Shubhra Bhattacharya Chandra is preparing for the launch of the new website www.shubrah.com. Her business vision is to create a trendy global brand taking India’s rich heritage and creating a fusion of east and west. By blending touches of India – be it color or fabrications, graphics or embroidery – to enhance a sophisticated silhouette that is geared towards the discerning and globally aware individual. The focus is on environmentally friendly processes, either in fabric, dyeing, manufacturing and overall shipping and packaging processes as well. The website will donate a percentage of sales to NGOs working on environmental issues.

Until April 2008, Shubhra was working on the “Collection” line of women’s wear for Talbots, Inc, USA. The business is a high end collection of knits, sweaters and woven garments aimed at up-scale career women. Fabric and yarns are sourced from Europe and Asia and manufactured globally. The line is sold at company stores in the U.S, U.K, Japan and Canada.

Shubhra has previously worked at Mast Industries, Inc, (Design and Development arm of The Limited, Inc) with Limited, Express and Victoria's Secret catalog divisions. She also worked at Sigrid Olsen (a division of Liz Claiborne, Inc), and has over 18 years experience in the design, development, and sourcing of apparel on a global basis.

Shubhra’s education includes fashion/ apparel design in both India and the US.  She has a B.A. in Economics (Honors) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi.  She was among the first of twenty-five students to be admitted to the joint program of F.I.T (New York, USA) and N.I.F.T (New Delhi, India), where she received her Diploma in Fashion Design and graduated at the top of her class in 1989. She went on to receive a Masters Degree in Clothing and Textiles, specializing in Apparel Design for Women from Michigan State University, USA in 1992. 

How did you arrive at this concept?

 I spent the last twenty years of my life after earning Master's degrees in fashion and textiles working for U.S. specialty retail fashion chains. In 2008, I decided to follow my dreams of starting my own business and combining it with my passion for environmental issues. I asked myself the question...why can't fashion be thoughtful? The global clothing industry is very labor intensive, especially due to the dyeing and bleaching processes that are used with yarn and fabric. These processes cause a lot of environmental damage. Usage of paper and plastic bags for shipping is also very high in this industry. Many countries around the world today are creating environmental laws that apply to the processing of yarn and fabric that are damaging to the land or rivers. But not enough is being done by companies that buy this product from the manufacturers. Starting a business that has responsible and sustainable business practices was important to me. This led to the creation of a trendy clothing and home furnishings line that blends eco-friendly eastern fabrics with western designs. 

The names of the sub-brands are versions of my children's names. They are a big inspiration for me for the girls and boys clothing lines. My daughter designed the little logos for the kids tee-shirts, she loves dogs. I find that children today are very concerned about the environment and worry about wastage in our lives. We watched "The Inconvenient Truth,” together as a family last year. Inspired by Al Gore's book of the same name, I found an NGO in India that is doing some wonderful work with environmental issues in big cities. The concept to add them to our website as a vehicle for giving, came after we felt the need to create fashion that was eco-friendly too!

Why did you opt to become an online company ?

There are two aspects to this answer- one  - in keeping with the business philosophy that we will try to minimize the use of petroleum, paper and plastic in our business. That led to having no paper newsletters, catalogs or plastic shopping bags. We are going to use recycled paper and unbleached cotton for our marketing materials or shipping. We will have e-mail newsletters only. Our shopping bags are made with recycled plastic bags. Conservation can start by minimizing the use of gas to drive to a store for the consumer, as well as creating a virtual store front where the consumer can browse, in their spare time. 

The website will have a lot of information about the fabrics, so people will be able to feel and touch- visually through pictures and photos. Since we are using all natural or organic fabrics, the range of fabrics is narrowed down to no synthetic fibers or fabrics for now. We will also have size information and sketches of products.

Having actual retail stores or spaces are not only very expensive for a start-up business, but they are also very wasteful environments in terms of  inventory levels, electricity, paper products, employees and consumers using gas to drive there, etc. My thoughts are to protect and build on the intellectual property of the exclusive designs and business identity of the company, rather than selling wholesale to other larger retailers. I would have more control about keeping the company's design and business philosophy intact via a website and reaching an educated and caring clientele.

