Pleats Please and in a Curated Trunk in Your Living Room

After Benaras, the couple started visiting clusters in other states. As they researched, they realised that although there are zillions of sari brands, there is an audience to tap between the mass market and a designer label. So they divided their plan into two segments – online and personal shopping. For online, “we always wanted to make a very clean shopping website, where we keep adding the weaves of various states, as and when we explore. It’s more like a ‘sari library’ which aims to bring the exquisite weaves of India on one platform. All our products are directly sourced from the weavers and artisans of various clusters, across the country.”

The label is currently working with 30–35 weavers and craftsmen, who are the backbone of Five Point Five.

The initial investment of ₹2.5 million was self-funded and included the cost of research, stock, ties and alliances. The launch, says Nitin, was very simple and low-key. Digital is key and so they planned the social media and website launch simultaneously. “We got a great response and everyone loved the brand name, which is a direct representation of the usual length of a sari."

Nitin further elaborates on the two formats that they have arrived at. For personal shopping, Five Point Five came up with the concept of ‘sari-on-wheels’, where the premium collection is taken directly to homes. “A curated trunk of saris that comes to you is a collection of exclusive handwoven pieces that we have personally handpicked from the weavers, for those who love to drape and scream pleats please! These saris are one-off pieces, which are more like collectibles for sari lovers, just like a collection of paintings by artists. 

“Sari-on-wheels is definitely inspired from our first Benaras visit and the way we all have heard stories, how in the older times pheriwalas used to come home, where in case there was a wedding, all the ladies in the family used to gather at one place and shop from these merchants. Most of the prized possessions of saris that our parents or grandparents own today, have been mostly bought from these home-coming karigars. We want to bring the same experience back. You just have to book an appointment with us on our website, and you can easily shop from the comfort of your home.”

“This 5.5 metres of unstitched garment has come a long way, to what it symbolises today. From several techniques of making it, to the diverse ways of draping, it’s truly incredible. It is one such piece of clothing that can be worn anywhere – from work to a family gathering, or even for a party. And it certainly has no age barrier. You can never go wrong with a sari. With Five Point Five, we strive to promote the Indian textiles, handlooms and craftsmanship; that our karigars have been preserving for eons,” affirms Nitin. 

He goes to add: “There were around 32 lakh weddings in India between November-December last year. And we all have seen that the trend of saris will never fade. We are very confident of Five Point Five’s sari-on-wheels, where we personally go and show our premium collection to the customers, allowing them the ease of shopping from their home. We are optimistic on repeat sales, as the USP of our online range is design and quality. Once we get traction, we will ramp it up very fast. We expect to break even by March 2024.”

Looking back at a journey that is still on its first legs, Nitin admits it was “a difficult decision, especially when you have no business background. And when you are doing online selling, you are even more sceptical!”

It helped that both were in the business of fashion. While Radhika has been empowering her fashion knowledge by teaching research at the Pearl Academy, Nitin has worked on various handloom and textile projects with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) for the past 7 years.

Starting a business is not easy, he asserts, adding, especially when it comes to managing funds. Planning everything is very important. Some things that might look easy, can be very difficult to execute. In the end, everyone wants to build a good brand and obviously wants their product to sell. “We had an idea in mind, and without thinking much, we just planned and executed it. There are good days and bad days too, but eventually you will learn and move forward. At the moment, we are excited to build the brand and curate the Sari Library for our audience.

“Five Point Five was launched online with the audience wooed through social media. “It is a little slow at the moment, as it’s a new brand. With customers being fully educated on social media, it will take some time to build trust.

“We believe that whatever you do, it is a constant process of learning, unlearning and relearning. We don’t have a big plan in place for Five Point Five. We are taking each day as it comes. We just know that we have the right product, a sari. Every sari has a story, a sentiment attached to it. It often evokes a memory – maybe it’s your mother’s sari or has a nostalgic emotion of your aunt or grandmother. Saris are treasured heirlooms that are passed from generation to generation, sometimes as a part of the wedding trousseau or gifted within the family. And we believe that this iconic staple will always stay to be a part of every wardrobe.”