Inside Fashion Vol.19 No.8

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Fashion Scope

Contents

Lakme Fashion Week to be held from February 12

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akme Fashion Week will be held in Mumbai from February 12 to 16, 2020. The fashion week will have a celebration of curated experiences and special events. This bi-annual show is celebrating its twentieth year. From 33 designers in 2000 to now featuring over 200 labels, Lakme Fashion Week has set trends and raised benchmarks in the beauty and fashion space. Designers, talent, hair and

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makeup artists, sponsors, showstoppers, all have played a role in making this platform what it is today. The summer/resort show is in the early months of the year, and the winter/festive show is in August. Run through a collaborative effort between cosmetic brand LakmĂŠ and IMG Reliance, which has made a name for itself in entertainment marketing and management, the fashion show was conceived to allow Indian fashion to gain a foothold in the global fashion

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VOL.19 No. 8

06 Fashion & lifestyle 08 INDIA ENTRY 10 Brand watch 14 Brand Retail 20 Collections 22 iNTERVIEW 23 cOVER STORY 26 If exclusive 38 If insight 45 Fashion Post 46 fASHION RETAIL 49 e-TAIL 52 pREVIEW/rEVIEW 58 Business news 59 Industry Bytes 60 media quotes

scene. With the new edition, the platform will take the tradition of presenting large-scale fashion showcases at interesting outdoor venues a notch higher, championing sustainability through path-breaking initiatives while further spreading messages of inclusivity and diversity.

The event’s Gen Next program has launched a number of prominent designers. Gen Next is an opportunity for young talent to be mentored by renowned Indian designers.

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Fashion & liFestyle Skechers plans 500 stores across India

Bottega Venta reopens in New Delhi

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uxury fashion and accessories brand Bottega Venta reopened its boutique inside luxury mall DLF Emporio in New Delhi on December 12, 2019, with a new interior design and pieces from the brand’s spring/ summer 2020 runway show.

The store’s new design features three dimensional Intrecciato motifs, light-hued wood, and warm, bright lighting.

The store relaunched with a selection of women’s wear and menswear as well as handbags, including the new wovenquilted signature bag from the brand’s spring/ summer 2020 collection, small leather goods, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, accessories, and fragrances.

Bottega Veneta first opened a store in New Delhi in 2008 and relocated it in 2010. In addition to its store in the capital, the brand also has two stores in Mumbai. Bottega Veneta was founded in 1966 in Vicenza, Italy, and the brand’s atelier is located within an 18th-century villa in Montebello Vicentino.

It is headquartered in Switzerland with offices in Vicenza and Milan. The brand is owned by Kering. Bottega Veneta has set a new standard for luxury. With its feminine aesthetic and signature intrecciato leather goods, the label is one of the most

Skechers India plans to set up 500 stores across India in the next few years. These stores will be set up in Tier II and III cities. The brand also plans to foray into athleisure wear this year.

Known as a global leader in footwear, Skechers has designed over 3,000 styles for men, women, and children. The brand was launched in India around 8 years ago and has

iconic fashion houses in the world and its pieces are made to become part of their owners’ lives, imbued with emotion accrued over time.

over 260 stores across the country now. It has beyond footwear and has introduced apparels and accessories in almost every category. The brand is currently present across major online portals in India. It recently launched its oen website for India which will make almost all its products available through-out retail channels.

Skechers also initiated the second edition of the Skechers Performance Mumbai Walkathon to educate people about the importance of walking and incorporating the idea of staying fit in their day-to-day activities.

The brand’s objective was to bring the city together to promote fitness as a culture only on by encouraging professional athletes but beginners as well. More than 6,500 people participated in the Walkathon and it helped us connect with our consumers on a deeper level.

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India Entry

Spanish brand comes to India

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panish fashion brand Desigual is coming to India.