The internet is the fastest growing retail vehicle world-wide for fashions companies, people don't have the time to go the shops anymore. With the amount of fashion information there is on line, consumers want to impulse buy when they have the time.

How are Shubrah.com's fashions eco friendly?

The fabrics are 100% organic cottons and 100% handmade or machine made natural silks for Holiday 2008 season. Only recycled paper and plastics are used for shipping to consumers and marketing etc. A percentage of the profits from every sale is given to the NGO that is working on environmental issues in India.

Our marketing plan for the website this season includes donating some of the fashions for auctions at various fund-raising dinners for local and international NGOs. This works with our philosophy of responsible fashion. Looking fabulous while saving the environment!

Who are your clientele and what are your products?

Products will be separated by the target customer group and type of market. There are sub-brands created. Shubrah (meaning- the good path) is the main women's line with clothing, home furnishings and gifts under this label. Mishtee (meaning sweets in Bengali) is the organic graphic print tee-shirt line. Misshree (also meaning sweet in Hindi) is the young girl's line and Shiv-er is the clothing for men and boys.

The target customer is over 25, a global traveler, with a sophisticated, modern taste level and is a trendsetter. The person is not a follower of fashion, but enjoys shopping all over the world to create his or her own personal style. The customer also shops for their children, other members of their family and social circle, bringing back interesting souvenirs as gifts, from around the world. For example, she might shop for Port wine in Portugal, lingerie in France, cheese and olive oil in Italy, clothing in Hong Kong and home accessories in India.

For a unique organic cotton tee-shirt, he/she is willing to pay a premium at retail, wearing it with trendy jeans for a Sunday afternoon event in his/her neighborhood. The tee-shirt becomes a conversation piece in his/her social circle. His/her home has beautiful objects from around the world that he/she buys and displays in an eclectic, contemporary environment. The price is not the motivator for him/her to buy or not buy something. It has to appeal to his/her elevated taste level and to his/her sense of uniqueness. He/she is a technology capable urban shopper, who is college educated and a working professional. Time is the most precious commodity in his/her life. Web based research and shopping often are easier than walking through a mall. However, he/she enjoys the experience of browsing or shopping in an airport or foreign country when he/she has the time.

They have a strong sense of community and enjoy giving back both locally and globally, by both monetary means and volunteered time. Environmentally conscious lifestyles and products appeal to this demographic.

Women’s fashions and home – Special day to evening one of a kind pieces- modern separates- Seamless fusion of Indian and western design in contemporary separate pieces like silk dresses, organic cotton tee-shirts, jackets, scarves. Unique cushions covers, handbags and other gift items.

Start up with a few SKUs on the website to see what will resonate with the target customer.

Men’s fashions – Travel savvy clothing with a modern, Indian inspired twist. Silk woven shirts, organic cotton graphic tees shirts, cufflinks.

Children’s fashions – Fun, colorful modern graphics on organic cotton tee-shirts, silk dresses, and silk shirts for girls and boys.

Our website launch is scheduled for Sept 30th for Fall/Holiday 08 season. I would like to have an exhibition cum trunk sale in the Boston area during the month of Oct. There are a lot of Indian and American holidays in the months of Oct, Nov and Dec. I am really focusing on the website launch right now, as we have less than a month to go.

Tell us a bit more about the NGO's you are working with and the partnership

One NGO I am working with, they have signed with us is India based. They are- www.Chintan.org. This NGO is doing some wonderful work in Delhi and other major metros in India working with and educating the rag-pickers and creating products that can be used by reusing or recycling the waste. www.shubrah.com will be selling some of their products exclusively in the USA. I am also speaking with another NGO, but as we have not signed an agreement yet, it is still in the planning stages.

When is your launch and what is the best way to get in touch with you?

The website launch is scheduled for Sept 30th, 2008. Please check it out and give us your feedback. If you wish to be on our mailing list, please send an e-mail to shubhra@shubhradesigns.com before the website is launched and we will send you fashionably responsible e-newsletters!

Shubhra Bhattacharya Chandra currently resides in Lexington, Massachusetts, USA.  She can be reached at Shubhra@shubhradesign.com

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