For the project, I had to do the product development and design of a new range of formal shirts giving my inputs for the brand Purple Club, for Spring-Summer 2007.

After market survey, data collection and analysis, I understood what consumers of formal shirts as well as customers of Purple Club shirts wanted. This translated to more styling in shirts and subtle detailing. Although a shirt as a garment seems very simple with two sleeves, front, back, one collar, two cuffs and few buttons, it was a challenge for me to work upon it. Somebody once said, “A shirt is a shirt is a shirt, so why pay so much for it?” But that person, in all likelihood, did not understand the complex processes involved in the making of it. A few areas which I figured out after brain storming where I could innovate in the styling of shirts were collar tips, stitches, collar shapes, cuff shapes, buttons, cufflinks, plackets, fit, collar stand, and cuff placket.

In these five months, I was exposed to the working culture of the corporate brand of apparel. Since I worked on specific projects for the client catering to industrial demands, the project helped me to step out of student life into the professional world ready to face new challenges with zeal. It was wonderful that the organisation gave me the responsibility to work on the whole collection of formal shirts for Purple Club.