We are always sampling new fabrics that fit our silhouettes
Established in April 2021, Cosset Clothing emerged with a mission to bridge the gap between style and sustainability in the fashion industry. Recognising a disconnect between consumer preferences and the fabrics used in garment production, Cosset set out to redefine the narrative of natural, sustainable fashion targeting individuals in their 20s to 40s who seek premium styles made from quality fabrics. The brand’s ethos revolves around infusing vibrant colours and timeless silhouettes with comfort and longevity, ensuring that each piece remains relevant for years to come, with an emphasis on planet-friendly, everyday luxury. Speaking to Fibre2Fashion, Founder & Business Head Shriya Suri and Co-founder & Social Media Head Isha Suri discuss slow fashion, and how they have overcome the challenges.
How do you see the sustainable fashion industry evolving in terms of consumer demand and market trends?
Consumers are keen to see how a brand’s ethos and values are reflected in their products and how authentic a brand is. A brand’s authenticity holds great equity today, which comes from being honest and transparent. As a result, brands are becoming more transparent and raw in showing their everyday journey—the good, the bad, the hurdles. The industry is becoming more open to presenting non-polished content.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the founding of Cosset Clothing?
The word ‘Cosset’ translates to care and pamper, capturing the essence, vision, and mission of the brand. We noticed a gap between clothes that were mindfully created and styles that would outlast seasons and trends. With Cosset, we aim to bridge this gap with clothing essentials that every person should have in their wardrobes, using planet-friendly fabrics. Fast fashion has been feeding us far too many trends on a daily basis, and this is not the sustainable way forward.
How does Cosset Clothing differentiate itself from other sustainable fashion brands?
For us, the concept of slow fashion encapsulates the usability of a clothing piece in more ways than one. Slow sustainable fashion is often considered boring, but we decided to challenge this notion through designs and hues that build the foundation of your capsule wardrobes, using fabrics that are long-lasting, yet fun and a departure from the basics.
How do you balance aesthetics and sustainability in your designs?
This actually comes to us very naturally! Our aesthetics lie in creating wearable pieces in solid, soothing hues that are pleasing to the eye, and serve as your wardrobe’s best companions. Sustainability comes in the form of our timeless designs, where we use delicate accents like colour blocking, cuff detailing, and statement collars to elevate a rather classic look.
Could you elaborate on the process of selecting fabrics for your collections?
We lean towards natural fabrics that lend durability, comfort, and functionality. The chosen fabrics must sit well with our silhouettes, while maintaining a luxe touch and feel. Once the fabrics are shortlisted, we move to design sampling and a wear test to ensure that comfort is not compromised.
How do the unique properties of your chosen fibres, such as Rose Petal or Orange Peel, influence the design and functionality of your clothing?
These summer-friendly fabrics are extremely lightweight and feature a satin-finish silhouette. They are far superior to polyblend satins that make people sweat in the scorching heat and cling to the body. We chose these innovative fabrics while designing our Satin Camisole, Moss Satin Pants, and Shirts as part of Cosset’s first collection launch in 2021.
Could you share insights into the lifecycle of your fabrics, from sourcing to end-of-life considerations?
It starts with sourcing swatches, shortlisting sampling fabrics, testing final designs, and finally picking the best-suited fabric for the designs. We try our best to avoid wastage as much as possible by planning production in small batches. However, when we have extra fabric, we use it to make cloth tote bags, each of which is sent along with larger cart orders.
What challenges have you faced in scaling your business, and how have you overcome them?
Finding your base! Working with an outsourced production house initially posed challenges, as hardly any were willing to take up small batch orders with MOQs as low as 10 or 20. It took time until we found our fit.
Fulfilling demand! Customers are open to buying from slow fashion brands but are not willing to wait up to 2-3 weeks to receive their orders. If brands balance with on-demand inventory, shipping timelines would need to extend beyond a standard 5 days. Hence, we now keep some stock as ready to ship, specifically for our bestsellers, which has cut down dispatch timelines to as low as 24 hours.
Are there any new or innovative fabrics that Cosset Clothing is planning to introduce in future collections?
We are always sampling new fabrics that fit our silhouettes. However, we are yet to come across new blends that complement our designs and meet customers’ demands. We strongly believe that there needs to be more education among consumers of slow fashion regarding the new kinds of fabrics being introduced in the market. Their trust in these new fabrics is equally important to ensure successful collections.
How do you envision Cosset Clothing evolving in the next five years?
Over the past three years, Cosset Clothing has built an ever-growing, strong community of consumers who are as mindful with their purchasing decisions as the company is with the clothing it makes. The brand recognises that slow fashion as a lifestyle is gaining momentum both in India and globally. Cosset Clothing’s vision is to become a part of consumers’ everyday lifestyle — providing essentials that seamlessly transition into travel sets as well. The company is looking to expand its designs in womenswear and menswear, catering to different market segments globally through both online and offline presence.
Lastly, what advice would you give to other entrepreneurs wanting to start a sustainable fashion brand?
India is a country with varied populations. So, entrepreneurs can always find a niche and a customer base suited to their offerings. However, thorough market research is essential beforehand to help lay the foundation of the business. Entrepreneurs should be open to learning, as there will be times when they need to relook at certain aspects from a different perspective. The most important asset is the customer; understanding their needs and creating a community with them will help a brand find its own place in the market. Entrepreneurs should trust their instincts and follow their own path.
Interviewer: Shilpi Panjabi
Published on: 28/05/2024
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.
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