Desi clothing firms put some masala in their tees

V. Radhika
When Manny Brar wrote a business plan for a high school project, little did he know it would lead to the birth of one of the foremost desi clothing companies in Canada. Desi Wear has grown from its humble beginnings in Brar’s parents’ Oakville basement in 1994 to a company that grosses more than $2.5 million a year.

Desi Wear also marked the beginning of a movement: clothing as a medium of expressing desi identity. And firms like Brown Man Clothing and Hun Dus subsequently picked up the desi thread, but are weaving their own stories. The apparel these companies produce reflects the sensibilities of second- and third-generation immigrants who are as comfortable with their heritage as the cultures that surround them. So the clothing is desi-inspired, but the styles are Western.

The stories of these companies also mirror the journey of young desis in Canada. The pride in desi identity that drove Brar, 31, to set up Desi Wear had become part of desi psyche by the turn of the century. In fact, desi had become cool, nudging its way into the mainstream. So the newer desi clothing companies opted to showcase other facets of South Asian culture. If Brown Man Clothing is edgy and provocative, then Hun Dus is influenced by hip hop. (Hun Dus is Punjabi for “Now what,” a popular hiphop refrain.) These companies set up shop on the Internet and now covet a presence in the retail market.

The success of desi clothing lines was far in the future when Brar began his research for a school project. It was the early ’90s and the desi persona was beginning to emerge. Desi rap and hip-hop artists were climbing mainstream music charts in the U.K., and bhangra and curry were becoming part of the popular lexicon.

Ripples of desi popularity were felt in Canada when Brar chose to prepare a business plan for a product that would let him express his cultural pride: a line of Western garments with Indian designs. He had a few T-shirts printed, partnered with his younger brother Jas and friend Suvir Malik, and Desi Wear was born. The apparel surfaced at family events and social dos, then desi melas.

Word spread, orders spiked and in five years, the Brars’ basement had been transformed into the Desi Wear factory. Jas Brar ran the business from home, while his brother and Malik marketed the line first at their universities (in Montreal and Hamilton, respectively) and then in New York City, where they worked as investment bankers.

It would have probably remained a local brand but for the Internet, which transformed a hobby into a serious business. “We realized the power of Internet when orders poured in without any advertising. Our first order came from San Diego and from places we did not even know Indians existed,” says Brar, who left investment banking in 2002 to helm Desi Wear full-time. The company now employs 15 people full-time, and designing, printing and embroidery is done at Desi Wear’s 10,000-square-foot headquarters in Oakville.

Desi Wear has expanded to include a kids’ line, maternity clothing, yoga wear and fitted apparel, in addition to its line of signature tees. Shops in Vancouver, Winnipeg, New York City and Norway carry the clothing.

Celebrities Gurinder Chadha, Deepa Mehta, Kal Penn and Nelly Furtado have worn Desi Wear, giving the brand prominence. “We have never sought out celebrities. They have bought our products because they liked them,” says Brar, with pride. “We are at a stage now where it (Desi Wear) has surpassed the novelty and trend factors. It is now a brand.”

While Desi Wear may be the lead in brand positioning and scale, others companies are elbowing in, with an eye on the niche market.

Hun Dus, based in Toronto, has wooed high school students and claims an almost cult following among youth aged 15 to 20. Their Tshirts and sweatshirts bear no slogans or symbols to suggest a desi connection, other than its signature phrase, Hun Dus. If you are unfamiliar with Punjabi, this may leave you guessing. Which is exactly what the company’s young owners want. “It makes you think, is it Swedish, gibberish or what?” says Amar B., 25, who started Hun Dus three years ago.

“The name is catchy, it is aggressive and it is also a repartee to those that say we won’t make it.” The name grew from a joke; Amar and friends would say “Hun dus?” in different situations, such as getting a parking ticket.

Now, the company plans to target a more conservative market of 25- to 30-year-old business executives, in addition to the bold young adults, with a fitted line and business wear. “We are doing very well with the younger group, but it is a limited market and we want to broaden our base,” says Amar’s business partner, Gurdev D., 22.

Amar and Gurdev count desi artists such as performer Preet Mani and London-based bhangra singer Juggy D, among fans of Hun Dus. Their shirts feature in a couple of music videos, too.

The youngsters steering this nascent company share an infectious optimism about its future. Their immediate priority? “To enable our website’s shopping cart,” says Amar. “We both have day jobs, so it gets tough. However, we are very serious and committed to it. We are streamlining all processes, and e-commerce as well as retail is our objective.”

When Faisal Tahseen, 33, isn’t working as a marketing executive, he’s busy with Brown Man Clothing. Brown Man is inclusive, Tahseen says, choosing to push the envelope with apparel bearing slogans that are edgy (“That’s not a kirpan in my pocket” and “Trust me, I’m an Imam”) and provocative (“Hijabis are hot”) instead of focusing on symbols of one faith or South Asian culture.

The objective, says Tahseen, “is to show that we (South Asians) are funky and creative.” Desi stand-up comics Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees and Vijai Nathan have bought apparel from the company, which is focusing exclusively on Web sales and appearances in melas.

While clothing remains the obvious focus, these entrepreneurs are also socially conscious. DESI, says Brar, is now an acronym for Do Everything to Stop Injustice. His company is engaging in fundraising efforts to help non-profit groups. Proceeds from the bhangra event Luv To Bhang in Mississauga on March 8 will benefit the South Asian Women’s Centre in Toronto. And Hun Dus launched a drive during Christmas for the food bank. “If we can use our social power to help the needy, why not?” says Amar.

Desi youth in Canada look at life differently, because they have not had the same struggles as their parents, says Monty Jain of Fair Apparel. They are, he says, concerned about the environment and societal good. Jain’s company, which sources its products directly from producers in developing countries, seeks to provide an alternative to consumers who believe in fair trade and ethical consumerism. Though the company targeted desi consumers at first, it soon began to tap the non-desi market.

And this is one aspect shared by all: by desis for desis, and everyone else.

V. Radhika is a freelance journalist based in Toronto. Email desilife@thestar.ca.