'Stitching Stardom': How a tailor defied convention to dress India’s icons

Not every celebrated life begins with a flourish. Some begin quietly and humbly, with no promise of greatness. 

"In those days, tailors were not held in high regard." And yet, from the narrow lanes of Nagpur to the spotlight of India’s power corridors, Madhav Agasti stitched his way into the world of style and stature. His journey, captured in 'Stitching Stardom', is narrated with no exaggeration but with a quiet honesty - the kind that makes even readers unfamiliar with him lean in with curiosity. 

'Stitching Stardom: For Icons, On and Offscreen' does not just recount the rise of a tailor to a designer; it unfolds the story of resilience, determination and the power of self-belief.

What is striking from the very beginning of the book is Agasti’s refusal to glorify himself. Instead of opening with tales of grandeur, he pays an ode to his oldest employee whose smile takes him back to where it all began. That simple mention sets the tone for the book: this is not the story of a man intoxicated by fame, but of someone who has never forgotten his roots. 

"My parents would refuse to accept that the son they had nurtured and raised, their own flesh and blood, was willing to discard something as crucial as a formal education", Agasti remarks in the book. And, he did just that. He defied convention, ignored societal expectations, and stepped into a path where the seeds of his stardom were sown.

The book is not just a memoir; it is a classic example of how one ought to carve their own path in life which, in Agasti's case, was not without hurdles. 

His first business partnership failed, forcing him to drift across cities, sleep on pavements and inside shops - in search of stability. The book reflects on this phase not as defeat, but as a necessary thread in the larger fabric of success.

From there, Agasti’s craft carried him into the heart of the film industry. Soon, he was dressing the legends of Indian cinema - Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Amrish Puri, Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal, among others. Actor Sunil Dutt’s inauguration of Agasti’s first venture marked not just the opening of a shop, but the recognition of a career that had stitched itself into the fabric of stardom.

His clientele eventually expanded beyond Bollywood. Agasti’s work caught the attention of political heavyweights, from Farooq Abdullah and Sharad Pawar to Murli Manohar Joshi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Devendra Fadnavis. With time, his reach extended to the nation’s highest offices. Former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao, former President Pranab Mukherjee, and later President Ram Nath Kovind all turned to him: a testament not to influence, but to the mastery of his craft. 

For a tailor once dismissed as insignificant, this journey to designing for India’s most powerful voices is nothing short of riveting.

The book’s anecdotes are crisp, its pace engaging, and its inclusion of old photographs - some dating back to 1975 - adds both nostalgia and authenticity. Even those unfamiliar with Madhav Agasti will find themselves drawn in, not just by his celebrity associations but by the honesty of his struggle and the timeless relevance of his perseverance.

At its heart, 'Stitching Stardom' is ultimately a book for dreamers - those who persist despite doubt, who find dignity in their passion, and who believe that even the most unassuming professions can redefine destiny. 

What gives this book its quiet strength is that it never loses sight of the dreamers. Madhav Agasti did not inherit a legacy; he stitched one together himself, garment by garment, client by client.