Toronto-based fashion influencer, Kish Raveendran, has been mesmerized by the fashion industry since the age of 10. He started building his own brand, Kishstyle, in 2016, well before Instagram influencers became commonplace and social media dominated our world.

Kish?s style is a delicate balance between timeless and fashion forward, always executed exceptionally. His dedication to his craft, his constant elevation of his personal style, and his perseverance has seen him work with hundreds of brands globally and frequenting major fashion shows and fairs in cities like Milan, Paris, and New York.

Kish at Pitti Uomo. Florence, Italy. Image courtesy of @stylebykish

Today Kish?s life consists of growing his brand and his growing family.

Gotengo decided to sit down (virtually) with Kish and see if we could decode his style and elevate our own game.

Gotengo: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. How are you and your family doing during COVID-19?
Kish: We?re doing pretty well. I have taken the opportunity to spend extra time with my kids, which includes my newborn. During this stay-at-home order, I feel we have to stay positive and one positive is, I get to see them grow up. Overall, we?re keeping ourselves safe and occupied.

Kish with his family. Image courtesy of @stylebykish and photo by @maternityandnewborn

Gotengo: When did you realize fashion was an important part of your identity?
Kish: I was 10 and I was able to pick out trends and styled myself accordingly. As years went by, I wanted to enhance the importance of fashion in my life and grow within the industry.

Gotengo: Interesting that you knew you wanted to grow in the fashion industry at such a young age! How did you get your foot into the door? And when did you first start going to international fashion events like Paris Fashion Week?
Kish: Social media played a big role in presenting opportunities to attend Fashion Weeks around the world. Then attending the shows led to getting myself known in the industry. Lastly, I?d say building my network has afforded me more opportunities.

Image courtesy of @stylebykish and photo by @1exoticreations

Gotengo: From all your travels, what?s one fashion house or brand that you find the most interesting and/or inspiring?
Kish: Fendi has been very in and I like their eye-catching creativity. I appreciate that they always come up with very inspiring but also functional collections.

Gotengo: We see brands like Gucci going seasonless. Their creative director, Alessandro Michele, stated ?I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call.? Perhaps there will be a movement towards trends being presented totally differently. Is keeping up with the latest trends important to you? What are some things you do to stay current with fashion trends?
Kish: Are current trends important to me? Not at all! I love mixing old trends with new ones. It?s always fun for me. With most of the content we consume these days being digital, I like to get inspiration from Pinterest.

Gotengo: Are there any recent movements in the fashion industry that you would consider monumental?
Kish: Yes. Virgil Abloh becoming Louis Vuitton?s first African-American artistic director in 2018 was very monumental not only for me but for the fashion industry itself, as it brought a new level of cultural diversity to the top of a French heritage house. As a Sri Lankan, representation is so important in fashion and this amplifies a movement that was already happening globally! The coming together of international fashion designers at events like Pitti Uomo will only become more widespread and we all benefit from seeing more influences from different cultures.

Gotengo: You?re right! We?ve never seen as much diversity as there is now in the fashion world and it?s made fashion better and broadened the audience, don?t you agree? We find ourselves inspired by the outfits of far more than just runway models. Who are your fashion icons?
Kish: Yes, fashion doesn?t just have one face! I?d say that my fashion icons are David Beckham, Kanye West and David Gandy. I actually draw a lot of inspiration from David Beckham and his style has contributed to how I dress.

Image courtesy of @stylebykish and photo by @justinquebral

Gotengo: We see you in suits a fair bit. What are some things that you look for in a suit and which suit of your?s is your power suit?
Kish: When it comes looking for a suit, I look for how unique a pattern is and more importantly, the fit. My olive-green suit from Tiger Of Sweden from this season is my current power suit.

Gotengo: Are suits the go-to outfit you put on to give you strength and confidence?
Kish: Absolutely. Nothing like a well-fitted suit adds confidence for me.

Gotengo: What is something you never wear?
Kish: A Deep V-Neck tee.

Gotengo: What are some trends you see making a comeback?
Kish: Cuffing bottom of the pants, wide lapel and double-breasted suits.

Gotengo: For guys that don?t follow fashion trends, what are a couple of easy things to do to dress better?
Kish: Try to wear something that fits you well. That?s what?s most important. If you?re wearing a suit make sure to tailor to your body.

Gotengo: What advice do you have for men who don?t know where to start for reinventing their style?
Kish: Focus on the basics and build your wardrobe starting with a solid foundation. You need to collect versatile, high-quality wardrobe staples that match well with almost anything. Some men think they have to be on top of all the latest trends to become more stylish. I?d suggest ignoring the trends. Develop your style by finding your likes and dislikes first and always focus on getting the fit right as your priority.

We couldn?t have said it better ourselves! We wrapped up our discussion with Kish by asking him to pick three outfits that he loved. Here is what he chose:

Outfit #1: The Power Suit (Tiger of Sweden 2018 Blazer & matching Tordon Pants)

Kish's pick #1. Image courtesy of @stylebykish and photo by @idamagine

Outfit #2: The Classic Blue Suit (Tiger of Sweden Jarl URA Blazer & matching Thodd Pants)

Kish's pick #2.

Outfit #3: The Casual Friday Look (Tiger of Sweden Newton Sweater & Transit 4 Chinos)

Kish's pick #3.

To learn more about Kish?s projects or to get more inspirations, follow him on Instagram @stylebykish. Don?t forget to check out his outfits featured in our Instagram video we did with him here.