The charm of Bengaluru has brought many to it. It was this and more which brought Dieter Tretter, an Austrian, to this City. He also wanted to explore the world of fashion, which is his passion and his work.
Dieter, who works as a PR Manager with Sanchita Ajjampur's label ‘Sanchita’, finds the City brimming with positive energy.
Dieter left his hometown Graz, which is in the south-east of Austria, when he was 21 and lived in London till 2014, before moving to Bengaluru.
Graz, he says, is a small place. “It’s quiet and peaceful with a lot of greenery around. The area is known for its vineyards,” he says.
“There are four well marked seasons there. The summers are really hot and the winters can be really cold. There is a lot of vegetation and farming that goes on in that area,” he explains.
Austrian food comprises a lot of meat, says Dieter. “We have a meat heavy diet, especially in the winters, which has meaty dishes and stews. We also have an influence of the Italian cuisine.”
The food is not very spicy and doesn’t include a lot of chilli, Dieter explains. “Our food is more on the heavier side.”
Having stayed in London, Dieter is exposed to Indian cuisine, and thus food wasn’t a shock when he came here. “In Vienna, there is some international influence but not as much in London,”
He went to a fashion school and then moved to Vienna to do his BA. “Vienna was a different experience but London has almost everything, be it theatre or whatever one can think of. Austria can be a little boring when compared to London.” He says that in Austria it is more about titles but in London things are different. “The Austrian community can be a bit more conservative,” he says. “I am an Austrian by birth but London is home to me, since I’ve lived most of my adult life there,” he says.
“London has so many cultures, groups and communities that no one has to adjust in. The city is very open-minded,” he says.
When it comes to fashion, From chic to goth to punk, whatever one wants, one will find it in London. You don’t have to confirm to anything. London is the fashion capital of the world and the most creative space in the industry. A lot of young designers come there,” he says.
He smiles and says that fashion has a long way to go in India. “A lot of Indian fashion is about the colours. When I go back, I realised that especially in the winters the colours are just black and grey. The first time one comes to India, it is a lot to take in. Fashion here is very traditional, for men and women alike. There is a growing demand for Western wear, but it is still new. People are not very experimental.”
Dieter loves the fact that the garments here are affordable compared to Europe. “I usually go to markets, get the fabric I want and get it tailored,” he says.
Having been here for the last 18 months, Dieter says, “There are some things like the traffic and the noise, which drive me crazy. For any Westerner, it must be the noise that is difficult to adjust to. But, once one gets used to this culture, it’s a smooth journey ahead.”
“Everything else has worked in favour for me. The people are very friendly, welcoming and nice,” he says.
Meanwhile, his favourite hangout places are in Indiranagar or nearby. “My favourites include a steakhouse on Brunton Cross Road and the Japanese restaurant ‘Harima’. I also like ‘Shiro’ and for Italian food, I go to ‘Alba’ in JW Marriott.” Having travelled to Kerala, Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Rajasthan, Srinagar and Mysuru, Bengaluru remains his favourite place in India. “Though I’ve had my share of travel in terms of cities, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Bengaluru has its own charm. Delhi is a little too pushy with aggressive people. I like Mumbai, but it’s a bit too dirty. Bengaluru is comparatively much better.”
Dieter says that though he doesn’t find Bengaluru visually pleasing in terms of architecture, he loves the fact that it has so much greenery with tropical vegetation and trees. “I like the pace of life here. Everything is laid back, which is comfortable.”