Van Heusen MYFIT Experience

Human beings are not robots. Surprisingly, Apparel companies dont often get it. Actually, they don’t get it. My hubby is 6’3″. Lean build. Weighs 80 kgs. Has a broad body, long arms and longer legs. :p

So, all the shopping he does for formal wear (He was an investment banker so he cannot afford to mess up on his clothes fittings) invariably ends up with buying shirt and trouser pieces from Babubhai Jagjivandas at Dadar and getting them stitched. Because no brand has a shirt size of 42 with an option of 1 inch extra sleeve length. It was a nightmare for me to find a shirt to gift him even during our courtship coz of the 42,44 confusion. All brands had some minor difference in sleeve length in 42 and 44. And while both were slightly loose when it came to overall fit especially 44, but the sleeve length could not be compromised at all :/

Enter Van Heusen MYFIT.

“What is MYFIT?

How often has it been that you have walked into an apparel store just to return empty handed because what you liked didn’t exactly fit you or wasn’t available in your size? How many times have you wished that you could alter just a bit of the design elements so that the garment truly reflects your own style?

Each one of us is unique – with different body types. Someone may have a paunch, someone may be shorter or someone may have a longer than usual arm length. For a long time, brands have treated consumers as a set of fixed fits and sizes. As a result, people who don’t fall within these specified sets of sizes and fits have to live with the compromise of not finding their perfect fitting garment. Even people with regular body type have to live with the compromises of things not fitting to their taste.

Van Heusen MYFIT changes all that. It’s an innovative solution that helps consumer break all these compromises and gives the power in their hands to find a garment that truly fits them – fits to their unique body or to their unique taste.”

He went to the store with a not-so-optimistic mood. I had to literally kick him out of the house. He came back with a happy grin. His size was “TALL FIT – 42” for shirts.

I then went on to the Trendin website, picked a smart blue line formal shirt and 2 pairs of trousers. Shirts in MYFIT have 7 step by step customization options starting with body type..and the main being sleeve length +1 inch and -1 inch. We went for +1 inch, that being the major problem usually coz of his height.

Coming to the trousers, it again has 5 customized steps starting again with the body type. Then comes the flat front or pleated option, followed by waist size. It has lots of options in waist size including the in-between odd sizes from 27 to 37 and then again the even ones from 38 to 50. And the last is trouser length, if you know the exact size which if you have visited the store or get it stitched previously you would, you get the exact including half an inch. And even if you don’t know the exact length, fret not, you can alter it at your nearest Van Heusen store anytime.

The order came about a week later. The package was from Madura Fashion & Lifestyle. Turns out these are the very same Madhura guys whose premium menswear was in great demand a generation back.

The store manager had also told him to come visit again after the order is delivered and he would be more than happy to do a few minor alterations.

Anyways, the shirt as well as the trouser fitted him perfectly. For a change :p

For starters, MYFIT works like this:

a) It doesn’t offer tailor made shirts and trousers.

b) They have just introduced some simple variations in standard sizes to make it easy for a lot of differently sized people to get good quality branded formal wear.

c) You go to a store. Try out various sizes. Zero in on the MYFIT size. Go online and order the same. Actually, MYFIT is so simple that if you are familiar with your measurements, you don’t even need to go to a physical store.

PS: Have a look at the fabric before buying (Actually, the store guys have an entire catalogue with them containing sample pieces of the cloth fabric that would give you a better idea).

Do you like this innovative idea of MYFIT?