The glitterati in their endeavour to look great and
feel good place their faith in the hands of a few
designers and a price tag with endless nulls. Our
mailbox had a lot of enquires from women wanting the
same feel of the garment but at an affordable tag.
Another dimentions to it was the fact that this segment
wanted wears that were subtle as a casual wear yet
trendy when party borne. A survey through the shopping
havens across the terrians of our country led us in
search of the affordable yet elegant salwar kameez
that would do any women proud. The gaints in retail
trade like Modern Silk House in Lucknow, Sona's Favourite
Shop in Bangalore, Pralochna in Coimbatore, Sri Krishna
in Chennai, Nikhar in Jaipur, Dhamaal in Mumbai and
Asopalav in Ahmedabad were a few destinations that
compelled us to believe that ingenious ideas have
been plotted in making this dressing a branded product.
We narrowed the search and discovered a single brand
that has been visionary and a cult figure in dressing....Sentiments.
How did the Sentiments brand of Salwar Kameez's touch
similar sentiments of an invigorating mix of culture
and people across the country, makes you wonder what
made it click. Was it the fashion genius creating
wearable attires or was it a marketing revolution?
Probably it was both. A few unanswered questions made
us search the history of Sentiments and we discovered.
...a woman.
"Please let me be low profile," she screams from behind
her desk in her design studio, wearing an elegant
salwar kameez which we presumed was nothing but Sentiment.
The name behind the desk was Vandana Roy, the designer
and the businesswoman of Sentiments. So in this age
of recession how has she managed to make a success?
"Give your client value for money and she remains
with you," replies Vandana Roy. However clinched it
may sound but then that is the reality in this recession
infiltrated season. Salwar Kameez is a necessity in
today's wardrobe but at the same time within a given
budget the woman wants to feel indulgent and luxurious.
"The focus is on the intelligent woman who has more
than just taste and is not looking for cheap imitations
of big designers," thinking 17s to the mature 30s
and rightfully so as we gather. So then where is the
compromise...if any?
"You cannot, I repeat, cannot compromise in the quality
of your garment even if you want to cut corners in
the pricing." comments Vandana. The fabrics are exquisite
and there is an exceptional attention to detail in
the making every garment even if it is mass-produced.
"Even if we are mass producing, we at Sentiments ensure
that not more than two to three pieces of a single
design in one colour reaches the retail outlet in
one city," beams the lady, proud to maintain exclusively
in spite of being a production house. "It is this
mass production that makes it physically and financially
visible for me to travel to jaipur just for Bandhanis,
to Coimbatore for handloom cottons, get my jute linens
from Bhagalpur, Jamevars from Banaras and get Bagru
printing work done from Sanganer in Rajasthan," says
Vandana, explaining the intricacies of producing more
garments than one at a time. The quantities in question
make it possible for the brand to directly deal with
the craftsmen, weavers and artisans all around India
and extract quality work from them. A tight reign
on the prices by eliminating middle men is passed
on directly to the women who adore the garment for
its fit and style. So how does she design keeping
in mind the different choices of a consumer in coaching
to the one in Calcutta? "The choices may be different
but the bottom line is the same, every women wants
to feel beautiful." We agree with Vandana. The inspiration
for Vandana is colours.... beautiful colours.
The arduous journey of creating acceptable designs
begins with fabrics and colours. "The fabrics ought
to have a character and the colours a charishma,"
the designer proclaims. Their tie up with all the
leading fabric manufacturers in India and suppliers
abroad ensures that the same fabric is not dumped
in the market for a stipulated time. This gives them
enough lead time to introduce garments in the fabric
that no one has touched before. Vandana Roy did her
two -year course in Dress Making and Fashion Co-ordination
from the SNDT institite in Mumbai. Besides this, the
designer has a fabulous hand for art and painting,
which she uses to create soulful dressings for Sentiments.
She laments the fact that in spite of such talented
people coming out of fashion institutes, not one of
them looks towards mass production as a medium of
creating dressings. "Every one wants to be a top of
the line and media hyped designer," comments this
successful manufacturer of Salwar Kameezes. She believes
that if there are more players and competition in
this industry, it would eventually be prospering the
consumer and anything less than perfect would be a
passe. So are there any other players fishing in the
same grounds...of Sentiments? There are a few more
players in the branded segment but are far from being
a recognizable symbol like Sentiments. There are nearly
two hundred shops all over India convincingly retailing
the Sentiments brand. "These retail outlets are personally
selected by us and we ensure that there are no more
than one or two outlets in a city." says Vandana while
discussing her marketing strategy. Sentiments do not
intend to increase the number of retail outlets any
further because they do not want to oversell and wish
to retain their characteristics aura in each city,
is what we gather.
Where there is an original, can the fakes be far behind
in a country that has shoab of pirates. Retail outlets
that could not get the coveted Sentiments brand indulge
in blatant piracy, creating 'Just-like-Sentiments'
designs. But a consumer so used to the insignia of
Sentiments at the nape of the garment, refuses to
be fettered by the fakes, but then can there be greater
accolades than having the losers ape your design to
make a living. "The fakes still cannot compete with
our brand because the moment they try to change the
fabric and compromise on the quality of the garment
which is a give away,"suggests Vandana. Sentiments
create 30 to 40 designs every month and before the
copiers get a whiff of it, the designs are changed
in the coming month. These not only ensure a variety,
but also translate into repeat purchases from feminine
genders, especially when there is so much... to choose
from. Sentiments has been creating these sophisticated
silhouettes that meld style with the couture look
to give a timeless and contemporary look within a
range of Rs.1200 to Rs.3000. Whether you float with
a pretty embroidery pattern or pack a punch with lycra,
you are always ready for a look which is all woman.
Be it the traditional Bandhani print or the abstract
batik print, the fashion is becoming in nay garment
that flaunts the Sentiment label. It has been a decade
of existence for this brand of clothing which breaks
away from predictability. "Good things in life need
not come for a scandalous price," a smile ensures
from Vandana Roy who still prefers to let her work
speak....more than her image. Commercializing a brand
and yet satisfying all discerning clients is no mean
feat. Sentiments has managed to do just that. Women
will continue to succumb to the brand. Sentiments
through Vandana Roy will continue to energize the
gentry with their collections. The future is endless.
The Sentiments are endless.
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