It will first be available on Myntra and thereafter in outlets across the country. In the first phase six stores will be opened in metros, followed by stores in Tier II. The Desigual essence is characterised by its individuality and the unique character of its creations, which are always different and designed to authentically dress anyone who wants to be 100 per cent themselves and show their most creative side. The brand offers clothing for women, men, and children as well as a collection of unique accessories. The brand is Mediterranean, and this is where its inspiration comes from. The lifestyle is conveyed through its designs, stores and communication. The brand’s clothing exudes a character that is unique, which helps people express themselves and be the most authentic.

Desigual’s characteristic vibrant designs

come with a flamboyant splash of colors.

Desigual is being brought to India by Tablez. This retail group has introduced several leading global brands in F&B, toys, lifestyle, and apparel to India –– including Springfield, Build-A-Bear, GO Sport, and Yoyoso. In the F&B vertical, Tablez holds the India franchise rights for Cold Stone Creamery and Galito’s, in addition to successfully developing its home-grown brand, Bloomsbury’s. Tablez currently operates more than 70 outlets globally and plans to expand to 300 outlets by 2020.

Iconic Swiss brand De Sede starts operations De Sede has come to India. This is a brand from Switzerland that does leather handbags and accessories. Handbags use the finest leather and embody unique craftsmanship.

Accessories are produced from the same high quality, premium leather and enhanced with the same seaming techniques that have been handed down for generations. The precise connecting and decorative seams by De Sede are considered milestones in the seaming technique and are applied by hand on every piece. The design is rounded off with a stylish language that has been carefully planned down to the smallest detail.

Founded in 1965, De Sede is renowned for its handcrafted leather furniture. The de Sede name is synonymous with numerous iconic chair and sofa designs. The company’s DS600 sofa is the world’s longest. The brand is present in 69 countries including the United States and Russia, the GCC countries, and even emerging markets such as China and Brazil. It doesn’t have huge overheads or huge marketing departments and hardly makes any commercials, given the strong faith in word of mouth. Sophisticated designs that integrate traditional and precise Swiss workmanship have swiftly gained the brand an international reputation.

Lock Laces launched in India Lock Laces (USA), a shoe accessory company, that launches no-tie shoelaces, recently launched its operations in India. The brand offers an array of products these include specialised laces for runners, outdoor adventurers, obstacle course racers and officegoers as well.

Having expanded to over 50 countries globally, the brand has sold over 5 million pairs of shoelaces worldwide. It is one of the highest rated accessories under the sports and outdoor category on Amazon with over 29,000 positive reviews. The brand was launched online first through Amazon and Flipkart. This helped it to understand the needs and tastes of its consumers. It now plans to scale up its business in the offline channel as well through various footwear chains.

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Brand Watch

Puma opens experience center in Bengaluru

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uma has opened an experience center in Bengaluru. The store will offer customisation services, original Formula 1 simulators and an interactive screen to place orders. The experience center in Bengaluru is Puma’s second globally. The first is in the US. Puma currently has 365 stores in India and generates around 77 percent of its sales from its offline stores with the remaining 23 percent coming from online.The sportswear brand continues to remain bullish about the Indian market and will continue investing in offline expansion despite the slowdown. Its stores are growing at 30 per cent and the brand has had a strong growth compared

Moda Biella collaborates with OCM for India foray Moda Biella-an Italian luxury heritage fashion brand has collaborated with Indian textile manufacturer OCM to foray into the Indian market. The collaboration launched an

to last year.

Puma’s success comes against the backdrop of the athleisure trend that has gripped the sportswear market. While other companies flaunt performance and technology, Puma focuses on style that makes its products attractive to the casual dresser.Its global brand ambassadors include Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima and singer Selena Gomez. Globally there has been a huge momentum for the brand, which is making strong progress in the sports performance and sport style categories. India is expected to become one of Puma’s top five markets by 2020. The women’s segment is a key element of its strategy.

