Outfits are comfortable, reflect spirit of India: Leander Paes lauds designer Abhishek Roy
Mar 27, 2025
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 27 : Former India tennis player Leander Paes turned showstopper for fashion designer Abhishek Roy at 25th Lakme Fashion Week in collaboration with FDCI.
Talking to ANI on Thursday, Leander appreciated Abhishek for his fashion skills.
"He is not just showcasing India, not just West Bengal and Calcutta, but his studying, his fashion, and his learnings all go back to Shantiniketan, which makes him a true son of the soil. He's gone back to the roots, and he's brought out not just in fabric but also in the karidari," Paes said.
"You look at all the different workmanship on this beautiful fabric and on all the different models walking today. The outfits are not just really comfortable, but they really reflect India stands for. I would be so proud to walk with this outfit and walk with Roy at any red carpet around the world," he added.
Leander also shared his views on fashion, "It's ethnic, it's Indian, it's comfortable, it's sporty. It's definitely chic, and it's an expression of myself. I think that fashion, personally, is not just about our roots and not just about where we come from but also where we've travelled, and I've been very blessed to have had a four-decade career."
"And now, coming back to India and celebrating young talents like this is fantastic. I will not be surprised if you see this guy at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week very, very soon," he added.
Leander also talked about his favourites in Tennis and other sports.
"In the tennis world, I could go with Sharapova or I could go with Roger Federer. Serena and Venus Williams designed their own clothes and fashion. When you go back in the day, Bon Borg was a great style icon."
"And when you get away from tennis and you look at other sports, David Beckham comes to mind, and one of my favourites is Michael Jordan. I think Michael epitomises what an athlete could be as a brand, and someone that I'm very blessed to have called a friend and someone very blessed to have learned from," he concluded.
The Lakme Fashion Week, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, will conclude on Sunday, March 30, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
