Flirting with Lycra
Geeky blog title I know, but I can explain. A couple of months ago I bought these fabulous cotton pants with a little lycra woven into the fabric. They fit me perfectly and they are so versatile- for hot and cool days, for almost every occasion, and for pretty much every top I own. I love these pants so much that I rarely wear my jeans or my own Brass Tacks linen pants anymore. One evening I washed my pants at night so that I could wear them again the next morning and that’s when I realized there was something strange going on here. As my own brand ambassador, it is hypocritical that I live in trousers that Brass Tacks doesn’t produce?
One of Brass Tacks’ selling points, using only natural fibres, evolved while explaining my brand’s specialty to entrepreneurs and marketing consultants. Many of them liked the idea of natural fabrics because selling yourself as an eco-friendly brand is really in vogue right now. For me using natural fabrics was a given (rather than a choice) because I never wear synthetic fibres, barring the occasional cotton garment with lycra mixed into the weave. The real selling point of my brand, to me, is the marriage of handwoven textiles with a cosmopolitan, tailored look.
I have always maintained that in order to complete an outfit, I may use mill-made fabric (like my linen trousers). So then is it so bad to use a bit of lycra in my trousers to create a more fitted look if it completes an outfit? Some of my kurtas (worn like tunics) and mini-dresses do look best with leggings or really fitted Capri pants- neither of which I make. Also, for my collection photo-shoots I’m forced to pair all my tops, kurtas, and mini-dresses with my linen trousers even though I know some of them would look much better with a fitted pair of pants (I don’t think it’s fair to show an outfit on the website unless it’s 100% Brass Tacks). But the real question here is why am I not making a complete outfit in my own company if I am constantly recommending a pair of leggings or fitted Capri pants to customers who buy my tunics? Would I be letting down my brand, or could using lycra enable me to sell more hand-loom garments? Studies (seconded by my experiences in retail) show that women are more likely to make a purchase if they can buy a complete outfit in the same store.
I used to think I was the only one with a strange waist-hip proportion that made it hard to shop for trousers in India. Talking to my friends and customers has made me realize that there are very few brands that exist in India that retail affordable, well-cut trousers (with or without lycra). This is just more incentive to provide more variety at my store, and add one well-cut pair of cotton trousers and another fitted pair with lycra.
But as you can see I’m a bit torn. I don’t want to get greedy and in the process dilute my brand image. So send in your thoughts and feedback; reassure me or dissuade me.
Above, an example of a tunic that would look better as a complete outfit with fitted pants rather than the looser linen ones shown here.
One of Brass Tacks’ selling points, using only natural fibres, evolved while explaining my brand’s specialty to entrepreneurs and marketing consultants. Many of them liked the idea of natural fabrics because selling yourself as an eco-friendly brand is really in vogue right now. For me using natural fabrics was a given (rather than a choice) because I never wear synthetic fibres, barring the occasional cotton garment with lycra mixed into the weave. The real selling point of my brand, to me, is the marriage of handwoven textiles with a cosmopolitan, tailored look.
I have always maintained that in order to complete an outfit, I may use mill-made fabric (like my linen trousers). So then is it so bad to use a bit of lycra in my trousers to create a more fitted look if it completes an outfit? Some of my kurtas (worn like tunics) and mini-dresses do look best with leggings or really fitted Capri pants- neither of which I make. Also, for my collection photo-shoots I’m forced to pair all my tops, kurtas, and mini-dresses with my linen trousers even though I know some of them would look much better with a fitted pair of pants (I don’t think it’s fair to show an outfit on the website unless it’s 100% Brass Tacks). But the real question here is why am I not making a complete outfit in my own company if I am constantly recommending a pair of leggings or fitted Capri pants to customers who buy my tunics? Would I be letting down my brand, or could using lycra enable me to sell more hand-loom garments? Studies (seconded by my experiences in retail) show that women are more likely to make a purchase if they can buy a complete outfit in the same store.
I used to think I was the only one with a strange waist-hip proportion that made it hard to shop for trousers in India. Talking to my friends and customers has made me realize that there are very few brands that exist in India that retail affordable, well-cut trousers (with or without lycra). This is just more incentive to provide more variety at my store, and add one well-cut pair of cotton trousers and another fitted pair with lycra.
But as you can see I’m a bit torn. I don’t want to get greedy and in the process dilute my brand image. So send in your thoughts and feedback; reassure me or dissuade me.
Above, an example of a tunic that would look better as a complete outfit with fitted pants rather than the looser linen ones shown here.Labels: branding, collections, design process, fashion, marketing, textiles
posted by Anaka at
5:51 PM
8 Comments:
you know it better than i do .
linen trousers - straight cut. - it is a style which flatters many body shapes. 5% lycra does no harm i think.
Be WELL KNOWN for something - in your case well cut, stylish western garments with handwoven fabrics -
Everything else is an extension of this.
Happy birthday brass tacks -
jiyo hazzaro saal, saal ke dhin ho pach hazzar --
my husband came back with great batik fabrics from calcutta - and they are so soft ( one is mill made cloth and the other is hand woven) But he went to one those old old markets.
i hope this comment goes through.
Anrosh: I know, and I'm talking less than 5% even- more like 2% lycra. Just feel bad that I've been getting all this press as a "green designer" and now I'm giving in by using lycra. I just need to remind myself that it's not really giving in.