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Forever New to exploit Indian potential in the fashion segment

OCM is one of the India’s largest manufacturers and forays into the Indian market with the launch of Italy’s luxurious heritage fashion brand–Moda Biella. The company has a sprawling 37 acre complex that houses a new-age plant with an annual capacity of 8 million meters of fabric and an employee base of 1,900. OCM’s ownership lies with the promoters of the Donear Group.

Levi’s launches new campaign for the LGBTQIA+ community

array of fabrics in blends of cashmere, merino, silk and linen.

Moda Biella is a revered brand in Italy. Its fabrics are top notch-with superfine fibres to produce array of superfine cloths. With a lineup of finely designed fabrics, this brand will not only be deep-rooted to its heritage of making world class fabrics but also excel in technical innovation.

and their journeys.

Levi’s reported its highest sales growth since 2009 in the 2019 financial year with Rs 1,104 crore ($166 million) sales representing 25 per cent year-on-year growth. The brand’s women’s jeans segment experienced the highest growth rate.

Capitalising on its growth in India and pursuing further market penetration, Levi’s recently launched its ‘Proud to be More’ campaign in India with a short film to share LGBTQIA+ voices in India. The campaign speaks to a Gen Z audience and promotes the brand as diverse and inclusive.

According to Karen Riley Grant, VicePresident (Marketing) for Asia and MENA region, the #ProudToBeMore campaign is driven by the insight that an individual’s journey of discovering their gender, sexual orientation and preferences is a unique one.

It aims to celebrate those authentic individuals

Australian women’s fashion brand Forever New plans to expand its retail footprint in India, as it looks to cash in on the country’s growth potential in the fashion segment. It plans to add four more cities this year and add 10 more stores in next two years. It will focus on top Indian ten cities and grow the market there.

The brand recently opened its 45th exclusive brand outlet at Sarath City Capital Mall in Hyderabad. In October, it named actor Diana Penty as its brand ambassador to enhance its brand visibility in the Indian market. Founded in Melbourne, Australia, Forever New currently has over 250 stores in 12 countries. It has fortyfive exclusive brand outlets in India besides the concession stores. It is also available in Shoppers Stop, Iconic, Kapsons, and aims to expand further into concession stores.

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Brand Watch

ABFRL to expand into the ethnic wear market

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ditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) plans to expand operations in the ethnic wear market of India. The retailer, which recently acquired the Jaypore and Shantanu & Nikhil labels, is set to expand these two brands by adding stand-alone stores over the next few months.

Both brands are expected to help ABFRL expand its reach in the country’s growing ethnic wear market where it has a limited presence as it largely sells men’s and women’s formal wear through its existing brands. Its fashion departmental store chain Pantaloons, on the other hand, sells women’s ethnic wear but largely mass market brands.

The retailer will set up 5-8 more stores of Jaypore in the next t 6 to 12 months. The label will mark its entry into the premium ethnic side of the market. Besides, ABFRL will also launch an affordable range of clothing under the Shantanu & Nikhil brand.

The company is currently working with the brand to launch a prêt line which will be more accessible and scalable and can travel to many more markets. It will also have a wider distribution in offline markets.

Puma signs on Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri

quality. The Liva accredited partner forum has about 180 wet processors consisting mostly of woven and knitting, knit processing and woven processing. One-third is netting and two-thirds is woven. Liva promises the consumer a natural fluid and fashionable fabric which has passed through an accredited value chain for quality guarantee.

Jade founders launch new couture label

Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku, Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero, among others.

Puma has teamed up with the country’s best athletes to support their never-ending effort to become faster, stronger, and better every single day. From Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and boxing champion MC Mary Kom to ace sprinter Dutee Chand, the brand is fuelling the growing passion for sports across disciplines and has a commitment to the sporting ecosystem.

