😮 Background

Hello. I am Saad and along with my partner Saad we know very little about the tailoring industry. Between us two we have got three suits tailored and 2 of those were 10 years ago. Both of us have mothers that are integrated in to the sub culture of tailoring, while both of us know very little about the subculture. So, in this paper we will try getting our hands on anything that has to do with tailoring. Interviews, group circles, conversations, audits, online analysis and participation. It is with the aid of these that we aim to get integrated into the subculture and hopefully walk out with a new hobby.

Perceptions and Beliefs

The process is quite simple, you just go to a darzi, tell them how you want a dress made and voila. They deliver it to you. I also generally don’t understand why women are more obsessed with intricacies of dresses when usually men are just content with simple shalwar kameez/kurta shalwars. As someone who’s only once in his life gotten a suit tailor made, I also don’t get how people spend thousands on perfectly fit suits.

— Saad Hasnain (circa. during mid-semester chaos)

🧵 Study Design

🎯 Target Stratas

For this analysis, we are using concepts from “Toward a Theory of Status Consumption in Less Industrialized Countries” as the socioeconomic culture makeup of Pakistan is similar to that of Turkey. Therefore, we divide our target stratas into two categories Consumers and Artisans which are further divided into categories as shown in figure.

https://whimsical.com/stratification-of-tailoring-subculture-in-pakistan-VgqrhuiCn7teAdCWo2Jybb

Consumers

1. High Economic Capital
   • LCCs (Lower Cultural Capital): This group, akin to the LCCs in the paper, might prefer high-status, visibly expensive tailoring services and products that are popular or endorsed by local celebrities or high society. Their choices are often guided by the desire to emulate the upper classes within their society, focusing on local rather than global fashion trends.
   • HCCs (High Cultural Capital): This category may include consumers who value both economic and cultural capital. They might prefer tailoring services that are not just expensive but also culturally refined, possibly blending global fashion trends with local aesthetics. This group could be more experimental, valuing unique designs and quality craftsmanship over mainstream popularity.
2. Low Economic Capital
   • This group might prioritize functionality and affordability in tailoring services. They may prefer local tailors who offer good value for money, and their choices might be more influenced by necessity rather than status or fashion trends.