wxepitchmag

WESTxEAST
A CONSCIOUS DTC SOUTH ASIAN CLOTHING BRAND
THE PITCH / MARCH 2021


WESTxEAST PITCH | 2021


WESTxEAST | THE PITCH
CONTENTS
4
6
FOUNDERS’ BACKGROUND THE BEGINNING
THE PROBLEMS
8
12 OUR SOLUTION
16 THE MARKET
18
24 CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
WHERE WE ARE NOW 20 OUR PROCESS
26
30 WHERE WE ARE GOING
OUR BIGGEST PROJECT YET
WESTxEAST PITCH | 2021


NOTES FROM OUR CO-CREATORS
FOUNDERS’ BACKGROUND
TANIA KOTTOOR
I started my career in fashion by helping build the luxury label, AZEEZA, from the ground up. In this role, I prepared photoshoots, managed the showroom, and performed the research that helped AZEEZA break into the retail market. I was later selected to participate in Condé Nast’s Leadership Training Program. Now, I draw upon my professional experience while acting as the lead Design Consultant, Chief of Operations, and Internship Program Coordinator for WESTxEAST.
LIYA THACHIL
Fashion was a later-in-life love of mine. To me, the perfect outfit’s most powerful attribute is its ability to transform the wearer’s demeanor. As a former Design Assistant at both Gucci and Chanel, I’ve had the unique opportunity to style numerous marketing campaigns & collections, and develop close partnerships with specialized mills. Harnessing the skills I developed in these roles, I launched a private shopping service for South Asian clientele. Now, I apply my expertise in customer relations and production management by helping clients finalize the designs of their bespoke garments, and overseeing our production team in India.
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WESTxEAST PITCH | 2021


THE INCEPTION OF WESTxEAST
THE BEGINNING
WESTxEAST began as an answer to an urgent problem: Liya was getting married, and was suddenly tasked with sourcing outfits for her wedding party. She wanted her wedding to be authentic to her South Indian roots, which meant she needed everyone to be outfitted in accordance with her cultural tradition. So, utilizing their design skills and leveraging their relationships with production units in India, Tania and Liya produced custom outfits for each
of the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Liya’s vision was to create classic
traditional looks in a modern way, so
she designed black wool nehru suit
sets for the men, and black brocade
lehengas for the women, opting for box-pleated skirts that reflected more current trends. The end results were a perfect marriage of both sides of Liya’s dual identity. Through this initial project, WESTxEAST was born. The brand was founded to serve a need that was personal to the co-founders: for those who have cultural traditions that they want to continue celebrating, yet have no way of bringing their visions to life, WESTxEAST provides the way.
WESTxEAST provides a way for South Asian- Americans to maintain
WESTxEAST PITCH | 2021
their connections to their cultural roots.


For Liya & Tania’s first-ever WESTxEAST project, they designed custom pieces for each of Liya’s bridesmades and groomsmen.
Bridesmaids: Gold & black lehengas, styled with contemporary golden box-pleated skirts.
Groomsmen: All-black wool nehru suits, accented with gold breat pocket details.
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A LACK OF SUITABLE OPTIONS
THE PROBLEMS
TRAVELING TO SOUTH ASIA
DISTANCE
The average non-stop flight from NYC to Delhi, India is 18.5 hours each way, covering 7,000 miles.
TRAVEL COSTS
The average price of an international round- trip ranges from $1000-$3000, not including additional travel expenses.
TIME
Requires taking 2-3 weeks off of school and/or work. Loss of valuable productive time.
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A FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE
HIGH PRICES
Average prices are upwards of $13K for a designer bridal garment.
LACK OF IDENTICAL STYLES
Difficult to find larger quantities of ready-to- wear outfits.
LACK OF SIZE INCLUSIVITY
Most stores do not accomodate varying body types, such as plus-size and petite sizes.
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A LACK OF SUITABLE OPTIONS
THE PROBLEMS
UNRELIABLE ALTERNATIVES
ONLINE SOUTH ASIAN STORES
Online stores rarely deliver the product exactly as pictured, and they do not ensure timely delivery.
LOCAL BRICK-&-MORTAR BOUTIQUES
Physical stores provide unsatisfactorry cus- tomer service, and lack the presence of experienced design consultants.
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LOST CONNECTION TO OUR HERITAGE
MIGRATION
As a growing number of South Asians emi- grate to the U.S., their familiar ties in their home country decrease.
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Issues with fluency in the regional languages required for effective communication with tailors.
FALLING BEHIND ON TRENDS
Lack of familiarity with current South Asian fashion trends, and insufficient textile knowledge.
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NO TRAVEL REQUIRED
DISTANCE
Completely digitized process–the client can lounge on their couch while we create their outfits.
NO TRAVEL COSTS
Finished garments are delivered straight to the client’s doorstep.
SAVED TIME
Clients start the process with a quick, 20-min- ute virtual consultation.
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THE BENEFITS OF WESTXEAST
OUR SOLUTION
A SIMPLER SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
TRANSPARENT & ACCESSIBLE PRICES
Our price points are significantly lower than traditional stores.
CUSTOMIZABLE SERVICES
Clients can create multiple identical outfits, with a wide selection of fabrics & embellish- ments to choose from.
SIZE INCLUSIVITY
Every garment is made-to-measure, accomo- dating various body types and personal styles.
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A RELIABLE ALTERNATIVE
DIGITAL DESIGN PROCESS
A virtual shopping experience where each client’s unique vision is brought to life, just as they imagined.
A PROCESS FOR THE NEW-AGE CUSTOMER
In 10-20 years, we believe personalized fash- ion will be the norm, not just a niche.
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THE BENEFITS OF WESTXEAST
OUR SOLUTION
RECONNECTING TO OUR HERITAGE
FOUNDERS WITH EXPERTISE
Clients get one-on-one assistance from Design Consultants who have strong ties to the fashion & manufacturing industries.
MEDIATING THE COMMUNICATION
Communicating the clients’ needs with our production team to ensure the best results. We have fluent speakers on the ground.
KEEPING UP WITH THE TRENDS
Our founders are up-to-date on South Asian fashion trends, and they also possess exten- sive textile knowledge.
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OUR GLOBAL CUSTOMER BASE
THE MARKET
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OUR EVER-GROWING BRAND
WHERE WE ARE NOW
Through the years, Tania and Liya refined their Digital Design
Process, vastly grew their customer base, and expanded their production capabilities. However, this has only been the beginning of WESTxEAST’s story. In May 2021, the brand plans to launch a 4-month crowdfunding campaign with the hopes of establishing a permanent production office with a dedicated staff.
CUSTOMER GROWTH AS OF APRIL 2021
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TOTAL REVENUE TO DATE
890 UNITS PRODUCED & COUNTING...
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DESIGN TO CONCEPTION
OUR PROCESS
12
3 PHONE CONSULTATION
The client schedules a free call with one of our Design Consultants, where they begin sharing their vision and requirements with us.
PROFILE CREATION
After client signs their contract, a digital profile is created, including a preliminary Mood Board, 2D sketches, & images of swatches and trim options.
DIGIDESIGNWe e-mail tvirtual Designincludes sedyed fabric strim options select WESTxEAST PITCH | 2021


