Founder of Peace of Rock. (Left to right) Pallavi Singh, Anirudh Ravichander, Dwarkesh Vikram and Selvi Thangarajah
Anirudh Ravichander
In Kulithalai, an ordinary municipality in Tamil Nadu, a young man feels like a rockstar when he walks around in an oversized T-shirt that reads: I am a limited edition. And that’s the idea behind Piece of Rock, a clothing label conceived and co-founded by musician Anirudh Ravichander with his friends Dwarkesh Vikram, Pallavi Singh and Selvi Thangarajah. “We wanted to create a brand that would make every child and adult, wherever they are, feel like a rockstar, even if they are doing something routine,” says Dwarkesh. Ani’s nickname is Rockstar Anirudh. And when he wants you to believe you’re a rockstar, that’s a powerful message.
Since its launch in India in July this year, the label has sold 2,500 pieces, of which 90% of sales are from the South. And this includes not only Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, but also smaller towns like Kurnool, Krishnagiri and cities like Gobichettipalayam. It’s interesting to see that the oversized trend – which is a global street trend – is being adopted there.
The unisex t-shirts also feature phrases like ‘badass’ and are available in blue, black, white, red and grey. The logo is meant to depict two fingers holding a piece of rock. “No two rocks are alike. This is our way of saying that every person is unique. You are a piece of rock, you are unbreakable,” says Dwarkesh, adding that the team wanted a clothing brand in India that supported the values of individuality, uniqueness and self-expression.
The brand made its first appearance in London during Anirudh’s Spades World Tour in April. The 34-year-old singer-composer was wearing an oversized black T-shirt with Hukum written on it. It soon became a staple at his other concerts in Australia, the US and Canada – styled with jackets and other paraphernalia. And as the brand carried the concert merchandise from one city to another, Anirudh’s fans were also seen wearing these T-shirts. “We sold 6,400 Hukum T-shirts worldwide,” says Dwarkesh.
The brand has created these tees especially for the Hukum Tour. Initially, they did not intend to sell these in India. But considering the demand, Hukum T-shirt will be launched here this Diwali. It will be a limited edition and will be on sale between October 20 and 31. And as a little gift, the team has planned combos and offers for the festival.
While the first drop consisted of minimalist aesthetics, the plan for Christmas is to move towards more adventurous designs. Functions include joggers, office casuals, cargo, shirts, hoodies, overalls, crop tops for women and tank tops for men. Plans are also underway to add accessories such as hats and sunglasses.
The production unit of Peace of Rock is in Tirupur. “The fabric is made from 240 GSM 100% premium French terry cotton. “There are other technical processes like silicone washing to soften the fabric and ensure that it falls well,” explains Dwarkesh. The Piece of Rock limited edition follows the drop model. Each design is produced in small batches and once sold out, they are never restocked. “We don’t even want to have 25 designs at one time. The fast fashion category is not something we want to be a part of. We want to be cautious and move slow,” says Dwarkesh.
The T-shirt costs ₹1,200. Available at pieceofrock.com
published – October 16, 2024 12:44 PM IST
