He came, he sang and conquered million hearts with his songs! Known for his penchant for all things gold and glamour, over the years Bappi Lahiri’s style quotient can only be described as ‘iconic’. From his oversized gilt sunglasses to gold accessories, he knew how to make an entrance! With hit numbers such as I am a disco dancer and Jimmy Jimmy garnering love from across the globe, Bappida as he was fondly called, is and will always be the undisputed King of Disco. The hitmaker took styling to another level with his unconventional and over the top looks.
The OG of Style
While his music made him the King of Disco, his style definitely had a hip hop vibe. For fashion designer Narendra Kumar Bappida was the OG of style and definitely the greatest of all times. “OG who got this country to its feet through his music and his style. Hip hop style before it was cool,” adds Narendra Kumar.
Not just in films, Bappi Lahiri’s music lit up every runway show, fashion designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla recollect the time when they dedicated an entire show to Bappi Lahiri’s popular number Jawaani Jaaneman. “We love everything about Bappi Lahiri. Our coming of age in the 80s was to the soundtrack of Disco and he was India’s undisputed King of Disco music. His music was inspiring, his persona and style were utterly original. He broke every rule and created his own signature look. His songs were a rage from Jimmy Jimmy to I am a Disco Dancer and the beautiful Chalte Chalte, one of his earliest films. His music always features in our shows. In 2015 we did an entire show, Jawaani Jaaneman, in tribute to the iconic number. An absolute maverick, we will groove to your tunes forever. You are the OG, Bappi Lahiri!,”
We couldn’t agree more, Bappi was a style icon in his own quirky way. Addressing him as the ‘King of Quirk’, Jayesh Sachdev of Quirkbox, says, “The King of Indian Disco has also always been the King of Quirk, ahead of his time, both with his music and statement attire and bling, Bappi was a trend setter in many ways. His gold vibes and fashion forward choices are legendary much like his music.”
King of Quirk
An inspiration, Bappi set a fun yet quirky mood board for the fashion industry over the years. While his songs gave the film industry a lot of hit numbers, his fashion statements paved the way for celebrity styling. “Bappi Lahiri was one of the rare artistes who knew the power of the visual image of an entertainer before the era of the stylists and image makers. True style is about having a unique identifiable look that’s creative and distinct and Bappida had oodles of it,” expresses fashion designer Nachiket Barve, adding, “Whether he was sporting the maximalist gold accessories or oversize gilt sunglasses, he paved the way for celebrities today.”
While his zealous personality will be truly missed, it is his style and music that shall live on. For menswear designer Kunal Tanna apart from his groovy music, Bappi Lahiri’s sunglasses were lit then and now. “Bappi Lahiri is most definitely an icon in Indian music. He will also always be known for his zealous love for opulence with his collection of dark sunglasses and loaded gold chains,” adds Kunal Tanna.
The Trendsetter
A style institution within himself, his wardrobe resonated with his fun-loving personality and whatever he wore set trends. Fashion designer Aniket Satam truly believes that Bappi set the gold over black trend. He says, “His maximalist love for gold over gold layering offset on black ensembles was a rage, way before the crowd was familiar with the Gianni Versace look.”
He made men wearing gold a popular culture globally. “Bappi Da has been known as the “Gold Man” of India. A trendsetter, he made men wearing gold a popular culture globally. For him gold was divine and brought in luck, a belief we Indians strongly believe. He was a brand ambassador of gold jewellery,” says Ketan Chokshi, jewellery designer & MD, Narayan Jewellers.
While he brought bling and music together, Bappi Da loved experimenting with his looks throughout his career. Fashion designer Punit Balana says, “He was seen in bright colours, glittering jackets, a trend which he started in the 70’s and is a huge craze in Gen Z today. He was and will always be remembered as a fashionista!! May his soul rest in peace.”
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