Buttoned Up

Geoff Argue's entrepreneurial — and sartorial — dreams were trapped inside a sweater for years.

Argue worked his way up in the women's fashion industry, first in New York City gigs with brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ann Taylor and Coldwater Creek. In 2010, Argue was recruited for a job at Fort Myers-based women's retailer Chico's FAS. He ran women's knits with Chico's, one of the largest departments in the $2.47 billion company.

“I had the standard corporate life, but I always wanted to have my own brand,” Argue says. “I understood I needed to check off a lot of boxes first.”

About 18 months ago Argue, boxes checked, ditched the sweater for a shirt — a modernly designed men's dress shirt.

Along with Tom Severini, a friend from Parsons School of Design in New York, Argue launched a company, Batch. The mission is to make and sell men's shirts with some style and panache in small batches, usually no more than 20 at a time. The model, say the founders, is akin to the booming craft beer movement, where consumers are shifting from big brands like Budweiser to brews made with purpose. Argue and Severini, both 37, believe men care more about how they look, for work and play, than the mass market would have you believe.

“There is a new rise coming in menswear, and we want to be part of that wave,” says Argue. “We want to bring design back to men's fashion that doesn't exist right now.”

Argue and Severini launched Batch in August 2015.

The first move was to find and hire expert tailors in India. Batch pays its tailors per shirt. The company got started by buying its high-end fabric and labels first, in bulk.

The tailors manufacture the shirts, in mercerized cotton, in four lines: business casual, casual, dress and utility. The shirts contrast off-the-rack men's shirts, which Argue contends is a key selling point. The Batch difference includes durable mother-of-pearl buttons instead of more traditional plastic; reinforced elbow patches; and extra-soft interlines in the collars and cuffs.

The aesthetic of Batch's shirts has shifted in the past year, from coastal and sunny to the more modern and contemporary look. “The shirts have proven a way for men to show their personality without wearing a tie,” says Argue in a blog post about the design.

The company's shirts, adds Severini, are an answer to the fast-fashion craze that is commoditizing the industry. Batch shirts are only sold online at batchmens.com. There are no brick-and-mortar stores and Batch bans Amazon. “Amazon carries a certain stigma about competitive bidding and cheap prices that we do not want associated with the brand,” Argue says in an email.

The shirts cost between $70 and $100, and could rise to the mid-$100s as the firm adds more specialty products.

That price point, on the high end, represents the manufacturing process, which takes up to five hours per shirt. (A standard mass-market men's dress shirt can be made in 15 minutes.) The price is kept down, says Argue, because the company's independence allows it to eliminate the many levels of middlemen that can clog up the fashion supply chain.

The founders declined to disclose revenue, only to say they are growing and are almost profitable. The company is self-funded.

'Getting better'

Argue and Severini say that price-point is secondary to their main goal: making awesome shirts. “If it can't be world class we will shut it down,” Argue says. “If we can't design something that will knock your socks off, we won't do it.”

While millennials are a good, and obvious, test market, Argue says the shirts appeal to any age group. “Our shirts are stunning and getting better every day,” he says.

Beyond design, core business challenges linger. Those include responding to competitors, online and in stores, and marketing what makes Batch stand out in a crowded field. “We need to figure out how we can stay smart, nimble and fast,” says Argue. “That's how you win in fashion.”

The Batch founders are also dealing with a common entrepreneurial conundrum: deciding what opportunities to go after with gusto, and which ones to table. The company is considering a line of pants, for example, in the same approach as shirts. Says Argue: “We know we have to pick a lane.”

The Business Observer asked several fashion industry entrepreneurs in the region, people with experience in the places Batch wants to reach, to asses the company's plans and strategy. Here are their responses:

Lorna Nagler, retired retail executive

Nagler spent nearly four decades in retail before she retired in 2015. Her most recent leadership post was with Bradenton-based Beall's, where she was president of the department store division for five years. Other brands Nagler ran include Christopher & Banks and Lane Bryant. Nagler is on the board of ULTA Beauty, a $4.8 billion cosmetics and beauty products chain.

“I think they are on the right track. People want handcrafted. They want that Tito's Vodka. They want something they can't find everywhere else every day.

“I also like the small (manufacturing) run. They are trying to redesign what a shirt is today, and that's good.

“The challenge is, how do you get the word out? That will be the toughest thing. They will have to do a lot of word-of-mouth. They will have to be really great at social media.

“Also, the price point, around $80, is good ... but at that price point you have to have a great story and be able to back it up.”

Been there

The Business Observer asked several fashion industry entrepreneurs in the region, people with experience in the places Batch wants to reach, to asses the company's plans and strategy. Here are their responses:

Cami Beth, Camilyn Beth
Beth launched her contemporary women's wear brand in 2012, when she was invited to 16 weddings in one year. She decided to design her own dresses for each wedding, which led to her own business, starting with a bridesmaid collection for fall-winter 2014. Beth designs the dresses from her Sarasota studio.

“The fashion industry is extremely competitive. The challenge is to constantly keep the brand growing while being different from what is already out there and to be true to the brand mission. Finding the niche and staying true to what sets the company apart from the competition is key. 

“Design wise, I feel like they mastered classic menswear with a masculine detail. The craftsmanship looks impeccable and I love the details like contrast piping. To top it off, the price is fantastic for the unique design and high quality. The Batch Men's website is stunning. The site paints a picture of the lifestyle that the line portrays. Selling direct to the consumer will increase margins and they will benefit from direct feedback from customers.

“While growing your business, it's important not only to work IN your business, but also ON your business. Stay focused on your end goals and don't lose sight of why you started. Breaking into the fashion industry is an exciting journey and it's important to enjoy the ride!”

Jonathan Boos, Würkin Stiffs

Boos invented Power Stays, a magnetic collar that keeps shirt collars down. Boos, in more than a decade, has gone from selling out of the trunk of his car to a multimillion-dollar company with national accounts and major department store shelf space. Based in Sarasota, Boos' “Shark Tank” appearance in 2011 is one of its most viewed segments.

“Difficultly level: High, in my opinion.

“The shirt business is a very competitive space to play in. There are many startup brands going direct-to-consumer and hoping to be successful. At the end of the day, what makes you different? The ones that stand out are hyperfocused on what they do. For instance, UNTUCKit. They cater to men who like shirts that are designed to be worn untucked. Staying focused (almost to a fault) will help separate Batch from competitors.

“In my opinion, at the end of it all ... it's fit and fabric that makes the final difference. How does it look and feel on my body? That will be the ultimate difference if you have return visitors, or just returns.

“Being a new brand to market, I'd suggest the home page be more about what makes them different! I want to know about the brand immediately ...You've got to grab your customer's attention quickly...

“I've learned you have to stay consistent and persistent with your message. The length of time in business, telling your story over and over, might seem mundane to you. However, people are seeing you for the very first time, even many years later.