Now Liva saris making waves

Sunil Chhetri has been signed on by Puma as its new face. Puma is a global sports giant. Sunil Chhetri is captain of the Indian men’s football team. One of the greatest footballers India has ever seen, Chhetri plays as a striker for the national team and ISL side Bengaluru FC. A hero for both the club and the country, he is the most-capped player and also the all-time top goal scorer for the Indian team. Chhetri was conferred with the Arjuna award in 2011 and the Padma Shri in 2019 and has been named the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Player of the Year six times. Chhetri, who is the second-highest after Cristiano Ronaldo on the list of active international scorers in world football, joins the brand’s roster of global players like Antoine

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This new age fabric from the Aditya Birla Group lends fluidity to the garment. Liva has leveraged its attributes of drape, natural sheen and softness and wants consumers to re-imagine the sari in a new way. To better suit the needs of the value chain, Liva has also introduced new blends for both occasion wear and regular wear. Liva hopes to bring innovation into the sari as a category. Premium labels from different textile hubs in the country including Varanasi, Chanderi, Bhagalpur, Salem, Kolkata, Delhi and Surat have festive collections created with Liva.

The sari is an iconic category but its growth is sluggish as compared to other women’s wear segments. The sari market in India is worth Rs 60,000 crores and constitutes 29 per cent of the total women’s apparel market. Liva has been founded on the belief that sustainability and fashion can co-exist. The four-yearold brand has rocked the market through its innovative campaigns, strong value chain and

Jade co-founders Monica Shah and Karishma Swali have launched a new couture label, Monica & Karishma Couture, with a debut collection titled ‘La Muse Mystique.’

The La Muse Mystique collection is inspired by textile techniques from around the world.

It features opulent traditional wear garments with French knots, Japanese beads on Torani silk and Italian tulle as well as the Ek Taar technique where a single thread is used to construct pieces. Garments in this collection took up to 9,000 hours each to create and the designers’ aim was to focus on heritage pieces rather than current trends.

Monica Shah and Karishma Swali founded Jade in 2008 in Mumbai. The women’s wear brand specialises in traditional wear and retails a range of saris, lehengas, coats, and gowns from its flagship store in Mumbai.

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Brand Retail

Ikea to open three new stores in Mumbai

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wedish home furnishing retailer Ikea plans to open three new stores in Mumbai next year. The company will launch its flagship store in Navi Mumbai which is expected to generate employment opportunities for around 1,000 people.

Over the next three years, Ikea aims to reach around 100 million people in India through its flagship stores, small stores, and e-commerce. It also plans to focus on accessibility, affordability, and sustainability in India. Ikea entered the Indian market with the opening of its first store in Hyderabad last year. It plans to set up 25 stores in India

Bata plans store additions in five years

Bata will add 500 stores across India in the next five years mainly in Tier II, III and IV cities.

The footwear maker has a retail network in 450 towns. Digital channels will be used to increase the productivity of the stores and enhance satisfaction for customers. Besides, Bata is working hard to reconnect with the country’s millennials and has brands specifically for this group such as North Star, Bata Red Label, Marie Claire and Footin.

Bata will continue its growth journey in India with the multi-retail channel approach along with the e-commerce platform to reach out to as many customers as it can. The brand has the license for the manufacture and sale of several global brands as Hush Puppies

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by 2025.

The company also plans to expand its e-commerce business to cities like Bengaluru and Delhi after the successful launch of its e-commerce operations in Hyderabad and Mumbai. Its e-commerce channel for Mumbai and has garnered 2 million visits so far. The company has introduced 500 products for Indian market as localisation forms an important strategy in India. Another of its focus areas includes the 50-50 diversity agenda which ensures that 50 per cent of the employees recruited are women.

and Naturalizer. Besides, the company has introduced outdoor brand shoes from Caterpillar in its top selected outlets this season.

The footwear manufacturer and retailer has laid extensive emphasis on product innovation followed by a revised retail proposition in line with the global imagery and premiumization of the brand. Apart from marketing and sales initiatives driving the topline, cost-saving measures have yielded results in improving the bottom line and leveraging economies of scale. Innovative campaigns have helped sustain profitable growth across categories.