45
TAL BOOK
he client a Book, which veral hand- watches and for them to from.
VIRTUAL DESIGN MEETING
The client finalizes their outfits during a virtual meeting with our Design Consultant, and then signs off on a production sheet.
PRODUCTION & DELIVERY
The client receives regular updates as our production team handcrafts their garments. The finished outfits are shipped directly to their door.
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40 HANDMADE OUTFITS FOR TANIA’S WEDDING
A PREVIEW OF OUR CONSULTATION DESIGN
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PROCESS
PRODUCTION
DELIVERY & RESULTS
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OUR PAST CLIENTS
TESTIMONIALS
“The fabrics felt wonderful. They were clearly high qual- ity and well-tailored.”
–JUSTIN, GROOM
“WESTxEAST was able to customize for not only my preference, but also for each bridesmaid upon request.”
–JAMIE, BRIDE
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“The stiching and quality of fabric was top notch. I love that we can mix and match them accordingly.”
–NISHA, BLOGGER
“I loved how the dresses were customized for each bridesmaid’s size and pref- erences. They even made a matching hijab for me!”
–MALLAK, BRIDESMAID
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1 WEDDING, 4 EVENTS, 75 CUSTOM OUTFITS
OUR BIGGEST
PROJECT YET
In 2020, we had a full circle moment with Tania’s wedding in Antigua, Guatemala. We created 75 custom looks for several members of
the wedding party, including 6 handmade outfits for Tania. Tania meticulously curated each of her wedding events, with a theme & color palette, making sure to highlight the artisanal work of WESTxEAST in each of the bespoke designs she helped conceptualize.
Wedding day looks: We specially designed Tania’s gown, her husband Jacob’s suit, and each of the outfits worn by their wedding party.
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Moodboard: bridesmaid saree.
4 unique bridesmaid sarees (L to R): Onion Pink viscose satin; Bordeaux Red georgette; Lavender shimmering lycra; Mulberry Purple silk & georgette.
Liya’s
Tania’s reception dress: A silver knit base bedaz- zled in varying sizes of Swarovski crystal, which created a sparkling ombre effect as she danced.
M o o d b o a r d : Ta n i a ’ s silk reception dress.
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75 CUSTOM WESTxEAST OUTFITS FOR TANIA’S WEDDING
Tania’s first reception look: A mod- ern saree-gown, upcycled from the wedding saree worn by her mother decades earlier.
Welcome party looks: Tania wore a chartreuse fringed jumpsuit-saree, and Jacob wore a banarasi silk jacket with liquid gold zari motifs.
40 handmade looks for family members: Each bespoke garment was printed with wood-block gold foil palm leaf motifs.
Jacob’s Kurta: Hand-dyed cot- ton satin with gold buttons. Tania’s lehenga: Gold dori-work embroidery on red velvet base.
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Tania’s Henna Ceremony outfit:A pearl-drenched cape and corset lehenga. The seashell-like bod- ice was embroidered with rose gold dori-work and metallic zari threads. An expert pattern-maker and tailor spent 4 days to create the perfect silhouette for this unique mermaid-inspired ensemble.
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OUR VISION
WHERE WE ARE GOI 1) STREAMLINE THE DIGITAL DESIGN PROCESS
• Allow clients to customize their wardrobe using pre-set, mix-and-match templates.
• Use AI-based mobile tailoring for faster and more precise measurements.
2) SUPPORTGLOBAL SUST• Preserve Indian employing more ma• Use plant-based fatechniques, and recWESTxEAST PITCH | 2021


NG
SOCIAL & AINABILITY
craftsmanship by ster tradespeople.
brics, natural dying yclable packaging.
3) REVOLUTIONIZE VIRTUAL WARDROBE CREATION
• Design 3D augmented-reality-based renderings of clients’ outfits.
• Create a CGI social media influencer to represent and market our brand.
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A CONSCIOUS DTC SOUTH ASIAN CLOTHING BRAND
THE PITCH / MARCH 2021