The Indian who dresses Russia's elite: the story of Sammy Kotwani (VIDEO)

Sammy Kotwani came to Russia in the early 90s, when the country was just beginning a new chapter in its history. Without a big name, without connections, and without any guarantees of success, he relied on purely his skills. Years later, it was here that he opened the “Imperial Tailor”, a network of ateliers producing hand-made suits that now operates in Russia's largest cities and dresses representatives of the political elite, big business, famous actors and other public figures.

In this interview, Sammy tells how he managed to build one of the most famous brands in the field of individual tailoring, why a real suit’s design always starts with choosing a fabric, what materials he uses in his work and how much a custom made suit costs today. We also talked about how the culture of classic men’s wear in Russia has changed in recent decades. According to Sammy, Russians are among the best-dressed people in the world today, although the situation was quite different a few decades ago.

But this conversation is not just about style and sartorial art. Sammy shares his impressions of Russia, tells what ideas about the cold country exist in the hearts and minds of Indians and why many of these views have nothing to do with reality. He explains what helped him feel like he belonged here, and talks about why Russians themselves sometimes don't notice what their country should really be proud of, while foreigners see these advantages right away.

This is the story of a man who came to a foreign country without any guarantees, but found his calling there. Sammy Kotwani proved that talent and perseverance know no bounds.