Trend shifting towards tailored, custom-designed garments
Mumbai-based Corporate Collars provides bespoke tailoring services for men. Launched in 2013, the company offers an excess of 1,400 fabrics and allows customers to create their own unique looks by designing and customising shirts, suits and trousers. The company also provides its bespoke mobile services through Corporate Collars on Wheels, where a van brings boutique tailoring close to a customer's doorstep. Founder & CEO Harssh Chheda chats about the struggles of an Indian start-up and the scope for bespoke mens' clothing in India.
How did the idea of Corporate Collars come up?
One's personality and preference in terms of attire go hand in hand. To portray the best of fashion, it is highly essential to look comfortable in whatever you are wearing. I have always faced issues in terms of size as most clothes were larger than the small and smaller than medium that restricted the experience of a perfect fit. I realised the significance of addressing this issue by offering customers a unique option of customised and tailored fashion. This is where the idea of Corporate Collars stemmed. Our attempt now is to make discerning customers familiar to bespoke clothing on a full-fledged basis and make them aware of the convenience it lends them.
What does it cost the customer for a simple shirt and a pair of trousers?
We offer a wide range of products for every occasion, be it a casual office formal shirt, party wear or an outfit for dinner dates. However, the starting price for shirts is ₹2,100 and trousers start from ₹2,400.
You have been around since 2013. What are the pain points of this format? And how do you tide over them?
I don't see any pain points. The focal point for us is to understand customers' varied fashion needs because that is the main drawback we are witnessing at present. Consumers are unsure of retail shopping. Thus, we are working to meet those needs and continuously striving to deliver quality goods and services while escalating their expectations. That is where bespoke tailoring plays a vital role.
How did you start your company? Who are the founders, who offered the initial seed money and how were the milestones achieved?
Corporate Collars started in 2013 with the aim of offering utmost customer satisfaction with the best quality fabrics and perfect fitting. I am the founder-CEO and ours is a self-funded and debt-free company. In five years, along with reaching out to the emerging corporate and elite crowd, the brand has become increasingly popular and has received an overwhelming response from all fragments of the society at a macro level. The brand is getting more structured and organised, thus befitting customer's wants and comforts.
The brand today offers a unique service of a mobile store i.e. tailoring on wheels that moves across the city. This concept was introduced to offer customers a convenient shopping experience.
What is the scope for tailored menswear in the Indian market?
The scope is good. Initially, there had been a gradual shift from tailored to readymade, but now the trend is moving towards tailored and custom-designed apparels. This is mainly because consumers these days prefer personalised options to look smart and fit. Every Indian man doesn't have an ideal body. It becomes a hassle to scout for accurate sizes that fit one's body type. Hence, tailored clothes have become the go-to option and have a huge scope of growth in the coming years.
Do you plan to expand your product offering?
Our product offering includes western formals, suits, shirts, trousers and Nehru jackets. In the coming years, we do plan to expand to different cities. We are also coming up with an e-commerce platform to reach out to a larger target audience. As far as our product offerings are concerned, we are satisfied with what we have at present.
What are the challenges you faced as an apparel start-up?
As a start-up, the biggest challenge is the strap for cash and to understand what is important for you. It is advisable to have a clear roadmap as to how you want to grow and expand your business. Therefore, allocating capital correctly is essential to getting dividends faster.
How do you compete with online on-demand shirt makers?
It is really great that the online realm is kind of opening up to what custom-tailoring is and what it is doing. A customer always prefers look and feel of the fabric before he or she plans a purchase. This is where we come into picture, right from building up the confidence for the initial purchase to giving them accurate sizes and measurements, we do it all. This truly makes the brand one-of-its-kind in the industry.
Where do you source raw material from? Do you have your own manufacturing set-up or outsource your production?
To maintain quality in service and timely delivery, it is crucial that you have your own manufacturing set-up. We supervise and put in extra efforts to see what goes into the manufacturing of every apparel that we fabricate. Our fabrics and raw materials are sourced from Europe.
Do you plan to expand your services beyond Mumbai and expand your product offerings?
We have a store in Raipur. We are looking at tapping other cities as well. It is a matter of right location; when we come across one, we will certainly expand.
What is the size of your team?
The brand has a robust team of 48 creative minds who work effortlessly towards delivering the best.
What will be trending in menswear for Autumn/Winter 2019? What is the latest trend in tailoring shirts, suits and trousers?
Striped suits and shirts are again finding its way back into the men's closet. It is a good time to invest in stripes as they are going to make a definite comeback. (HO)
Published on: 05/10/2018
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
20230103183907.png)
