(Photos by: Kristina Hopper, www.kristinahopper.com)

Fashion is an ideology as much about clothing as it is an expression of our individual views. Coco Chanel once said “fashion is not something that exists in dresses only…fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Fast forward to 2010 where trends are ubiquitous, but raw, self-reflective style is rare. Even in Washington, DC where image is everything, yet fashion can be scarce, exist subcultures of anti-conformism. That’s where Rukesh Samarasekera comes in.

Born in Sri Lanka, this global citizen, who has lived in New York City, Providence, RI, Burlington, Mass., Las Vegas, and even Paris for a stint, is now a DC resident with a style philosophy that reflects his vivid background.

“DC, Vegas, Paris, Burlington – all have a homogenous culture, but within the culture are pockets of difference. There are a lot of people in this world, it’s always possible to find like-minded people,” says Rukesh about fitting in while standing apart.

Rukesh, who works for a prominent environmental nonprofit and holds a degree in International Relations (did we expect anything less), has an eclectic look – certainly by DC’s conservative standards – that exemplifies the very meaning of personal style.

“Style is the definition of who you think you are. It’s a reflection of what you like and symbolic of what you want to project.”

And for Rukesh, that means projecting his personal beliefs by way of the very shirt on his back.

“Personally, I’d like to see clothing go from disposable design to livable, sustainable design. Where we know where it came from, how it was produced, and that it was not destructive to the planet,” he says, drawing a parallel between poor quality clothing and the abundance of high-fructose corn syrup in food today.

To align his principles with his innate, if not globally-bred, sense of style, Rukesh scours local thrift stores in search of one-of-a-kind items, collecting funky patterned ties along the way.

“One thing about the tie,” he says, offering sartorial advice to those who wear them, “is there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. They come in all shapes, sizes, patterns…for me, I know the medium size works best.”

On the topic of fit, Rukesh does admit to having some difficulties finding well-fitting clothes, specifically in the U.S. While Rukesh benefits from a slender physique, you know the kind with the built-in six-pack, American clothes tend to be made for the “archetypal” American male – the one with the other kind of six-pack. So it’s no wonder that he has better luck with European brands such as French Connection, Sisley, Unit Clothing, United Colors of Benetton, H&M, and Zara – to name but a few of his favorites.

While the roster of designers in one of his daily ensembles resembles highlights from fashion week, Rukesh values quality over labels any day.

“I consider myself to be brand blind, because you can’t measure quality by brand. We focus too much on the look and not on the quality. A good piece of clothing never goes out of style.”

That’s why, with the exception of the holidays when stores are unloading their inventory, Rukesh is predominantly a one-off shopper, saying “often, people shop too frivolously. Clothes are like decorating your home. You don’t want to do it all at one shop. You have to find things that speak to you.”

So what specifically speaks to Rukesh? Colors. On any given day, he can be found wearing a random sample from the pantone color chart on one of his favored madras-patterned button-downs, underneath a sweater for a preppy-gone-rogue look.

“I like to push the envelope and I feel comfortable that way. Right now, I know what I like and I’m comfortable with my style literacy.”

If Rukesh is the poster-child for authentic fashion, then don’t expect to see him don what he calls the “DC uniform” of “blue shirt, khaki pants and brown shoes.”

He says most Washingtonians feel “censored” when it comes to fashion, “leaving their style at the door.” But he counters saying “there’s room for expression.”

And in fact, that expression can be seen – just not before the evening rush hour. “After work, people are different. The colors come out.”

If that’s true, then Rukesh is one of the city’s luminaries.

*Special thank you to photographer extraordinaire, Kristina Hopper. www.kristinahopper.com

If you know a local resident with great style or YOU have a style that should be profiled, click here to submit a nomination!

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