Come for the 'baithak', stay for the shopping

Fashion brands are hosting workshops, talks, music gigs and 'baithaks' to take a culture-first approach to customer loyalty

- Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran

Early November, homegrown sneaker label Gully Labs hosted its first international Gully Labs Baithak at an art gallery in Camden, London—far from the brand's flagship store in Delhi's Panchsheel Park.

What was meant to be a “community hangout with a small diaspora crowd” drew over 400 people—musicians, students, creators and sneaker lovers.

The London Baithak happened organically, say founders Arjun Singh and Animesh Mishra.

Ever since opening their flagship store in September, Gully Labs has been hosting their signature Baithak on a weekly or biweekly basis. Envisioned as a space to talk, share ideas, debate, sing along or just lounge around with coffee, the store has hosted a mix of free and ticketed events, including a concert by musician Darzi and an open mic called Jamghat with Kommune. For a young label still cementing its place as a serious sneaker maker, positioning itself as a cool culture curator helps it stand out. But it's not the only one taking this approach.

Late last month in Bengaluru, around 80 people gathered at Kaash, an atelier-gallery housed in a heritage bungalow in the neighbourhood of Langford Town, for an evening that blended fashion, art, music and food. Titled Bandha, it had singer Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy performing a medley of classical and folk tunes alongside the ongoing art show As Below So Above. The evening was hosted by RareFore, a cultural platform launched by Akshika Poddar, co-founder of Bengaluru-based fashion retail group, The House of Rare, which encompasses menswear, womenswear, kidswear and shoes.

RareFore, Poddar says, began as a way to give shape to her longstanding love for India's performing and visual arts. She acknowledges that it also brings the brand closer to customers. “You wear us through our labels, and now you can feel us through our events.”