Dashier: Transforming the Boutique Industry with Comprehensive Fashion Tech Solutions

In India, tailor boutiques have long been a staple in neighborhoods, catering to the tailoring and stitching needs of individuals, from clothing alterations to custom apparel. However, many of these tailoring and boutique services remain unorganized and rely entirely on manual management. In today's digitally-driven retail fashion landscape, where e-commerce and Instagram shopping have gained strong footholds, there is a growing interest in custom-made clothing. This demand is driven by a desire to stand out and has been further popularized through designer collaborations and the influence of social media.

Recognizing this shift in consumer preferences, four individuals—Soumya Mohanty, Krishna Mohan Chebrolu, Birendra Sahoo, and Neha Nagendra—realized that the tailoring and boutique industry had yet to embrace technology or digital solutions to streamline their operations. They observed that the entire process of stitching and tailoring was still managed manually, leading to subpar customer service experiences. In response to this gap in the market, they co-founded Dachier in 2021.

Dachier, based in Bengaluru, aims to offer consumers the ability to access customized apparel digitally at affordable prices while providing a platform for skilled tailors to connect with the right customers. The startup offers a marketplace that brings together boutiques, tailors, and fashion designers. Its services include personalized styling, alteration and repair services, tailor-at-home visits, and measurement services. Dachier's goal is to transform these tasks, provide tools to streamline day-to-day operations, facilitate better communication with customers, assist in decision-making, and expand reach.

To kickstart the venture, the founders initially invested Rs 20 lakh from their personal savings to bootstrap the startup. Dachier operates as a B2B2C startup with its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform called "STITCHAT." This platform connects various stakeholders in the fashion industry, such as dressmakers, manufacturing units, fabric units, and fashion accessory units. STITCHAT serves as a one-stop shop, enabling these stakeholders to easily offer their services within the ecosystem. Dachier also provides additional services, including waste management, social media management, and Fashion Designers as a Service (FDaaS), while offering insights into the latest fashion and fabric trends. The company plans to introduce Business Intelligence and Data Analytics services in the near future.

Dachier currently has over 500 merchants onboarded on its platform, ranging from small alteration shops to boutiques. The startup aims to onboard 10,000 merchants by the end of 2024. While Dachier's services are currently free, it plans to adopt a freemium model in the next quarter, with revenue streams including subscriptions, listing fees (both general and premium), and B2B sales commissions.

The STITCHAT app, which caters to various stakeholders in the fashion industry, has already garnered more than 700 downloads on the Google Play Store and boasts a 5-star rating. Approximately 10% of its users are active on a daily basis, and an iOS version of the app is set to launch in the second quarter of the year. Dachier also has plans to develop an app for customers, which will be launched soon.

Looking ahead, Dachier aims to onboard more than 25,000 partners within the next three years and expand its user base by partnering with apparel brands and manufacturing units. The startup currently operates in Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar but plans to expand its presence to cities such as Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad by the end of the year. Dachier faces competition from players like Cloud Tailor, Fashinza, Just Dial, Sulekha, OLX, and Binks. Unlike some competitors, Dachier offers a comprehensive range of services tailored to the needs of both merchants and customers, with the goal of providing end-to-end solutions.

The global tailoring and alteration services market is on the rise, and Dachier secured Rs 45 lakh in funding from angel investors in February 2023. The startup plans to raise additional capital to support business expansion, product development, and marketing efforts. It also has ambitions to enter the retail clothing business and simplify the supply chain using advanced digital tools, with a focus on targeting schools, colleges, academies, and other institutions. Dachier envisions launching new verticals in the near future, including a Fashion Designing Academy, e-learning solutions, and its own fashion label.