Shopping for jeans can easily turn nightmarish — finding the right fit and wash being the least of your worries.
Little wonder then that the founders of city-based denim brand, Shrik, gave up their quest for the perfect pair, and decided to make their own back in 2017. The brand’s director, Mridulika Menon Madiraju, says they have always been inspired by travel.
“It all started because my husband wanted a comfortable pair for his frequent long-haul flights,” she explains.
Shades of denim
In the same vein, their latest collection of light denim pants for men, which will be launched this week at Chamiers, is reminiscent of a family trip to north-western Italy.
“We visited Manarola, one of the smaller Cinque Terre towns on the Mediterranean coast; there was plenty of pleasant sunshine,” recalls Madiraju, who also runs ethnic-wear store Samasta in Alwarpet.
But it was the visual of bright houses stacked on the rugged cliffs, with waves crashing on the coast, that the brand wanted to capture.
They approached the concept in terms of both colour and texture, taking off from the vividly-painted residences favoured by the local population: the palette includes forest green, mustard and Mediterranan blue.
“This collection is made of light twill cotton, designed for the summer traveller,” she says. And while they generally get the jeans tailored in Jakarta, this collection is made in India.
All about the base
The brand has always been focussed on adventure, says Madiraju, adding, “In the testing phase, our jeans were worn to go swimming in the ocean, and sampled by frequent travellers, doctors and sportsmen, among others.
We based our standard on the feedback they gave.” And what sets their material apart? “They’re made of cotton and have 2% elastane so it gives stretch and takes the shape of your body,” she explains.
So far, their styles have been named after the places they’ve been inspired by — the dark-hued Blue Mountain, black Komodo and light-washed Okhron. We wonder where they’ll go next?
Shrik’s Manarola jeans are priced upwards of ₹9,000 and will be available in Chamiers from March 23 and online on shrikjeans.com.
