Heritage and Hand-Me-Downs
The Peacock Plume Passed
Down From Karachi to New York
‘Come my son, I’ve got something for you…’
Intrigued, I follow my always-energetic grandmother down the hallway towards my grandfather’s bedroom. She smells faintly of honeysuckle and wears a long, pleated skirt which flows under an olive-green jersey vest. Strings of rock jewellery clatter and sparkle on her wrists as she wafts for me to follow. She may seem quite British, yet certain inflections in her speech and subtle tilts of her head reveal glimmers of a distant upbringing spent in the hazy glare of a Pakistani sun.
Walter Stephen Alimo on a motorbike. Karachi, Pakistan ~1965. Courtesy of Joyce Alimo.
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‘I’ve been doing some tidying,’ she frets, ‘and I don’t think he’ll be needing these in the care home; he hasn’t worn some of them for years now.’ She pats my grandfather’s old bed where a small collection of vintage silk neckties lay neatly side-by-side. Some are plain and block coloured; others have vibrant, beguiling patterns. There are wide and sharp silhouettes, swirls and frantic brushstroke designs; bright, crisp reds like perfectly polished apple peels; soft pastel blues; polka-dotted pinks, jagged mauves and earthy paisleys. All with slippery, shiny surfaces of the kind only nice silk can produce.
My grandmother stands, pouring over the lot whilst caressing the end of a navy and white striped cravat as if it were her husband’s frail hand. ‘Choose any you like’ she instructs. So, I make sure to select only the very strangest.
Growing up, I had always known my grandfather was the fashionable sort, but was he an outlier in his sensibilities?
Though not of his generation, Wajahat, 56, like my grandfather, emigrated to Britian from Karachi, Pakistan in the hope of a better life. He recalls the way his male friends and family members used to dress. ‘I never saw my uncles wearing clothing that was really trendy,’ he tells me, ‘It was more so conservative clothing.’ However, he makes a point of telling me that this was not necessarily the norm, especially in the ‘more liberal’ past.
Walter Stephen Alimo. South Norwood, London ~1977. Courtesy of Joyce Alimo.
‘In the late sixties and seventies, especially in the city of Karachi, which was and still is the financial capital of the country, people were very stylish’ he says, ‘it was not uncommon to see people wearing Western styles of clothing.’ Indeed, this era of Pakistan’s past saw huge influence from Western ‘peacock’ fashions. So much so that national airline Pakistan International Airways was celebrated for its sharp flight attendant uniforms designed by French couturier Pierre Cardin.
Another of Monsieur Cardin’s notable clients were The Beatles. In 1968, the same year that journalist George Frazier coined the term‘Peacock Revolution’, The Beatles made a legendary trip to India, immersing themselves in the nation’s heritage and spirituality. Upon their return to Britain, the band had completely altered their fashion senses, adopting new styles that were typical of traditional Indian attire. Collarless ‘Nehru’ jackets, bold paisley patterns and sleek pyjamas were no longer a rare sight in London as The Beatle’s new look caught on. The capital’s style savvy socialites had wholeheartedly embraced South Asian garbs.
Andrew Blake, 80, was coming of age at this time and recalls the influence of South Asian styles on London’s menswear. ‘I remember shirts with a paisley design and pointed collars… stayed in fashion for quite a while,’ he says. Plus, he sheds light on the excitement of the era. ‘I remember going to Carnaby street with friends’ he tells me, ‘and just being carried away with all the different clothes.’ Adding that, ‘everything seemed brighter, and faster, and more amazing!’
It seems that, in the past, there was ample crossover between the menswear styles of South Asia and The West. But what might this vintage phenomenon look like today?
TikTok @thestyleturnernyc. Courtesy of Turner Allen.
Turner Allen, 33, is a menswear stylist based in New York City. He posts frequently on social media offering advice to men looking to revamp their wardrobes. He’s proud to announce the launch of a new online style course that seeks to aid the cause.
‘I do have a lot of Indian clients,’ he tells me, ‘a lot of the time they’re interested in integrating some elements of their culture into how they get dressed.’
To help his clients combine their South Asian heritage with a Western context, Turner keeps an eye out for brands that produce ‘Indian style block prints’ and ‘interesting Indian style embroidery.’ He says his clients are ‘definitely trying to maintain a Western look overall’ with ‘Western style silhouettes’ like ‘classic camp collar shirts’ but that contain ‘subtle details that give a nod to the culture we’re looking into.’
Thanks to Turner’s insight, it seems the blend of cultural heritage and clothing is just a relevant today as it had been for my grandfather decades ago.
To ask her what she thinks about the way my grandfather had dressed, I catch up again with my grandmother in her garden one spring morning. Plumes of steam rise from a small cup of tea warming her gentle hands and mist her glasses as she takes a sip. Her eyes stay closed as she pensively basks in the early light. ‘He thought himself a dandy’ she says smiling.