Geek O Tee: The Business of Wearing Your Identity
People are increasingly gravitating towards customised shirts with unique prints. What happened to the generations that wanted clothes cut from the same cloth, or the family being dressed in identical attire? People started investing more in how they look, and fashion plays a pivotal role in that.
We’re all searching for something that validates our personality and highlights our individuality. One would think that in today’s digitised world, there wouldn’t be a lack of options for anyone, but a man browsed through shops, traversed the unfathomable depths of the internet, yet struggled to find a T-shirt that blended humour and his passion for UI/UX design
That simple desire turned into a brand, birthing Geek O Tee to provide something for all the misfits, the oddballs, or those with niche tastes. Their motto, ‘Wear your Passion with Pride,’ perfectly encapsulates this feeling. Founded by Mr Nirmalya Sanyal in 2022, their philosophy holds that apparel is a canvas on which a person should pour their passion.
Belongingness through Fashion
I’m sure we’ve all hopped between Instagram, Amazon, and other online platforms searching for something that fits our description. As an aspiring writer, I’ve always looked for something that portrays my passion for the craft. Rekhta has some cool T-shirts for those who adore Urdu, something I’m guilty of. Souled Store works for the quirky comic-obsessed geeks, but Geek O Tee has something for everyone.
Browsing through their website, the designs are simple, and the one that caught my eye was a Navy-Blue round neck T-shirt with the lines – ‘I’m a writer. Anything you say or do may be used in my story.’ I couldn’t help but smirk. After all, the pen is mightier than the sword, at least for us. What’s more, they have a collection of simple yet fun shirts for many professions, such as doctors, interior designers, journalists, developers, and more.
The role that fashion plays in the lives of consumers has changed over the years. According to a report by Bain & Company via Vogue, 82% consumers feel that their passions and self-interests should be reflected in the clothes they purchase. Building strong human connections is going to be one of the
When asked about their name, the founder playfully indulged. Geek is for the geeks, the people who are passionate about the things they do, whether it's their profession, hobby, or skill, and Tee is for T-Shirt. So, Geek O Tee literally means T-shirts for people passionate about their craft.
Struggles and Pivot in a Fashion Business
Mr Sanyal recounts how struggles were a huge part of the journey, as he looked for vendors offering quality products with reasonable margins and the piling debt. The ship has navigated these waters much better after the co-founder and CFO Joy Saha, along with Mr Sankhabrata Chowdhury (COO), joined the crew.
Their Chief Operating Officer, Mr Chowdhury, is the only one who has an MBA degree, previously working as a Category Manager in Flipkart and Bigbasket. Mr Saha holds an M.Com degree, whereas Mr Sanyal is a B Tech graduate who worked as a graphic designer in a Chennai-based startup for seven years. All of them come from different fields, but their love for fashion is what brought them together.
But struggles can teach you lessons better than most business degrees, so their tumultuous start helped them better understand profit and loss, cash flow, and the creation of stable systems. Today, they clock in a monthly revenue of 12-15 lacs while establishing a strong brand identity. They aim to establish an Exclusive Brand Outlet either in Pune or Bangalore in the next 1 – 1.5 years.
On this path, one of the biggest lessons they’ve learned is keeping your ear to the ground and listening to the grievances of your customers. They also advise a reality check about whether the product fits the market. Many people feel that they’ve created a spectacular product, but it's possible that the demand may not be present in the market, making the ability to pivot an important and immensely underrated skill.
In a world that is rife with competition, where culture wants to mould you according to its needs, people are continuously negotiating between individual identity and societal expectations. This suggests that quality and utility might still be important, but consumers are increasingly attracted towards emotional connection, storytelling, and cultural relevance.