Ace cricketer Yuvraj Singh unveiled his premium fashion label YWC, with the aim of lending a helping hand to the NGO YouWeCan.

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak,” thus asserted Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle. And he could not have distilled better into words the essence of the struggle that patients of grave diseases like cancer go through in their daily lives.

One such fighter and survivor who emerged even stronger out of this scuffle with fate is the outstanding Indian cricketer of global renown, Yuvraj Singh. But Yuvraj’s experience amounted to much more than just a personal bout; it stirred him to take up this cause and make efforts to turn the tables on this debilitating disease that is wreaking havoc on millions across the world.

This led to the creation of the not-for-profit Yuvraj Singh Foundation (YSF), which through its initiative YouWeCan is here to endeavour that cancer is detected at an early stage, for one and all, and no one has to fight cancer alone.

Fashion for philanthropy

In a dazzling star-studded fashion show at the Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai on September 3, 2016, which displayed a heady mix of the world of sports and Bollywood; cricket icon Yuvraj Singh launched his premium fashion label – YWC.The high quality home-grown premium fashion label incorporates urban silhouettes, exuding a sporty style which is Yuvraj’s signature style statement.

Launched with two distinct product lines, the Gold Line and the Core Line, the range is as mesmerizing as it’s chic. The striking, Gold Line, features a meticulously designed and curated range by renowned fashion designers, Shantanu & Nikhil. The Core Line, in the meanwhile, has been conceptualized around the lifestyle of an active go-getter, and seamlessly integrates every day comfort and an athletic lifestyle with trendy fashion.

Walking the ‘gold carpet’ and ramp for the occasion were celebratednames from the sporting world like Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Sushil Kumar, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, PR Sreejesh, Sharmila Nicollet, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, and of course Yuvraj Singh among many others.

Living to inspire

This extension into fashion is a natural progression of Yuvraj’s philosophy of Live | Dare | Inspire.The proceeds from the sale of every product under this label will contribute to the YouWeCan NGO, with the long term objective being to make it self-sustainable to serve its cause.

Speaking on the occasion,Yuvraj Singh said, “Apart from being a creative dream, this new venture is an emotional one for me. It brings the satisfaction of doing something for a cause that is very close to my heart. While launching a clothing line felt like a natural step for the entrepreneurial bug in me; I always wanted to create something that is proudly ‘Made in India’ and offers international quality designer wear. A lot of research and hard work has gone into crafting this range that marks my debut into the fashion world. My ultimate vision is to see YWC outlive the name of Yuvraj Singh.”

“Shantanu & Nikhil who have intricately crafted the Gold collection under the YWC label understand my style, and helped to bring out the canvas of ideas to life. They add the subtlety and class to this collection which I am hopeful will be loved by all.” he added.

The Lifestyle category under this label is being taken care of by Suditi Industries Ltd, which will manufacture and design the lifestyle and fashion apparel line for men, women and children. Suditi Industries’ Chairperson, Pawan Agarwal said, “Premium celebrity merchandising is a big opportunity which is yet to be explored in India. Suditi is going to manufacture the line which will be retailed via a mix of online and offline formats.”

The YWC label will be available online on the YWC official website – www.ywcfashion.com and exclusively on www.myntra.com. The brand will debut offline with a flagship retail store by end of this year, and open shop in shop as well as franchised stores in key metro cities over the coming year.  The brand will finally roll out about 25 – 30 stores across cities including Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Goa, Raipur, Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Lucknow, Guwahati and Bangalore.