Sonam Wangchuk : Designing new dreams

When he walks into a crowded room, if his lanky and athletic figure doesn''t catch your attention, his colourful and casual yet stylised outfits will.
"You don''t need to be a rock star to dress like one, if you can carry it off, then you can wear anything," that''s fashion designer in the making Sonam Wangchuk for you.
This Sikkimese guy who moved to Kolkata two years back to do a fashion designing course is in fact quite a designer from his school days."I used to paint portraits as a student and later transferred that on clothes to give them a different look," Sonam says as a way of explaining how he took to this hobby which became a passion, and is now his profession.
And yet this state-level basketball player, who also happens to be Baichung Bhutia''s cousin and lives with him in Kolkata, feels that maybe if it wasn''t the lure of colours and patterns he would have taken up sports as a profession.
"In fact I believe in keeping physically fit and hit the gym at least four days a week, this besides playing some matches with my footballer friends off and on," said this fitness freak. Ask him where he draws his designing inspiration from, and he says, "I like to portray a part of my culture on my outfits, so a large section of my painted T-shirts have Buddhist motifs on them."
His exposure to international fashion comes through various fashion channels of which he is a keen watcher. Now with a mind to start something of his own, this hard-worker believes in partying big time, "Kolkata night life is catching up and soon we should be rocking like the other metros." So be it!