I have no idea how I arrived at the decision, but one fine day I set out to buy my first ever custom- made outfit, styled by The Perfect Fit. Rs. 20,000 for one look. Yes, I was actually doing this!

There were no such custom offerings in my own city Bangalore, and so I took to online shopping.

The Perfect Fit encourages online shopping for custom-made looks. Here’s what they say:

My Perfect Fit started when we got tired of wearing ill fitted outfits, generalised offerings and unmet aspirations. We were unhappy with the unfulfilled expectations of existing retail brands in menswear and non-existence of consultancy and personalised recommendations. We took a challenge to re- design the fashion, clothing and personal styling landscape to set new benchmarks of service and get you what’s best for you. Our focus is not only your fit, style and look, but also the image you project to the world. We help you to elevate your image to make your life more happening and full of success.

When I spoke to a stylist over the phone, I was probed more towards a studio visit. Instead of discouraging me as it was in another city, the perception of the brand only strengthened. It was Unique! Exactly what I need! My dream outfit come true! Feel good! Turning Heads! Sign me up…

I was hell bent on being styled by their stylist and went in for a studio visit. Now, is where the branding started to go South.

When I arrived at their studio, I was so excited to meet a stylist. I would finally know a look that would fit my confident, quirky personality and awkward body type.

As I was seated in the studio, a corporate-looking gentleman introduced himself as my stylist. It wasn’t exactly the fresh-faced, setting their own unique look and style kind of designer that I had imagined.

Nonetheless, this man had been trained by the fashionistas of the 21st century, I envisioned.

He sat me down and showed me designs from a book that contained about 100 designs. I was left to choose one. After selecting ‘the one’, I was unceremoniously measured by a regular tailor tape, and the numbers were scribbled on a notepad. In a flash, it was all done. A ‘custom-made’ look from a boutique store looked alot like visiting your nearest, local tailor.

The stylist, although knowledgeable about the designs in the book and the fitting, was not very interested in selling it to me. He could answer any question I had at the drop of hat, but failed to utilize that knowledge to pitch to my exact needs.

When the ‘custom-look’ I desired broke, so did my perception. I knew I would be leaving the store without a new anything.

The power of perception is immensely powerful, and what is a brand if not a perception? In reality, I may have looked the same in the capable hands of the corporate gentlemen or in those of a trendsetting stylist. However, my perception was extremely different. And I, like most people I know, buy on perception, not facts.

If you can consciously create the perception for consumers to harbour, branding is a piece of a cake. I have no idea how to create a custom look for even a friend, but I could think of a few ways The Perfect Fit could have created the ideal experience for me, by being more conscious of how the brand was being conveyed to the customer.

• If a potential new-looking customer, like me, comes to the store, sit her down and talk about what her custom look would be like. Revisit why, what your store offers is unique and important for customers like her. Talk about the brand in relation to her needs. The stylist needs to be passionate about designing her new look.
• Deliberately, ask her detailed questions about the look that would embellish her personality and physicality. And then sketch out a look, preferably in a way that's different from every other tailor shop in the city. Go all out if you need to and show her how committed you are, by showing how she’d look after the new look was designed through computer graphics.
• Talk about creating a custom look for different customers and show her other clients who walked away with a fresh wardrobe designed to match them.
• Tell her that the design you curate is one that no one has ever had before, making it completely distinct.
• When you do the measurements, ask her how she would want it to fit, rather than robotically noting down numbers.

When The Perfect Fit didn’t do any of the above, they broke the illusion that a consultation with a professional designer was necessary to having the best look. Essentially, they didn’t even need a better designer to convert me into a client, they needed a better brander.

There are so many nuances to brand strategy, brand identity and even brand designing today. If you’re looking for such tips and want an in-depth understanding of how to brand right, NeverTooSmallToBrand Bangalore, India has everything you need.

@nevertoosmalltoobrand