At this time of year, when parts of India stand at the cusp of autumn and winter, you can hear the sound of horses thundering past as polo season nudges its way into the social calendar. Along with the sturdy gloves, riding hats that are a union of baseball cap and cloche, the ubiquitous polo shirt, quilted jackets, and knee-length riding shoes, is the one piece of clothing that best shows off how fit riders are — a pair of taut, white breeches.
Traditionally made in pale shades, the stretch trousers that strain at the thigh and are padded at the bottom, became a popular item of clothing on and off the equestrian field in 17th-Century Britain and the Continent. Centuries later, Princess Anne made it a fashion statement. In India, breeches borrowed the design from its Indian twin — the jodhpurs, trousers that are flared at the hip and fitted at the shin, named after the city of Jodhpur. The colours have deepened over the years and designer Raghavendra Rathore says his “journey has been to make breeches acceptable to all, with tweaks for every season”.
