On 22 September 2020, our website marked the 3rd anniversary of its launch.
First, we’d like to thank you all who continuously support MIRCHI KOMACHI and me, of course not only by buying clothes but by each warm interactions with us. Just because of you, I could keep running MIRCHI KOMACHI.
During September, our anniversary month, we asked question(s) on Instagram Stories every day and chatted with you people. It was exciting to know more about you and was so much fun every day. We also gave a tiny present to one person each week, as a token of our gratitude.
The people who support MIRCHI KOMACHI are intelligent and also pretty often very artistic. I admire our tiny but super-cool community, yet again.
Ah, and I’d like to clarify: when I write “I”, it means solely me = Yoshiko, and “we” means MIRCHI KOMACHI as a brand, even though most of the time the doer of “we” is only me.
MIRCHI KOMACHI On Its 3rd Year
To be very honest, MIRCHI KOMACHI in this last one year was not satisfactory at all. It feels like I didn’t realise the time passing while the brand didn’t grow at all.
For the half of these months, I stayed at home due to the lockdown. We didn’t make clothes, didn’t purchase/print fabrics. We were barely connected with society on social media.
FYI: the blog post I wrote during the lockdown is this.
Like India’s economy was already sinking before the pandemic, the sales of MIRCHI KOMACHI was also sinking before the pandemic, it was not doing any better than the year before.
I DON'T think it’s mainly because of the fall of India’s economy. I think it’s because MIRCHI KOMACHI is at the moment a brand which is not attractive enough for people to care a lot about or proactively support.
What I somehow concluded is like this: my daily routine has been formed, the products have fell in a rut, I (not “we” here) fell in a weird “comfort zone” and that’s reflecting the brand’s growth.
Being in the status of living on savings since the sales is far below the expenses, “comfort zone” is a ridiculous illusion for me, I know.
MIRCHI KOMACHI stall at The Lil Flea in December, 2019
MIRCHI KOMACHI On Its 4th Year, Post Pandemic
Now, more than ever, we need to create the contents (including clothes) which only MIRCHI KOMACHI and/or Yoshiko can make. Because it’s a business, it should also gain enthusiastic love from a certain number of people, though we should never target "everyone".
I am not a designer nor an artist who attracts people by the power of devastating contents. In this context, clothes.
The first reason for buying our clothes should be that one loves it as a clothes, without knowing anything about MIRCHI KOMACHI. But I feel, the second or third reason should be that one wants to wear our clothes because of the empathy for the society which the brand aims to achieve.
To create a community around the contents of MIRCHI KOMACHI with the people who frequently look to the similar direction, i.e. the kind of society we aim to achieve together. To create a community with whose proactive suggestions we proceed with some projects (about clothes, or projects other than clothes).
I think these are always important for a brand like MIRCHI KOMACHI.
Printing "Chipko Didi", one of our original block prints, November 2019
Then, what changes, how exactly?
Now I need to re-consider the meaning of running a “clothing brand” yet again.
Whole through the lockdown, I am thinking and overthinking while inputting things from people and the current society.
I know I’m way too bloody slow, but I still haven’t fixed our new way. That’s the main reason we’re not making new clothes.
Every single day, I’m reading and watching and listening various things, while wishing that all the inputs suddenly fit together and light the path for me/us one day very soon.
Yearly Updates To You “Concerned People”
This blog post only means as the record to show how MIRCHI KOMACHI and I are at after three years.
If you have read this till here, you’re surely one of our “concerned people” who’ve been witnessing our strides as a part of the force to push the early MIRCHI KOMACHI.
Please kindly stay there, supporting us warmly while giving feedback honestly.
And of course, please stay safe and take care. We really want to meet the beaming face of each one of you after this pandemic.
Thank you so much, once again.
Bonus Video
Haha can this be a “bonus”? Not really, I know, but we don't have many videos from our 3rd year since we didn’t do many activities.
This is a video made by The Lil Flea staff at their event on December 2019 in Bandra, Bombay (then they used the video for their Delhi Edition). You can see my awkward expression there.
Thank you very much, Sanju! You too take care, stay safe!
Superb blog, good to know more about you mirchi komachi. Stay safe tk 😊