Logic vs reality: When fashion brands sold basic T-shirts for Rs 1.5-60 lakh

The DHL T-Shirt was when logic died.

For the longest time the mind boggled at the ridiculous prices of some rather ordinary T-Shirts. A nice watch, suit or shoes commanded premium prices. We got that. These products required quality materials and craftsmanship, and were investments of a kind. But round neck or v-neck T-Shirts? Why should they cost an arm, leg and a round of botox treatment? Increasingly, though, T-Shirts costing Rs 25,000 and upwards were becoming common.

And then, in memorable 2016, when an overweight and underqualified man became the leader of the no longer free world, came the DHL T-Shirt. It was a simple yellow top with the logo of the courier company. You could have bought it on the road, and a few weeks later promoted it to the status of cleaning rag. Two hundred rupees would have been an apt price for the tshirt. But this is what it cost — Rs 20,000 approximately.


The T-Shirt was made by Vetements, a quirky French streetwear brand which often makes shapeless and unconventional clothes because their designer Demna Gvasalia believes, “I don’t think elegance is relevant.” (must admit it’s an interesting thought). The DHL T-Shirt came about because Gvasalia was having to deal with couriers all the time in his work.

“DHL seemed to be more a part of my life than anything else,” he said. And so he put them on a T-Shirt. The design took a life of its own, as often happens in a world driven by social media.

The strange popularity of the T-Shirt, therefore, cannot be blamed on Gvasalia. He could not have helped it if people liked it. But what about the price, described as “totally nuts” by Heige Rieder, who handled DHL’s branding in the 90s? That was certainly in Gvasalia’s hands. Especially for a man who thought elegance was no longer relevant. Asked about it by a British newspaper, Gvasalia replied “archly”, according to the interviewer. He pointed to a man wearing the T- Shirt and said, “Well, he likes it.”

Even Vetements seems sensible in comparison to some other fads and prices. New York’s Supreme draws serpentine queues for stuff you can buy on Janpath. This year the Japanese label Sacai launched a range with — go figure — The New York Times. The price for everyday wear like T-Shirts and hoodies was between $300-$400. Importance of truth was the message of the collection.

Then there are the luxury mainstream labels. A Gucci T-Shirt with a flaming cat can be yours for about Rs 1.6 lakh. And if that is beneath you, there is always the option of requesting Hermes for a reissue of their 2013 croc leather T-Shirt, the cost of which was about Rs 62 lakh. In the meantime, lesser mortals can try and make a fortune with a Vichare Couriers tee.