They Know What Men Want!

At a time when brands embrace cultism in full force and especially cater to the ladies, Baroque is moving forward with classic yet avant-garde sensibilities, and a keen eye on men’s fashion. Launched in 2012 by Deviana Gupta and Sumalini Khullar, Baroque aims to provide every discerning customer with a bespoke leather bag that captures the essence of high living, but it focuses on providing men with bags that are just right for them and their special needs. However, the story does not end with bags for men. In fact, it begins there. The label combines unique finishes with the latest fashion trends, to create impeccable products for every occasion. From gym bags, laptop bags, briefcases and weekend bags to casual slings, iPad sleeves, travel kits, tie cases, garment bags, passport holders, jewellery boxes and work folders-Baroque offers all that it takes to suit an individual’s taste and preference. BLENDING FASHION AND FUNCTIONALITY The designer duo were inspired during their travels and journeys, where they learnt and experimented with materials, techniques and designs. This helped them define the pillars of their brand— simplicity, elegance in design, effectiveness of use, and adding fun to functionality. The label lays stress on the growing need for fashion to translate into smart functionality, through the day. Reminiscing about childhood inspiration, Deviana reveals, “My grandfather would use a lot of sturdy leather garment bags, with special pockets for cheque books and pens. They were beautifully crafted but we lost those over time. Taking a lesson from those, our intention is to help people carry their stuff in luxury but with utmost ease.”

Surely, designing for men in a very women-centric fashion industry like ours must have been a difficult decision. Telling us about what guided them there, Sumalini says, “We started off as a woman-centric brand, but slowly re-branded ourselves by catering to the growing segment of stylish men in our country.” She adds, “Women prefer handbags and mostly want us to ape existing designs while men are more into details so that allows us to chase perfection in every facet of design. For instance, they look carefully before deciding on the interiors of a briefcase, focusing more on utility,” says Sumalini. To ensure their bags nail what men really want, they take inspiration from their family and friends, and their needs. “After due diligence, we make products, which are a pleasure to use on a daily basis and are compact.” KEEPING IT REAL True to its vintage glam, Baroque believes in designing bags that are just right for men. and integrating their products with darker hues like olive green, navy blue and vintage brown, apart from the classic black. They elaborate, “Even though we have worked with bright coloured leather, most of our customers prefer leather in natural shades. We believe it is more organic, and we don’t favour overly finished leather. We also guide our customers through the process. Because some leather ages over time, some might change colour in due course, so we constantly brief them about the quality and usage. We create a dummy piece before we actually work on the original order, so the client can see their ideas taking shape.” BESPOKE CALL Every client is different so personality is one thing that changes with the bespoke process, which Baroque is adept at. “We receive a lot of requests from our customers for embossing quotes on to their favourite accessories, especially for gifting around the wedding season,” shares Sumalini. In addition to the bespoke segment, the boutique is also active in restoring old treasured trunks and bags. Sumalini says, “At any given point in time, we are more than happy to repair and preserve the product as clients have a sense of attachment to their creations. Sometimes we just polish it to retain the leather’s natural sheen.” HANDMADE WITH CARE Baroque maintains a high standard of quality checks right from the zips and the buckles, to the loops, straps and hardware. The leather is sourced from Chennai and other parts of the world, with each bag being weighed to evaluate its tenacity. The finishing touches are equally important, to ensure durability. “Since everything is handmade,” clarifies Deviana, “it ought to be immaculately finished. And this is what we lay emphasis on. At the end of the day, we do manage to give our customers the best of what Growth and expansion is every entrepreneur’s dream, but the duo shares that they want to stay in the niche multi-utility segment and do not intend to expand just for the sake of it. “We are in a happy space and would rather explore more opportunities within our territory by bringing out the best in this segment,” says Deviana. “For our new collection, we want to do something in the woven leather and fringe domain. We are also looking at going big on small accessories, like iPad cases and cravate-tie cases.” “Hard goods is another domain we aim to tap,” the duo says. “We like the fact that people who are particular about their products, come to us. We want to be known as a luxe multi-utility leather bag brand in India.”

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