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Much of the excitement palpable in a press release announcing the launch of a "premier collection of trendy and chic dresses" by Being Human Clothing is missing at its flagship store in Mumbai. The new arrivals are in the women's section on the first floor but you would not know that because of a lack of signage and a rather inconspicuous display immediately next to the stairs. Despite that, the fledgling assortment of printed frocks signals a promising change in direction for the clothing maker.
Around 2011, Salman Khan's charity decided to partner with Mandhana Industries to launch a full-fledged clothing brand, part of the sales of which would fund charity. The aspiration to own something close to their favourite celebrity had already resulted in thousands of knock-off Being Human T-shirts, which, in turn, made the brand less desirable to others. The attention at the time was on casual and sports chic, even for women. "Earlier, Being Human had been more focused in the direction of T-shirts and shirts. But now we have realised that women want more feminine clothing," says Purvi Joshi, vice-president for design and product at Being Human Clothing. Collections in the future will include more blouses and skirts too. Unlike with T-shirts, the branding on these items is also more veiled as Being Human is etched only on tiny badges on the seams.
I invited Aniket Satam, a young designer and freelance stylist, to accompany me and critique the merchandise at the Linking Road shop. The 27-year-old was creative director at Archana Kochhar's studio before he launched the label Aniket, which creates designs with handmade fabrics and textures. The Being Human dresses are mainly in hues of pink, blue and black, with floral and polka dot prints. Satam immediately declares the look summery and basic. "These are perfect to wear for a holiday or over the weekend," he says. With about seven designs, the selection seems smaller compared with Zara or H&M. Also, unlike those retailers, which tend to favour skinny body types, the designs here have a natural waist and flare that works for the Indian woman, observes Satam. However, he is not too impressed by the fact that all seven dresses have a similar silhouette.
A model sporting pieces from the new collection
"Dikhta hai toh bikta hai (only what is seen gets sold)," says Satam, adding that Bollywood's growing openness to sourcing from prêt labels helps brands like Being Human. He remembers seeing Jacqueline Fernandes sporting one of the dresses, which allows customers to imagine themselves in the same outfit. It becomes aspirational as well as purchasable. At the store, the photographs displayed are stylised to an extent that the essence of the piece is lost. Satam points to the difference between the colour of the product on the rack and in pictures hung above it.
The pick of the lot for him are a basic pink sleeveless dress with a minimalistic print and light blue denim piece that Fernandes had worn. He likes their versatility since they can be dressed up or down depending on the hour of the day or the occasion. Print on print is trending and the store has a lot of printed separates - shirts and T-shirts - that can be layered with the dresses. Satam scouts the store to style the denim dress with a white T-shirt over it and later, a yellow T-shirt inside. The other dresses, he suggests, can be teamed with a stole and leggings to make them work-friendly.
The brand was previously aimed at women between 18 and 25 years but is hoping to tap into those up to 40 years who seek fashion and have the capacity to spend. The prices are in the affordable mid-segment at Rs 1,699 to Rs 2,599. T-shirt prices range from Rs 799 to Rs 1,299, while blouses cost Rs 1,299 to Rs 1,699. Going by the quality of fabric and the attention to finishing, this is value for money, notes Satam. Joshi says the design team works with international designers and travels to places, including the UK and Amsterdam, to catch trends. The shirts and shirt dresses are very similar, giving shoppers little to choose between, Satam observes. But Joshi says this is deliberate and the same print on different garments will be seen going forward too.
About 25 per cent of the selection is with sleeves, says Satam, noting that some Indian women can be conscious about flabby arms. In terms of lengths, the brand plays it safe so that dresses can double up as tunics. As an improvement, he suggests the mix could include less girly prints like checks or stripes. According to him, the brand could also add elements of bling to the dresses, which would make them wearable for cocktail parties.
As brick-and-mortar players compete with online companies, it has become necessary to offer variety in stores. The belts available for women are uniformly chunky, while the men's belts on the floor below are surprisingly slimmer. This could be a drawback as many retailers have been selling thin belts as part of dresses. "Scarves, stoles or dressy jackets can also be added to Being Human's list. The store has a lot of space," notes Satam. Although the stylist is referring to square footage, it seems to point to overall room for improvement.
