How this Mumbai-based men’s brand is taking on the popular T-shirt with its fusion garment

When it comes to fashion, women are spoilt for choice. From casual tees and shimmery tops to kurtis, tunics, dresses and sarees, there’s plenty for the taking. Men, meanwhile, must choose between shirts, tees, and kurtas. Tired of the lack of choice, Steven Jhangiani (45) told his wife one day: “Wearing a kurta is nice. However, I can’t wear it to the office because it looks ethnic and isn’t as comfortable as a t-shirt.” And, that was when the idea of making kurtas from a jersey material sprung.

Steven bootstrapped kurtees.com in 2018 in Mumbai with an initial capital of Rs 40 lakh. He holds 22 years of banking experience and has worked in Florida, New York, London, Dubai, and Singapore. 

He says, “The business was born out of a need-based lightbulb moment. I wanted to find casual Indian clothing that would be comfortable to wear and less ethnic (so men had more opportunities to wear the garment). Crafting kurtas (and churidars) out of T-shirt material was a solution that occurred to me.”

In an interaction with SMBStory, he speaks about why he decided to launch his business in India, how it operates, and the biggest challenges. 

Edited excerpts of the interview:

SMBStory: What is kurtees.com? How did you start the business?

Steven Jhangiani: Kurtees.com is an amalgamation of traditional kurtas and comfortable t-shirts. The collection of kurtas and churidars retain essential elements of traditional Indian men's clothes while looking modern and functional.

The business was started in December 2018 while I was in my banking job in Singapore. I didn’t leave my job till the time the business took off. In March 2019, we launched our website to receive online orders and have a month-on-month growth of eight percent. 

SMBS: Why did you not start the brand in Singapore?

SJ: I began my brand in India as I was trying to modernise a garment that was essentially Indian at heart. India, with its large and growing middle-class population, was a better scope for me than Singapore, which is quite small. I want my brand to be a modern reinterpretation of a rich tradition, and I feel India is the best place to do that.

SMBS: How do you manufacture kurtees and from where do you source materials?

SJ: As I wanted to base my business in India to serve Indian clients primarily, it was important for me to manufacture in the country. My primary requirement when I started looking for suppliers was that they were able to do organic apparel. I found a wonderful little supplier in Tirrupur that was able to not only help me with the organic components, but were also able to work with me when I had zero experience.

I design the kurtees myself. The materials are sourced by the factory from local areas.

At present, we are available online on our website and at the Narendra Kumar boutique in Mumbai. 

SMBS: What are your challenges in terms of sustaining the business?

SJ: What didn’t occur to me was the fact that this was such an unusual garment. It looks like a kurta and also like a T-shirt. The challenge is showing the Indian man where and when (and how) he can wear this garment. At the end of the day, I am not trying to compete against traditional Indian wear; I am trying to compete with T-shirts.

SMBS: What has been the impact of your work on customers and society?

SJ: By using only organic cotton, we are helping to provide customers with a garment that is skin-friendly. Our garments have not been unnecessarily treated with pesticides. This also has a knock-on effect on farmers, as it helps them to work more sustainably within their limits. It is better for the environment as there are far less pollutants entering the soil and water supplies.

With our range, which is suitable for a Sunday brunch to a Friday night party, we have been able to serve men with our one-of-its-kind designs. This helps solve their problems of finding good clothing options. 

SMBS: What are your future prospects?

SJ: As we grow, our aim is to make more people understand the philosophy behind the product. Though we have been scaling up through our uniqueness and word of mouth, we still need some time to be visible. Majority of men are still sceptical when it comes to a sudden change in their outfit.

In the near future, we plan to have some interesting new products for kids. We also have some really exciting collaborations on the horizon.

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