Put some of those pics of Batik up on your blog, Anrosh!
i own a mix of linen and lycra trousers. most days i pick the lycra trousers over even jeans. a bit of lycra does no home. just a suggestion.. you could try teaming up your kurtas with nice fitted churidars in the pic. i own a couple of your kurtas and i feel they look very classy with a well fitted churidar.
HI anaka u know how strongly i feel abt u making those trousers!! Nowadays i wear almost only brass tacks clothes and it is only to compliment them that i go hunting for something to complete the outfit. So why cant i just buy everything i need under the same roof?! It definitely does not dilute what brass tacks stands for. Hoping to hear good news abt them soon!!!
Kye: Churidars... hmm... in the beginning I was really resistant to doing any Indian clothes because you can find them anywhere. But now this "completing an outfit" argument works in favour of a lot of things I wouldn't normally make! I will give it a lot of thought for sure.
Sathya: Yes, I do know how passionately you feel about them lycra pants:) Don't worry, I've begun the hunt for nice cotton fabric with lycra already.
Hi Anaka, in "real life" all of us mix up stuff so I am sure its fine to wear trousers with a bit of lycra :-)
Natural fabrics are hard to maintain. I have lots of cotton but I have to confess that often I just wear things that do not require ironing (partly because there is no istriwallah here). I wouldn't be surprised if people do mix and match stuff for ease and to be honest I think that's fine.
The problem with tunics I think is that (to me) when teamed with trousers it is a formal look for older women. Younger women will want to team it with leggings or wear it as is. Also at least in Australia I find that a tunic, trouser (of any length) ensemble is rarely formal and more often it's casual summer wear.
I honestly think that the Brass Tacks trousers should be teamed with a singlet/top and a jacket of the same material, it never looks right with a tunic. Combined with a jacket makes it lightweight and soft formal wear. On the other hand with the tunics depending on what length you are comfortable with, they can make very pretty dresses. The pic in this post would have been fine for e.g. if the model had just been wearing the dress (and maybe an outsize Michelle Obama brooch!!!). I quite like this dress in fact and personally I would wear it with a shrug or a cropped jacket and stockings if it was cold as opposed to trousers.
In fact it might be worthwhile to have cropped shots that show off only the tunic. Its left to the buyer what they wish to match it with, I am sure this is Ok even if you have a conservative clientele? At least some of the sites I have seen here (of course they are chain stores so a little bit different) have shots that are basically less about the clothes and more about creating a mood (which frees you from creating a photograph where the model is shown in entirety) and have separate pop ups which display only the range of tops or trousers (i.e. no model just the item). e.g. http://www.witchery.com.au/ or http://www.sulaclothing.com/index.htm. It seems to me that its a better way to highlight something unusual by way of colour or cut instead of it getting lost in the overall picture. I think your beach shots had the movement. Also I think with the focus on simple cuts you could experiment with bolder accessories?
Oh and yes even if you don't want to do leggings you should do the harem pants - they are all the rage here on younger women! And I am sure they lend themselves nicely to natural fabrics.
I typed this in a hurry - sorry abt rambling on!
Anu: lovely to hear from you again! The tiny percentage of lycra that I plan to use in my trousers might not solve the ironing issue. I can understand how that is a bit of a pain... I iron all my own clothes but I do leave it until the last minute.
The tunics that I make are essentially like Kurtas with a defined silhouette. They have long slits on both the side seams from the hip to the knee, so unless you are okay with showing that much leg (and few women in Chennai would be), you really have to wear them with something- leggings or pants. The dresses however don't have slits so you can wear them as is, however there are some customers at my store in Chennai who tell me that they wear my dresses with a churidar (hey, it's Madras and I'd rather people experiment and do their own thing than tell them how it should be worn). One of the pants I want to make (with lycra) will be a really close fit- kind of like leggings but not made out of jersey. I think tunics would look great with these pants, but that's me with my background and context. Fashion nuances are different in different geographic regions.
One of things I really need to keep in mind while I design and showcase my work is my audience. And since I am based in Chennai, it is important that I do things that have a context here. The catalogue shots are meant to show a complete outfit because otherwise a lot of people ask me what they can wear those tunics/tops with (I can handle that, but my sales staff cannot always answer). The creative shots (the ones on the home page that I also use for my ads) are the ones that are meant to convey a mood rather than show the entire outfit. But for people who have visited the store, know their size, and wish to order clothes from other parts of the country, I have to show the entire outfit so that they know what they are ordering. All these constraints and a small budget means I am limited in what I choose to prioritize in my photo-shoots.
I like the accessories idea, but to be honest I haven't put enough effort finding ones that will complement my clothes. South India is all about the heavy, traditional gold jewellery with a lot of precious stones and it's hard to find one designer whose work goes with Brass Tacks clothes and who will lend her jewellery for the shoot. So right now I make do with my own collection which isn't much.
And harem pants are coming up soon :)
Hi Anaka thanks for the detailed response. Yes, I quite agree that a lot depends on the local clientele and market. I actually went back and looked at your entire catalogue after my post and sort of looked at it with a fresh eye and can see the way you have mixed different things there.
As you say it is hard with accessories in India unless you tie up with someone.
Hopefully I can visit one day. I am sure I can order online but would be nice to see the store.
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