Anita Dongre forays into Chandigarh Leading designer Anita Dongre has forayed into the Chandigarh market with the opening of her first stand-alone designer store in the city. The store is located at the Elante Mall and will house a select collection of Anita Dongre’s ready to wear menswear, womenswear and silver jewellery. The menswear collection includes pocket squares, kurtas, bandis, and sherwanis while women’s wear will have foil lehengas, printed kaftans, and dresses.

Dongre expects strong sales at this new store during the ongoing wedding season in north India. She has over 1,000 brick-andmortar retail locations in India and also has two flagship stores in the US, both in New York.

The designer pursues sustainable fashion and works with female crafts clusters in India to help train women and preserve craft traditions.

Through collaborations with a network of NGOs and independent craftspeople, her sustainable fashion brand, Anita Dongre Grassroot provides artisans with a consistent source of income and appreciation, empowering them and creating better livelihoods. The brand translates these heirlooms into contemporary sustainable fashion.

V-Bazaar to open six stores in west Bengal

Value family fashion retailer V-Bazaar, which recently opened its first store in Kaliachak, West Bengal, plans to open six more stores in the state next year.

The brand predominantly retails in Tier II and III cities. It has a strong presence in north India and is currently focusing on expanding in the rest of the country, which includes entering new states like Delhi NCR, Uttarakhand, and Assam.

Started by Hemant Agarwal, V-Bazaar is one of north India’s largest retail chains. It has over 60 stores across India. It operates in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and plans to enter new states like Odisha, Delhi NCR, Uttrakhand and Assam. The retailer generated revenues of Rs 220 crore ($31.1 million) for the fiscal year 2018-19 and plans to add around 6065 more stores by 2021.

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Brand Retail

Zivame will open 60 new stores across India in 2020

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s of now the lingerie brand has 40 retail stores and is planning to strengthen its offline presence across the country as it looks to break even in the next 12 months. fiscal. Apart from retail expansion, the brand plans to expand its product portfolio by entering newer categories like shape wear, sleepwear, athleisure, and more this year. Currently, technology-focused investment firm Zodius Capital is the largest shareholder in Zivame.

On the back of its retail expansion, coupled with strong online sales, Zivame narrowed its losses in fiscal year 2018.

The company’s revenue from operations

Shoppers Stop to open 50 new stores

also grew in the fiscal with online sales contributing 80 per cent to the overall revenue. Zivame, founded in 2011, has strengthened its position across categories and deepened its presence in the markets.

With tech, data and innovation at the heart of everything it does, Zivame is set for exponential growth over the next few years.

The lingerie retailer has a 26 per cent share of the online women’s lingerie market in India. The marketplace model provides between 15 per cent to 20 per cent margins to the retailer in contrast with 50 to 60 per cent margins coming from retailing private labels.

of exclusive brands and private labels. This includes the women’s sustainable ethnic wear brand Back to Earth which retails kurtas, separates, and accessories. The retailer also tied up with Jones New York to retail women’s western wear and with French Connetion for menswear. Shoppers Stop has also launched the line Glam with Disha Patani as a celebrity endorsement.

The brand has decided to split its stores into two categories, one to focus on premium brands and one to cater to a younger audience, with store location deciding which type of store the brand will create.

Uniqlo’s Gurugram store offers customers a brand new shopping experience Shoppers Stop aims to open around 50 stores in India and continue to renovate and improve customer experience in its existing stores driven by technology. The brand has earmarked around Rs 200 crore investment for expansion this year. Half of this has been allotted for improving facilities in current stores and around half for opening new establishments.

