100Hands

The spotlight on craftsmanship has become more of a focus as we turn our attentions to buying better and buying less – it signifies the mark of true quality.

Taking in the experience of a family heritage spanning more than 160 years from the deftly skilled factories of India, 100Hands is the brainchild of Akshat Jain and his wife Varvara, specialising in bespoke shirting and jackets with the ultimate in quality at its heart. 

To put into perspective that level of quality, it will on average take 16-40 hours to make one 100Hands shirt as opposed to the circa 22 minutes for a standard offer. This a mark of what what truly drives and shapes the brand. 

“Fundamentally, we are honest and know that what we are creating is right up there as some of the best in the world,” says Jain. “That is because we have an infrastructure and a business model that will not compromise our craft, regardless of the intricate hours and volumes required.”

Starting life in software engineering and then furthering his skill-set to study an NBA in finance, Jain opted for a career within investment banking as opposed to textiles initially, following the path of his businessman father and uncle.

“The textiles business is something that I have known since childhood, but I had always been good with calculations,” he says. “I had also had a long-standing dream to run my own business, so what has materialised has been a real combination of what I know.”

Understanding the yarns and fabrics business thoroughly, the initial model of creating the very best in bespoke shirting was not under an ‘own’ label, creating pieces for others via a team of the most exceptional tailors within the family atelier, forming the business platform for 100Hands.

In 2014, 100Hands became a reality and both Akshat and Varvara invested time and money in creating a state of the art factory back in India with their own headquarters based in Amsterdam.

“There is a scepticism about manufacturing in places such as India and China because of the high volumes that come from those territories,” adds Jain. “But this is the industry – high volumes at lower cost. However, there is also the very best in craftsmanship and knowledge that is perhaps overlooked, 100Hands is all about embracing and making that the feature of what we do.”

With an admiration for brands including Fray Italy and Kiton shirting, 100Hands takes the creative process and craftsmanship of making their shirts as seriously as can be imagined. “For us it takes 50 people to make the perfect bespoke shirt and therefore 100 hands from start to fruition,” adds Jain.

Having received standing ovations when presenting garments to industry insiders, through to being lauded for their understanding of the skill and detailing in shirt making, as well as having customers behind other luxury clothing labels, 100Hands now looks to spread the word further with an offering of both made-to-order and ready-to-wear garments and an ever-evolving collection.

For further information please visit www.100hands.nl