Finding the perfect, well-tailored shirt is every man’s dream. Bombay Shirt Company brings custom-made shirts to the region with the launch of the first store in Dubai. Anne Kurian speaks to Nikita Shah, Partner at Bombay Shirt Company to learn more about the brand and its offerings
What was the inspiration behind Bombay Shirt Company?
It actually started with the hunt for the right shirt brand for my husband. We felt a bit incomplete with most options we tried here – either the sleeves were a bit too long or shoulders drooping – and even if we found a good fit, the shirt would be too plain or boring. That’s when a close friend from Mumbai recommended Bombay Shirt Company as his ‘newly found gem’. The website was super intuitive to design our own shirt with good tutorials on how to take measurements for a great fit. My husband loved his first shirt and within a few months we had ordered 6-7 shirts, some of them designed online by me for him. We had become big fans of the brand and hence I contacted the founder – Akshay Narvekar – to open a store here so that customers can experience our value proposition. Now I’m very proud and excited with the opening of the first Bombay Shirt Company UAE store in Central Park Towers, DIFC, Dubai.
When was it set up, where and where else can we find the brand?
Bombay Shirt Company was founded 5 years ago with the quest to provide great shirts to the world from Mumbai and we opened the Dubai store 8 months ago. With 8 stores now – in India, Dubai and New York – and growing, Bombay Shirts is set to be a global brand. The brand is available globally and one can order online on www.bombayshirts.com
What does the product range at Bombay Shirt Company include? Do you cater to both men and women?
BSC offers only the finest fabrics in the likes of Egyptian cotton, linen, denim, poplin, satin, jacquard and more that are sourced from some of the largest mills in India, Europe, and Japan. The shirts are expertly crafted in Mumbai where every detail is scrutinized and the manufacturing process is skilled tailors using state-of-the-art machines. BSC mainly caters to men but we do have a growing women clientele as well who prefer wearing custom made shirts of their fabric, fit and design choice.
What sets the company apart from its peers?
With our intuitive shirt design process, range of over 1600 fabrics in store and online and world-class craftsmanship, we are redefining bespoke. All this at an entry price of AED 195 and premium fabric range at AED 495 onwards we have made bespoke affordable and fun. So, whether you want the elegant formal office shirt with a dash of personalization or the fashionable prints and designs – you’ll always be pleasantly surprised with us. You have to experience our brand to know the difference. We are fortunate to have a growing loyal fan base evident from the fact that despite being new in the Middle East, a substantial part of shirts that we make are for repeat customers.
Who is the Bombay Shirt Company client?
Our clients are individuals who value one or more of the three important aspects – fabric, design, and fit of the shirt – and derive confidence from how a good shirt makes them feel. It’s all about the power of dressing not just from external looks but knowing that you are wearing something that truly reflects your individuality, at work or outside.
What is the process involved in ordering an outfit/shirt at Bombay Shirt Company?
With friendly and charming stylists at the store and a user-friendly intuitive website, the process of designing one’s shirt itself is easy, engaging and hence a fun experience in itself. The process involves three aspects – the selection of fabric, the customization and the measuring and fitting by the master tailor in the store. In the store, the stylist will ask questions on preferences and lifestyles to then suggest fabrics and customization. Every aspect of the shirt can be customized from collar to cuff to adding dashes of color to an otherwise plain shirt. We even do the fit based on customer’s lifestyle preferences – for example you are used to wearing a big watch then you may need one cuff larger than the other.
How many fittings does a person have to come in for? How long does it take for a bespoke shirt to be made?
For most of the clients we get the fit right in the first go and maximum in the second trial the client is happy with his fit. Most clients order multiple shirts, but we first get the fit of one shirt right. Only then the other shirts are forwarded for production and the measurements are saved for the customer to order anytime online or in store. Although we promise shirts in 14 days, we usually deliver in 7 days except for very premium and special fabrics which take up to 21 days.
We have customers coming from other emirates in UAE and other countries in GCC who are in for a day in Dubai, do their measurements and then get their shirts online. We ship to Oman and have a few loyal customers.
Please tell us about yourself.
From being a teacher and running a playschool in India a long time ago to being a full-time homemaker and now back to starting Bombay Shirts in the Middle East, I have come a full circle. My quest is to be a simple doting mom to two wonderful boys, a caring wife and great colleague to my Bombay Shirts team. My new-found passion is gaining happy customers – I am obsessed with ensuring that our Bombay Shirts customers have a great smile when they get their shirts and we do everything possible to do that. I am constantly in learning mode while I grapple with import shipping rules and VAT implications, but I know I have to learn these things to give my customers the most enjoyable experience with us. I have a simple mantra – continuously strive to learn and grow but be happy and satisfied in what you do. I take each day as a challenge and firefight the ifs and buts of life – but be happy about it and don’t stress. So, when my husband and boys tell me that they loved designing and wearing their Bombay Shirts product, it is a happiness of a different kind.