This season, the brand launched a number

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The 12,200 sq ft store is spread over two floors and has thoughtful designs, high-quality and functional products, minimalistic and futuristic design sensibilities. The store design is well integrated with the design approach of the surrounding buildings and showcases an impactful façade. Anchored by a ten-meter high ceiling, the store is an inviting space for customers. The special 2,000 sq ft UT corner highlights stainless steel structures and a LED ticker, running from one end to the other. A T-shaped staircase draws the pathway for easy access to the first floor where men’s and women’s wear collections are showcased. In addition, the new store continues Uniqlo’s Good Neighborhood Guide endeavor, highlighting the hidden gems of local neighborhoods. This is also to showcase local community efforts and bring them forward to customers. Uniqlo LifeWear clothing for men, women, children and babies includes iconic Uniqlo products such as the innovative and functional ultralight down, fleece, sweats, flannels as well as products featuring premium fabrics like denim, cashmere and extra fine merino. The store will also feature smart casual wear and office wear, including rayon blouses for women, EZY bottoms for men and women and more.

Ahmedabad gets The White Crow new concept store

The White Crow has launched its new concept store designed by interior design studio ST Design in Ahmedabad with a selection of Indian and international luxury brands. The 400 sq. mt, two storey store is designed to represent a bird’s eye view of fashion. Its design was inspired by the novel The Story of a White Blackbird by Alfred de Musset.

The store’s shelves have been designed to represent skyscrapers and patterns on the floors were inspired by Ahmedabad’s tram tracks. The ceiling design was inspired by a map and the tables are designed to look like roundabouts.

The boutique retails a range of brands, both Indian and international, including Brooks Brothers, Kate Spade, Steve Madden, Scotch and Soda, Ferragamo, Gas, Jimmy Choo, and Michael Kors among others. In October, the store held an exclusive pop-up for Indian luxury brand Suket Dhir and the store celebrated its one year anniversary on November 24.

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Brand Retail

Aditya Birla opens first American Eagle store in Bengaluru

Luxury retailer The Collective to double store count

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ditya Birla has forayed into the Bengaluru market with its first licensed Amercian Eagle 3,000 sq ft store in the city’s Orion Mall. The new store retails men’s and women’s denim and casual wear. The store opened with the brand’s holiday collection of themed apparel as well as its fall 2019 collection and range of winter and ski coats.

Through this initiative, the brand plans to cater to the millennials with its unique product offering. It has already received an overwhelming response from this market

Ermenegildo Zegna opens its latest boutique in New Delhi With an exclusive dinner and screening

of ‘What Makes a Man’ India Campaign, Ermenegildo Zegna celebrated the unveiling of its latest boutique in New Delhi at DLF Emporio Mall yesterday with an exclusive cocktail gathering. The occasion was marked by a screening of the brand’s campaign ‘What Makes a Man’, featuring some of India’s most prominent men as they deliberated on modern masculinity in today’s day and age.

A purveyor of timelessly modern clothing to generations of men over the last one hundred and ten years, Zegna has always adopted an ever-evolving mindset. Now the brand seeks to encourage an open conversation around what makes a man today.

Zegna’s desire to facilitate this conversation

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and will try to excite its consumers in the city.

Aditya Birla first launched American Eagle Outfitters in India in 2018 after signing a multi-store retail and e-commerce license agreement with the brand in 2017. The company has opened American Eagle stores in Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai, and Guwahati. It intends to aggressively expand the reach of the brand in the next 3 years. It also plans to invest in retailing the AEO merchandise through the brands exclusive India.

is the major purpose behind the new brand campaign that was revealed last night. The faces featured in the campaign include Imtiaz Ali, Ranveer Brar, Keshav Suri, Peter D’Ascoli, Prateek Jain, Gautam Seth, Samir Kasliwal and Rajesh Pratap Singh. Spanning different parts of the society, including music, art, fashion, and entrepreneurship, each of these individuals reflect and embody many shades of masculinity.

