A Class Act

Women who are tired of walking into men's stores to be able to keep up with the hip and casual androgynous look now have an exciting opti...

Women who are tired of walking into men8217;s stores to be able to keep up with the hip and casual androgynous look now have an exciting option. Upper Class has launched a complete range of women8217;s casual wear in cool, comfortable cottons. The brand name that entered the market 11 years ago with denim has now come a long way. 8220;When we first stepped in, there were hardly any infrastructural facilities and the market was not so developed,8221; recalls Rajesh Sachdeva, Director, Upper Class, who has always believed in keeping up with the trends.

When he introduced the pre-washed cotton trousers for men five years ago, it was so popular that he decided to launch a women8217;s range too. 8220;It8217;s not easy to come out with a wide selection for women because firstly, women are more demanding and besides, you have to concentrate a lot more on detailing and styling,8221; points out Sachdeva, saying his team, headed by his IIFT-graduate wife, Amita, has been working on this for a year.

he range includes both semi-formal and casual wear dresses, shirts and trousers to shorts, dungarees and short-alls. And the men are not being ignored, either. Along with a wrinkle-free range of semi-formal cotton trousers, Upper Class has also introduced a line of sports and adventure wear, like cargo pants and military shirts. There was a gap in the market waiting to be filled, insists Sachdeva, at least as far as womenswear goes.

8220;Nowhere else will you get such a wide variety of outfits, designs and colours,8221; he claims, adding that women8217;s casual outfits were more often available in materials like polyester, which aren8217;t suitable for the summers. 8220;A few international brands do offer clothes for women, but it8217;s generally a very small range,8221; he explains, adding, 8220;Besides, it8217;s all in knits while ours are weaves.8221; They have even imported the fabric, as Sachdeva says Indian manufacturers don8217;t concentrate or develop upon the domestic market. While his exclusive outlets in Kamala Nagar and M-Block, GK-I, offer the complete range, some of the collections are also available at the top retail outlets around the city. He will be taking it to the other metros but doesn8217;t plan to introduce this particular line in the smaller cities.

8220;I8217;m basically targeting young, working urban women and men, between the ages of 20 and 30, who are adventurous and are ready to enjoy themselves,8221; he explains. And judging by the response so far, he8217;s on the right track. 8220;The biggest challenge is to initially sell the idea,8221; he smiles, 8220;After that, there8217;s no stopping the demand.8221; In fact, the collection is doing so well, Sachdeva is all set to put his plans of expansion into action. Next year, he intends to diversify the women8217;s collection and even introduce a children8217;s line. 8220;By August, we hope to open two more stores in Rajori Gardens and Lajpat Nagar Central Market,8221; he says, 8220;Once that is done, we can concentrate on introducing exclusive lines just for our stores8221;.