October 2019 Edition Apparel October 2019 issue | Page 50

THERE ARE NO OFFICIAL FIGURES
DETAILING THE SCALE OF THE
CUSTOM TAILORING MARKET BUT
IT MUST BE SIZEABLE, GOING BY
THE NUMBER OF ENTRANTS IN
THE REALM.
garner bad reputation to the brand. Apart from
that and ensuring that the stitching and overall
tailoring charges are kept minimal, the brand
has no role to play in the tailor’s work process.
It is between the tailor and the customer as far
as the fitting, design, and pattern goes. Even
the trial and finalisation is worked out between
the two parties. Sumit Rastogi, Partner, Ram
Chandra Krishan Chandra, says, “We started
the customisation service in 1980. We had an
in-house tailoring unit where the customers could
get their lehengas, blouses, etc. custom-made.
Typically, the stitching was done in two to three
days. For overseas clients, this could even be
organised in a few hours.”
THE CURRENT SCENARIO
There are no official figures detailing the scale
of the custom tailoring market but it must be
sizeable, going by the number of entrants in the
realm. It has attracted corporate brands and a
host of online portals (like Darzi On Call™,
16 Stitches, and Tailorman) specialising in
custom stitching.
Taneira, Titan’s online store for handwoven
saris, offers blouse-stitching services as well,
wherein a customer can get their blouse stitched
from a blouse piece that comes attached to
the sari, or pick up running fabric offered by
the brand. First, a muslin blouse is made to
ensure that the fitting is right, after which the
design is transferred to the actual blouse. Owing
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I APPAREL I
October 2019
Balasubramaniam
FEATURE
to this detail-oriented process, the product is
delivered within a period of 15 days. Raymond,
too, has an exclusive custom-tailoring portal—
raymondcustomtailoring.com—which features
lookbooks containing bespoke garments, fabric
selections, styling services, appointments for
measurements, and more, with the final product
delivered to one at their home. The company
describes its foray as, “Custom tailoring is the
new way for you to get the exact ensembles
you want. A unique bespoke experience, that
is a class apart, from traditional shopping. Our
experienced stylist assists you in creating the look
that you have in mind. Helps you select the right
fabric, suggests styles and detailing.”
The current times see a number of online
companies providing custom-tailoring services.
While the workings of each may be different,
every portal details its entire operating procedure
for the client’s ease and convenience. A recent
entrant in the field, Binks started off because
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)