With more than 1500 square feet of luxury retail space and a contemporary mix of exclusive design elements the New Delhi boutique, designed by Zegna’s in-house architects, conveys the Ermenegildo Zegna brand DNA and showcases the entire range of collections. The latest in Luxury Leisurewear and a wide range of textile and leather accessories. Customers can also experience the exclusive services of Su Misura and Personalisation conceived to meet the needs of a man who looks for high-quality standards and enjoys the privilege of choosing his own fabrics and finishes to create his personal look.

Some of the celebrity guests, city’s notables and close friends were present to add spark to the evening. Open now, the Ermenegildo Zegna New Delhi boutique in DLF Emporio Mall presents a unique occasion for customers to discover a destination for inimitable Italian style in India.

The Aditya Birla Group’s luxury multi-brand retail store, The Collective, plans to double its store count by opening 10 more stores in the next three years. The brand will invest Rs 60 crore towards expansion. To open new stores, the company has already signed leases in three cities: Pune, Lucknow and for one store in the NCR. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, which houses The Collective, posted a nearly threefold jump in fiscal 2019 net profit at Rs 321 crore, compared with Rs 118 crore the year before. Its Ebitda increased to Rs 619 from Rs 501 crore.

The company has expanded its Polo Ralph Lauren and Ted Baker brands and will also be launching its first Fred Perry store this month.

Next on the cards is Hugo Boss’s brand ‘Hugo’, to bring it to India.

The Collective stocks more than 80 luxury brands and also runs some independent, or mono-brand, outlets such as Ted Baker, Hackett, Polo Ralph Lauren and Ralph Lauren.

MR.DIY to open 100 stores in India

MR.DIY, Malaysia’s largest home improvement retailer, plans to open 100 stores in India next year. The retailer opened its first retail store in India on December 1, 2019, in collaboration with Harshil Khichadia PMC at Infiniti Mall, Malad.

MR.DIY is a home-grown enterprise and operates over 900 stores across Asia. The brand offers a wide selection of more than 14,000 types of products, across 10 categories, at some of the lowest prices on the market.

The Mumbai store is spread across 4,000 sq ft. It has a warm and welcoming entrance. Its cash desk has been kept close to entrance as part of standard design and rest of the store is filled with products. Store walk is simple and user-friendly with unique product display style.

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Collections

Van Heusen launches innovative range of formalwear

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an Heusen, India’s premium fashion brand for men and women from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail has launched The 7-in-1 Suit Collection, an innovative range of formalwear, in line with the lifestyle of the modern man. A unique concept, the collection allows flexibility to the wearer who can get seven different looks from a distinct suit combination- be it for a business meeting, evening soiree or even the trip down the aisle. Designed in a timeless fashion a complete ensemble from this range boasts of a blazer, a reversible waistcoat and not 1 but 2 knitted trousers that can be turned into seven different looks to keep the style game elevated.

With the launch of this bold and impactful range of occasion wear the brand is ready to refute the stereotype and stake a claim that a single classic suit can be donned more than just once during separate occasions,

Anita Dongre’s brand And launches maternity wear And has launched maternity clothing. The line has a diverse array of casual staples, occasion appropriate pieces, and work wear designed for expecting mothers-- loosely tailored pieces to accommodate expectant

taking the fashion quotient to a new high.

Van Heusen will have its patrons covered on what to wear and how to wear it again.

A high on style collection that encapsulates the spirit of the festive season with a contemporary twist this 7-in-1 Suit concept provides new freedom of movement for every occasion - whether business or ceremony.

Featuring a repertoire of colours in warm earthy tones to colder shades of blue and stone, the collection highlights the dynamic transformation, efficiency and power.

mothers’ changing sizes and with embroidered floral motifs, tassel details, and waist ties. The maiden collection has a color palette of shades of white, blue, yellow, olive, wine, and black.

