Hyderabad, Show Me Love
For the last 8 months I’ve been working on a project that I am really excited about. It all began around a year ago when I met with the owners of Daaram, a store in Hyderabad, and they expressed an interest in retailing my brand there. Daaram is run by Dastkar Andhra, a non-profit dedicated to promoting handloom fabric, and because of our common passion we immediately got along. Latha, one of the partners at Daaram, seemed really keen on working with me because she felt that I could give her team of designers ideas on what kinds of handloom fabrics would work well for contemporary silhouettes; in the long run that kind of input will help handloom weavers compete with powerloom and mill made fabric suppliers.
In the last 6 months, while working on my Summer and upcoming Monsoon collections, the design team at Dastkar Andhra has been really patient with changing colours, fabric construction and weaves to suit my tastes. I often place orders asking, “Can you make yardage with fabric construction from A, the colours from B but change the green lines to the blue shade from fabric C”. Luckily for me, they oblige me whenever they can (there are rare exceptions like when the weavers of Muramunda refuse to weave in anything but Kora).
So this Thursday, on July 9th, Brass Tacks will launch in Hyderabad at Daaram. I’m nervous about the response, excited to reach out to more people, but mostly thrilled to have this opportunity so early in my business.
In the last 6 months, while working on my Summer and upcoming Monsoon collections, the design team at Dastkar Andhra has been really patient with changing colours, fabric construction and weaves to suit my tastes. I often place orders asking, “Can you make yardage with fabric construction from A, the colours from B but change the green lines to the blue shade from fabric C”. Luckily for me, they oblige me whenever they can (there are rare exceptions like when the weavers of Muramunda refuse to weave in anything but Kora).
So this Thursday, on July 9th, Brass Tacks will launch in Hyderabad at Daaram. I’m nervous about the response, excited to reach out to more people, but mostly thrilled to have this opportunity so early in my business.
Labels: branding, dastkar, growth, marketing, retail, textile design, textiles
posted by Anaka at
11:27 PM
12 Comments:
Hi Anaka,
Congratulations on your new store in Hyderabad! I've visited your store in Chennai a few times and love your work and own some of your clothes. However, I am compelled to tell you that I'm deeply disappointed with the way your sales team handles clients. During my recent visit, I decided not to purchase anything,for the above reason. One of the sales person literally yanked away a garment from my friend, saying it was the wrong size for her (the size in fact fit her perfectly) This isn't the first time that I have been dissatisfied with their approach; it has happened every time I've been there. As much as I enjoy your collections, I hesitate to patronise your store until the customer service improves. I hope you will look into improving this aspect.
Hello, and thank you for sharing your feedback. I have been so busy the last couple of months with the Hyderabad launch, settling into my new life (I got married 4 months ago) and planning the Monsoon collection that I have spent less time at the store. Training sales staff is an ongoing project, and I do know that when I don't spend enough time at the store things there suffer. I'm sorry that you didn't have a pleasant experience there- I certainly shall have a talk with them and re-start my training sessions when I get back from Hyderabad.
I have told them before not to give customers a size that is too small, especially if the fabric is delicate because we have had a lot of experiences with customers trying on tight clothes and stressing the seams. However there are politer, nicer ways to do that and it should not be done at the cost of offending the customer.
In the meantime, would you like to make an appointment with me the next time you wish to shop at Brass Tacks? You can send me an email at anaka@brasstacksmadras.com and I can fix a time that works for you.
I too get very put off by poor customer service at other stores, so be assured that I take your feedback very very seriously.
Hi Anaka! A marriage and a launch at a new store - what a very exciting life you lead! Congratulations on both big events. I read your blog regularly and I am so grateful for it. You are an inspiration! I am so happy that there exist designers like you who create clothes that are both fashionable AND made to flatter real bodies. There certainly aren't enough designers who take inspiration from the body's shape. Trinny and Suz are a couple of heroes of mine, do you know of them? http://www.trinnyandsusannah.com/rules/
They are a bit silly but I think they're advice is great.
Great job on the Summer '09 collection. Here are my two requests:
1. That you take close-up shots of the fabric used in the collections to accompany the photos of the model wearing the pieces. Some of the fabric has detail that you just can't appreciate fully from far away!
2. That you find a way to ship me clothes in the US. (Please say there's a way!) I love your clothes, I love your concept, but so far I'm just an internet admirer. I've never actually seen the clothes in "the flesh"!
Georgia- how lovely to hear from you! Tell me more about what you are doing in fashion. Thanks for your generous compliments, but I often feel I'm not doing enough.
The close up shots is something I need to look into very soon, especially since I am going to start retailing in a few different cities. I had my website design done a while ago and right now I pester my husband every time I want a new collection uploaded, but soon I'll get a programmer to help me create a zoom option.
International shipping.... I haven't even attempted it yet. I guess there is a way (courier), but it will be a bit expensive. Shall I look into it and get back to you on the price and if there is anything I need to declare to customs? Send me an email!
Georgia: Oh and are Trinny and Suz the 2 brits who give people a wardrobe makeover? Their website has some useful advice (thanks for pointing me there) although they are kind of harsh on their clients/victims on TV!! I'm considering starting a silhouette consultation by appointment for free, and some of the tips on their site will help me.
Wow, Anaka, congratulations for your marriage and for Daaram...Georgia rightly mentioned you are an inspiration...
God willing and if everything goes as planned, I will start something soon..
I'm sure you will scale new heights with Daaram...
TC and God bless!
Congratulations Anaka, Wonderful news about Dharam.Everything will be fine and I'm sure a great success - your kind of attention to detail and dedication should certainly payoff.
Thank you for voting for us for the Great driving Challenge really appreciate it.
Sophia- thank you very much, and good luck with your own plans. I'm happy to help in any way I can.
Thank you Maya! Today was the first day and things went pretty well... just need to fine tune a few things, but so far so good.
Glad to hear things are going well.all the best anaka.
anaka i completely agree with you on trinny and suzannah. i prefer watching tim gunn's guide to style, he's not that harsh, and he speaks about fashion as a science so anyone can understand it.
Hi Anaka, been poking around the daaram site - hope its all going well and all the best with this and ventures in the future!
Guess the next time i am in hyderabad...the first thing i would when i head shopping is to visit daaram and brass tracks. I never could visit Daaram, though i stay couple of lanes away!! But also chk out kalaanjali store at Nampally,just a suggestion.
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