At first glance, Google’s new CEO, Indian-born Sundar Pichai definitely doesn’t come across as your run-of-the-mill boss. Almost always seen in a plain sweater over and pant and shirt, Sundar’s sense of style may not be “power dressing” but it’s part of a growing trend among tech-company bosses that don't really dress to impress. One would hardly find the likes of Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Satya Nadella dressed in a suit and tie, some even with trademark looks, like late Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ turtlenecks and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s grey tee shirts.
Stylist Nitasha Gaurav, who has worked with Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, says that the trend has come about only because tech bosses can “get away with it”. “I think when people work with tech start-ups and technology driven companies, it’s not required to wear formals,” she says, “If you were an investment of banker on Wall Street, you need credibility. You have to look like you know what you’re talking about, etc., then you can’t get away with it.” Designer Archana Rao also says that comfort is key with people in this line of work. “For somebody in the tech profession who is probably overworked all the time, he wouldn’t really care about suiting up for everyday activities,” she says, “I think it’s about functional wear as opposed to dressing up to your job title,” adding that even mainstream fashion right now has started advocating comfort as key.
