DROP THE NAME Hardy Blechman at any of the world's more fashionable parties and you might be met with blank stares. But mention 'Maharishi' and you'll grab the attention of the likes of David Beckham, Madonna, Jennifer Aniston and the ever-tantric Sting.
Blechman is the man behind Maharishi - the label synonymous with street cool, utilitarian combat trousers coveted by the world's rich and famous. The creative director, who founded the label in 1994, has made bagging a pair of his signature 'snopants' and a waterproof drawcord camouflage jacket as essential to the world's fashion followers as owning a pair of Levis 501s.
The popularity of Maharishi's techno-based designs is showing no signs of waning amid the current retro revival with the opening of its second flagship boutique in London's Soho area in December and the launch of mhi last year, the label's secondary, diffusion label.
The all-encompassing brand, which covers womens, mens, childrens and denim wear, brings in an estimated US$10 million plus and can be seen everywhere from Paris' Collette to London's Harvey Nichols and Hong Kong's Seibu. But, surprisingly, the man behind it all was in town this week for everything but fashion.
'I came to town for other missions apart from clothing,' explains the 30-something Blechman. Sitting on a sofa at Central's Alibi bar, Blechman proves to be a bundle of surprises, fitting perhaps for a man who famously said he drinks his own urine and who's known to don eccentric turbans for photoshoots.
Today, looking relaxed and composed, the self-proclaimed 'spiritual optimist' has swapped his trademark headgear for a simple baseball cap and a casual white shirt. He is so laid-back that getting him to talk about his fashion career proves nothing short of a challenge.
Aside from being the founder of Maharishi, Blechman has an insatiable appetite for life. He is a writer, a toy designer who makes miniature outfits for Hong Kong's very own cult figurine maker Michael Lau's collection, a yoga guru and perhaps, I find after our two-hour conversation, even a part-time philosopher. His train of thought darts from his love of camouflage, to his latest book project, whizzing goes past Buddhism, the use of the swastika symbol, recycling and spiritual revelation.
