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Home-grown style
The offerings from Artistic Aya, Hugh & Crye and Treasury are a sampling of the independent fashion finds available to local shoppers. To see more home- grown design, browse jewelry and clothing at these area boutiques:
Caramel 1603 U St. NW, 202-265-1930
Covet 5140 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, 703-247-9797
Ginger 7114 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-664-9242
Green & Blue 1350 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-223-6644
Hysteria 125 S. Fairfax St., Alexandria, 703-548-1615
Lettie Gooch 1517 U St. NW, 202-332-4242
Metamorphosis Wardrobe & Accessories 811 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring, 301-588-8901
Mia Gemma 933 F St. NW, 202-393-4367
Muléh 1831 14th St. NW, 202-667-3440
Nana 1528 U St. NW, 202-667-6955
Nido 1425 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-333-5445
Periwinkle 1557 Potomac Greens Dr., Alexandria, 703-519-5242 4150 Campbell Ave., Arlington, 703-379-5242
Poppy 3235 P St. NW, 202-290-1377
Redeem 1734 14th St. NW, 202-332-7447
Silk & Burlap 112 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 240-344-4173
Smash Records 2314 18th St. NW, 202-387-6274
Upstairs on 7th 555 12th St. NW, Lobby, 301-351-8308
“I wanted to grow a brand from
scratch and really do all these things I’d been advising other people on,” Vora says. “Ernest and I both had a hard time
finding shirts that fit without paying a large amount of money, especially shirts that were classically designed, not trendy. The dress shirt is a fundamental piece in a man’s wardrobe — it anchors everything else.” Vora and Chrappah examined the
measurements of 300 to 400 men, grouping first by height (short, average or tall) and then creating two catego- ries for body type (lean or broad). The result? A company with a democratic approach to fashion, one that aims to outfit the short and stout as well as the tall and thin. The duo formulated a business plan
just over a year ago, letting family and friends test samples of the shirts before officially launching the brand in De- cember. The shirts range from $85 to $115, and are sold exclusively through the Hugh & Crye Web site (www.
hughandcrye.com), which initially re- quired a username and password to enter. Vora believes that this “members only” approach built consumer confi- dence during the brand’s early days; the team opened the Web site to the masses in late July. “Initially, it was about keeping [the
Web site] controlled to a degree because we were garnering feedback about our brand and our product, and that meant we needed to know our constituency,” Vora says. “We have a closer relation- ship in that way, and we like that.” One of those registered users, con-
sultant Stephen Benedict, attended a Hugh & Crye event after reading about the brand on a local blog, and has since purchased four shirts. “Ultimately, it boils down to value versus price, and when it comes to fit, design and qual- ity, they’re hitting the mark on all those things,” says Benedict, 36. Vora has worked on the line full time
for the past year, living off his personal savings. Chrappah works part time on business development and vendor re- lationships while balancing a full-time job as a program analyst; Philip So- riano, who was hired part time in May
20 The WashingTon PosT Magazine | august 22, 2010
“
The dress shirt is a fundamental piece in a man’s wardrobe — it anchors everything else.”
to handle customer service and opera- tions, also works full time as a junior accountant at a school in the District. While the three are unpaid for now, Vora expects the company to break even this year and issue paychecks in 2011. Vora traveled to India in May,
where he met with textile companies in Mumbai and toured the Bangalore manufacturing plant that produces the shirts. At the plant, he discussed sketch- es, measurements and inspiration with the master patternmaker. Along the way, he posted updates to
Hugh & Crye’s Facebook and Twitter pages, trying to connect with custom- ers by inviting them into the day-to-day world of a small business. “Done with
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