This entrepreneur scaled his men’s fashion brand into a Rs 2 Cr turnover company using Facebook and Instagram

Ravi Gupta took on the reins of Gargee Designer’s from his father in 2013. By personalising services and selling via social media platforms, today he receives orders from across the world.

Friday January 17, 2020 , 5 min Read

Founder of Gargee Designer's Shyam Gupta and his son Ravi Gupta

The market for men’s fashion and grooming has become a fast-scaling industry. According to research and analysis platform Statista, the market value of the men's apparel industry in India is estimated to be about Rs 3.3 trillion by 2028.

While the industry is today dominated by a few well-known brands such as Raymond, Peter England, and Woodland, a few smaller players are gradually making their presence felt, giving the well-known brands a run for their money.

Delhi-based Gargee Designer’s is one such example. The company, which designs and manufactures menswear like sherwanis, tuxedos, etc., was founded by Shyam Gupta in 1978. His son Ravi Gupta took over the reins of the company in 2013.

In just seven years, the business claims to be clocking a turnover of around Rs 2 crore approximately. Ravi says, providing personalised services has helped him meet customer demands and establish a loyal base.

How it started

A next generation entrepreneur, Ravi has been running the brand for almost seven years now. “I was exposed to design very early on,” he says.

After his schooling, Ravi did his graduation in fashion. In the last year of his university, he took up men’s fashion as an elective, which was a road less travelled, and even worked with some big names in the industry.

Ravi says working for Indian designer Varun Bahl and Indian men retailing brand Diwan Sahib gave him an in-depth insight into celebrity fashion and commercial retailing, respectively. Later, he decided to join his father’s business.

Ushering a new age in men’s grooming

According to Ravi, Gargee Designer’s foundation is built on three things - quality, design, and fit.

Everything in the store is produced in its factories based in Delhi, and the fabrics are sourced from mills of well-known brands including the likes of Raymond and Digjam to name a few. Even the threads used for stitching are sourced from Germany. “We do not use local fabric at all,” says Ravi speaking to SMBStory.

Speaking about the challenges, he says, maintaining this foundation remains their greatest challenge as well as the final goal of all endeavours. “Handling and maintaining the old staff is another challenge,” he says.

According to Ravi, “Fashion is about quality, and quality is going to be the winner in the long run.” He adds that providing personalised services has helped him meet customer demands and establish a loyal base.

The 50-60 karigars working at Gargee Designer’s are experienced and senior staff, and aligned with the business’ core value. Ravi says, “A fabric goes through five hands before reaching the final consumer.”

Today, orders come from all parts of India and across the world including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, the UK, the US, Dubai, Canada, and Australia. The number of orders received domestically is approximately 100 per month whereas those received internationally includes 20 to 30 per month.

Taking forward a legacy

A second-generation entrepreneur, Ravi took over the business from his father in 2013.

Ravi says that his father Shyam Gupta worked very hard and built the company. While Shyam represented the standalone spirit by working with limited sources, Ravi’s mission, he believes, is to pull the crowd and expand the business.

He says, “We all have to work hard but on different aspects. The product is just 10 or 20 percent and the rest 80 to 90 percent is your marketing skills.”

Social media is the future of fashion as it is a defining aspect for pulling the crowd, he says.

However, in some cases, it also proves to be a bluff. “Several designers are very good in showcasing their design on social media, but when you visit their stores, you realise the clothes are far from any superior quality that is shown on social media. People who are conscious about fashion will never buy from such stores.”

Future Plans

Ravi says Gargee Designer’s is focused on improving themselves every day.

While he is not planning to open more stores at present, he feels he should rather focus on expanding the company’s presence in the digital footprint. He says, “Opening up physical stores takes a lot of infrastructure. Selling online is a very easy activity.”

Currently, the brand has one store in Delhi and mainly sells via social media.

They are also looking at collaborating more with celebrities and influencers and participate in exhibitions, fashion shows, etc.

While a lot of international players have approached Ravi to buy and operate franchises for the brand, he remains focused on operating everything on his own. He says, “People who have approached us are not very skilled in fashion. We don’t want to compromise on the brand name.”

When asked what his advice is for young entrepreneurs looking at making it big in the industry, he says, “Make a product as best as you can without worrying about the result.”

(Edited by Megha Reddy)