House of Chase attempts to make lounge wear glamorous and fun
‘Flat lock,’ ‘lab dips,’ ‘pigment print’…everytime Samyuktha Venkatachalam uses technical words such as these, she stops for a second and looks amused. “I am just getting acquainted with these terms,” she smiles with a sense of achievement and just stops short of almost patting herself on the back. A student of graphic designing, she realised sitting in front of the computer was not her thing. A need for a creative outlet led her to start House of Chase, an online fashion label that has loungewear for women. “I never found enough loungewear here. Clothes that I bought abroad were long-lasting and had a snug feel and that’s what I was looking for. So I decided to start something of my own that addresses the needs of people like me,” she says. Hats are what she actually wanted to start working with. But since it was hard to get a hat manufacturer in India, the plan had to be shelved.
Hoodies, shorts, vests, tunics, tank tops, pyjamas, polo neck, round neck and printed T-shirts in hot pink, bright blue, virulent green and other bright-hues comprise the collection. Cotton, velvet, fleece, pique, poly viscose are the fabrics used. The tracks, hoodies and shorts have brushed fleece or velour lining for that cosy feeling. What princesses wear when they are chilling — that’s the concept House of Chase is based on. No wonder the logo has a shiny golden crown, along with a St. Bernard (her favourite pet).
Does the name mean anything? “Chase — I have been obsessed with that word since ninth grade. All my books had ‘chase’ scribbled on them. To me it means pursuit. When I was starting this business I knew I had to use that word in the label.” The clothes are deeply inspired by Juicy Couture. The California-based brand’s tracks and hoodies have been her favourite for long. Every time relatives travelled abroad they knew what they had to bring back for her. “They are very comfortable and the fabric is amazing. I wanted people who don’t have access to JC to get a feel of it through my clothes,” she says.
All the materials are manufactured and dyed in Tirupur. She has a small team comprising a graphic designer, two brand designers and a merchandiser. She comes up with a concept and together they work on it. “We vote to finalise and I also ask my friends for opinion. We are working off feedback for now,” she says. The second line of clothes is underway — summer dresses in varying silhouettes and lengths. How often does she plan to have a new collection? “As soon as we are ready with new clothes,” she laughs and adds, “The aim is to have a new line every three months.”
It took two years for House of Chase to take shape. Sleepless nights, anxiety, excitement and after analysing numerous fabrics the first collection was launched on September 20 this year. “Now when I see a garment from any other brand I can tell how much effort has gone or not gone into it,” says the 24-year-old.
Barely 19 days since its launch, House of Chase has managed to sell 200 pieces of garment so far. She pulls out a file and is all business-like as she checks her sales report to reconfirm the number and then laughs again. “I am just getting used to these things. There’s still scope for improvement in terms of finishing. We are far, far away from breaking even.” Her father, V.R. Venkatachalam, Chancellor of Sri Ramchandra Medical University made the initial investment. “At first I thought I would pay him back, but now, I don’t think so,” she laughs. Samyuktha aims to start a boutique by the end of this year. In addition, she wants to add more to her label. There are notebooks already. Coming soon are watches, bracelets and accessories, perfumes, hand sanitisers… So, the brand will basically comprise everything she likes? “Well, yes, you could say that,” and she breaks into a giggle again.
www.houseofchaseclothing.com
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metroplus> Fashion / by Priyadarshini Paitandy / October 08th, 2014