The brand created by an enterprising founder Mr Arjan Daswani, is the first and the last destination for the rich and famous. Celebrities from across the world, when in Mumbai, never miss to visit its single store at Wodehouse Road, spread over four floors with an area of 10,000 sq.ft. The brand is created out of pure love, and great passion, open 365 days a year.
At any given point the store offers 25,000 unique shirts. All available under one roof and now also on a single website – www.charaghdin.com.
The CD logo has come to mean sophistication, good taste and a very special identity for years now. Charagh Din, the last word in style as well as craftsmanship, counts in its list of eminent customers even the legendary late Ram Jethmalani and Farooq Abdullah.
Director, Charagh Din
What drives you?
My family, particularly my kids.
I am also driven by a passion to give every customer the best in terms of quality, service and personal touch.
How you make a balance between your various passions?
I am clear about my priorities and disciplined in my routine which allows me to make time for the people and things I enjoy doing outside of work. I strongly believe you can find time for everything if you are disciplined in your approach to your day.
What is your routine like?
I work long hours; the nature of retail is such that when people are on holiday that’s when you work the hardest. Pre-Corona when schools were open, I made it a point to drop my kids to school every day. I exercise every day. I’ve been playing basketball since I was 14 years old. I’m usually the last one to arrive at a dinner party, but we have close friends who continue to tolerate us, no doubt because my wife is great company!
Your defining moments?
I have had two defining moments over the last 20 years; the first was when my grandfather who founded our brand passed away. For me that was the end of an era in some ways, and most of the values we imbibe as a brand come from him. He was not your ordinary business man, he had vision and my father furthered his vision. I try to live by that vision every day. Second defining moment was this global pandemic. It has cemented for me that the values that kept our brand thriving all these years continue to hold good.
Which of your personality traits has not been widely known?
I am very particular, especially when it comes to work. I am not afraid to be completely hands on to make sure the job is done right.
What are the secrets behind success story of Charagh Din?
The first word that we as a brand want to associate ourselves with is integrity. If we deal with all who cross our paths, from customers to vendors and suppliers to staff, with integrity, that is recipe for long term and sustained success. The fact that our brand has been able to sustain itself for 70 years is a true mark of success. I think there are 3 things that have contributed along the way: Never compromising on quality despite all the allure of discounting, fickle shopping, fast fashion and cheap clothing (We believe compromising on quality will never pay off); Not falling into the debt/growth trap, and local sustainable supply chains.
