Dope was an original graphic artwork based, T-shirt and streetwear brand from the house of Advanced Clothing Concepts. It launched in 2009 and was closed in 2012 as the design firm chose to focus on its other custom-design based brands for institutions. I joined their design team in November 2009 and continued to work with the firm until 2014.
This is a sample of the blog I had created for Dope called, "Are you dope enough" / "The Inside Dope"
This is a sample of the blog I had created for Dope called, "Are you dope enough" / "The Inside Dope"
Our defiantly fashionable new store screams of freedom, rebellion and attitude. Everything a few of you have been doing a little too silently. The Dope line of clothing has a signature gritty look that is a fusion of artwork by local artists based on contemporary Indian icons, social issues and revolutionaries with a crazy-ass international quality and appeal to it that leaves you wondering about how uber-expensive it ought to be. Dope has an exclusive variety of T-shirts, shirts, trousers, skirts and etc., for men and women respectively with sculpted styling, expert construction and remarkable wash details and designs. Rugged, gritty, dirty even...proudly so.
Dope maybe, probably, might be for you, for him or for her but it’s definitely not for everyone. These clothes are for the young and restless urban crowd - in body or at heart. As Mr.Senthil, MD of Advanced Clothing Concepts that designs and runs Dope, says “Dope is for those with a very open mind, for those who are not afraid to show it; it relies on our own art and culture that is true and real and is therefore the best way to express ourselves, because in this world, we ARE what we wear”.
Spawned by Modern Rock culture and its various sub-genres, Dope (which is not just your average negative noun, but also an adjective that describes something that is extremely cool) was unleashed on Coimbatore last week, by actors Surya and Karthi at a wild opening bash that saw huge crowds. Surya who loved the unique and unusual prints was heard quipping “Ithu namma culture da!”. He and his brother have been raving about the well thought out unusual designs back home in Chennai as well.
Senthil and Venkat his partner at Southhood Ventures, were tired of seeing fashionable clothes with western designs manufactured in India that were all exported and sold abroad but coveted and aped by Indians here, there and everywhere. They wanted to produce and sell up market, trendy fashion that was not only made in India, but designed and sold in India as well. *Lots of entrepreneurial patriotism here eh, haw!* They traveled around Tamil Nadu handpicking a dedicated team of amazingly passionate traditional artists, graphic designers and young and upcoming fashion designers who were given a free reign with their creativity. Two years of unrestrained, avant-garde designing mayhem has culminated in the bold and refreshing declarations of the self that are seen on their racks today.
Never dull, never the same, constantly reinventing - Dope promises to be a reckoning force in youth culture and fashion, the question is are you D O P E enough?
Dope maybe, probably, might be for you, for him or for her but it’s definitely not for everyone. These clothes are for the young and restless urban crowd - in body or at heart. As Mr.Senthil, MD of Advanced Clothing Concepts that designs and runs Dope, says “Dope is for those with a very open mind, for those who are not afraid to show it; it relies on our own art and culture that is true and real and is therefore the best way to express ourselves, because in this world, we ARE what we wear”.
Spawned by Modern Rock culture and its various sub-genres, Dope (which is not just your average negative noun, but also an adjective that describes something that is extremely cool) was unleashed on Coimbatore last week, by actors Surya and Karthi at a wild opening bash that saw huge crowds. Surya who loved the unique and unusual prints was heard quipping “Ithu namma culture da!”. He and his brother have been raving about the well thought out unusual designs back home in Chennai as well.
Senthil and Venkat his partner at Southhood Ventures, were tired of seeing fashionable clothes with western designs manufactured in India that were all exported and sold abroad but coveted and aped by Indians here, there and everywhere. They wanted to produce and sell up market, trendy fashion that was not only made in India, but designed and sold in India as well. *Lots of entrepreneurial patriotism here eh, haw!* They traveled around Tamil Nadu handpicking a dedicated team of amazingly passionate traditional artists, graphic designers and young and upcoming fashion designers who were given a free reign with their creativity. Two years of unrestrained, avant-garde designing mayhem has culminated in the bold and refreshing declarations of the self that are seen on their racks today.
Never dull, never the same, constantly reinventing - Dope promises to be a reckoning force in youth culture and fashion, the question is are you D O P E enough?
