’s age-old tradition of impeccable service which has ensured a lasting relationship with three generations of men in the city.

Most importantly, the store continues to be a leader in Bangalore when it comes to its core expertise of bespoke tailoring. Its master tailors, the best in the city, not only service the old faithful but also an emerging base of Bangalore’s new rich who are increasingly taking to hand-made clothing.  They seek out Prestige – The Man Store for their sleekly cut, carefully sewn and perfectly fitted garment with a variety of customisations options, using fabrics from some of the world’s best-known textile mills including Ermenegildo Zegna, Raymond and  Loro Piana.

In the last decade, there has been a distinct shift in shopping habits of Indian men. Unlike in the past, they are not dependent on their wives or girlfriends for their clothing purchases. They are shopping for themselves, and Prestige ’s treasure trove of master tailors and trained sales staff along with its  very male-friendly ambience makes the task easier. The store’s mission, as has been for more than six decades now, is to make shopping for men a seamless and pleasurable experience.