Swedish Consul General to India Sven Östberg found home in Mumbai in an unusual way — by putting on a kurta
Sven Östberg jokes that he wears kurtas at the office whereas his coworkers wear suits and ties
On August 15, 2023, the Swedish Consul General in Mumbai Sven Östberg first arrived in the city of dreams. Being from Sweden, he was used to the harsh cold climate which called for layers and layers of jackets, suits, and ties. For months, he tried the suit and tie, but it just wasn’t working. It was too darn hot! And so, the diplomat put on his first ever kurta, and his love affair with Indian clothing began. “I think the first one was actually a green kurta. I found them to be very comfortable,” he tells us, “So I started wearing them every day.” We ask him if everyone in the office has also followed his lead? “Not at all!” he jokes, “The Indians wear western clothes actually.”
A style here to stay?
His go-to store is Fabindia, reliable, classic, and linen-forward. But like any Mumbai resident, he allows himself a dream indulgence. “If I had more money, I would go to Sabyasachi,” he admits, “But that’s a couple of zeros too much for my wallet.”
Östberg began wearing Indian clothing around January 2024, a few months after moving to India, and hasn’t looked back since. It has now been nearly two years of kurtas forming the backbone of his Mumbai wardrobe. But will the style survive the transition back to Sweden eventually? “I think it’s a bit too cold there,” he laughs.
He hints that he may try to incorporate elements here and there — perhaps thicker fabrics, perhaps layering. A kurta under a Swedish winter coat doesn’t sound too far-fetched. Style, after all, adapts.
Östberg’s go to outfit is a kurta with a Nehru jacket
Fashion as a diplomatic tool
Fashion is quite a strong tool in the world of diplomacy, used to signal soft power, build relationships, and show respect to the cultures they work with. For Östberg, the shift to Indian clothing began purely out of comfort. But its diplomatic value became clear soon enough. He says. “It was helping in my work as well. It’s easier for people to talk to me when I’m in Indian attire. If I go in a suit and tie, it can feel a bit stuffy and formal.”
“It sends a signal that you’re open to embracing the local culture. Of course I will never be Indian, but it makes it me more approachable.”
Comfort and climate may have kickstarted this sartorial shift, but Östberg quickly realised Indian clothing was doing something deeper. “It helps in connecting,” he says. He recounts numerous moments at events where strangers, both Indian and foreign, remark on his kurta with admiration. The reaction is almost always warm. In rooms filled with suits, his Indian attire stands out.
Östberg was at the India Maritime Week summit 2025 in Indian attire
Crazy for chikankari
Once he stepped into the world of kurtas, he didn’t stop exploring. Cotton remains his everyday staple, but he has picked up favourites along the way. “I like chikankari,” he says immediately. “Indian design is very rich. Every region has its own variety and speciality.” He has a surprising fondness for the look of a Paithani even after learning it’s traditionally a sari. “I like the work on it, it’s so beautiful,” he adds.
While his daily wardrobe is soft cotton kurtas with a Nehru jacket, he has also experimented with statement pieces. His boldest look? “The kurta I wore for the Ambani wedding,” he says. But there’s one garment he still hasn’t dared to try: the sherwani. “I’ve never worn one. It’s a bit too much to go to the office in,” he jests. Maybe one day, maybe for another Mumbai wedding invitation, he leaves the possibility open.
Östberg dons his kurtas both at home and at work. Pic/Shadab Khan
Going desi, Swede style
At his Malabar hill apartment, Östberg sits easy in a linen blend beige kurta, with a grey Nehru coat on top. Somehow he has managed to marry Swedish values with desi fashion. “Swedish fashion is very scaled down. It’s monochrome,” he says, “And Indian is totally the opposite: loud, colourful, vibrant.” He’s found his happy medium, but he doesn’t play it safe. “I love the colours.”
The sustainability angle appeals to the Swede in him. “For many Swedes, sustainability is in our DNA. We think about it when we buy anything — clothes, furniture, cars. Here, artisans work in a very sustainable way. It aligns very well with how we think.”
It has also, in a way, given him a new entry into India’s cultural world. Along with the clothes, came Indian food. “Of course, I need to have the spice level turned down.” He has a soft spot for one Mumbai classic: pav bhaji. “My favourite here in Maharashtra is pav bhaji. I like it a lot.”
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