And was launched by designer Anita Dongre in 1999 as a high street women’s wear label and has exclusive outlets across India’s metros including Goa, Mohali, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

The three brands from this group are And, Global Desi and Anita Dongre. A showcase of exquisite Indian aesthetics and craftsmanship in a contemporary language is prevalent in all of Anita Dongre’s designs. Dongre is inspired

by Rajasthan and India’s rich craft tradition, and has fashioned handcrafted bridal gotapatti lehengas and handwoven heritage Benarasi creations that are coveted by brides all over.

Aside from Dongre’s bespoke bridal, couture, pret and menswear lines, she also works with handcrafted gold jadau jewelry.

The maternity and baby care products industry in India is undergoing a phase of transformation. The industry is driven by increasing demand by upwardly mobile millennial parents who are keen to use the latest child care equipment in the market.

Chronicles of Femininity” which launched instore on November 30.

The Chronicles of Femininity mixes Gupta’s modern take on traditional wear with Kapoor’s feminine aesthetic to create a collection of wedding-themed pieces featuring custom rose prints and pastel hues.

The collection is much more dainty than Gupta’s signature bold and whimsical printed fusion wear and was inspired in part by Gupta’s mother, actor Neena Gupta, and her costumes in the 1983 film ‘Mandi’. Its other inspirations include Dimple Kapadia, Parveen Babi, and Naomi Campbell in Galliano for Christian Dior.

House of Masaba is currently holding a popup shop in Amiraah, Kanpur, to launch its winter collection in the city from December 1 to 4. The pop-up features the brand’s latest occasion wear offerings for the winter wedding season.

Nicobar launches exclusive accessories collection Clothing, homeware, and accessories brand Nicobar has launched a collection of safari-inspired accessories in partnership with the Sujan Hotel Group to retail across its boutique hotels. The new Nicobar capsule collection features neutral-tones bags, travel accessories, eyewear, wallets, and gift items intended to be used on holiday in the jungle.

Its notable items include a brown canvas travel bag and watercolour style printed zip purses.

Sujan is a chain of boutique hotels intended to bring guests closer to nature in a luxury setting. The chain has hotels in Rajasthan, India, and the Masai Mara, Kenya, among other locations. The chain was founded by Jaisal Singh.

Nicobar was founded by Simran Lal and Raul Rai as a lifestyle brand. Retailing clothing, fragrances, bedding, jewellery, accessories, table ware, and shoes, the brand has stores in seven Indian cities as well as a multi-brand store presence and a dedicated e-commerce store. The brand opened at its most recent location in Gurugram’s Ambience Mall in July this year.

Masaba Gupta launches new 15-piece trousseau collection Designer Masaba Gupta has collaborated with stylist Rhea Kapoor for a 15-piece exclusive trousseau collection titled “The

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interview

“The garment industry is expected to revive by next year”

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hough the Indian apparel industry is going through a rough phase, Rahul Mehta, Immediate Past President, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India, believes this to be a transitory phase with the industry most likely to bounce back by the next year.

What are your views on the challenges faced by the garment industry today?

The garment industry is undoubtedly facing certain challenges. Mostly of these are related to its domestic and export markets. The Indian government needs to realise that our industry is competing with the industries from other countries. We need to keep up with the policies and trade regulations of these countries else we would be at a disadvantage globally. Most of these countries offer concessions in labor laws and regulations which we do not. These concessions are necessary for the growth of this industry. However, it would also be wrong for the industry to be entirely dependent on the government’s support as this would lead to the loss of its sustainability.

Countries like China offer higher wages to their laborers, yet their production costs are lower than those in India. This raises many questions over our initiatives to increase production and raise productivity

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in our factories.

What is your take on the domestic market?

Owing to certain policies and other industry issues, the domestic apparel industry is facing tough times. Retailers are selling discounted apparels through the various EOSS and other promotional schemes for almost ten months a year resulting in a loss for the industry.

Another retail concept harming the industry is the consignment model. Though not many would agree with me but this model is doomed to fail if retailers do not take the entire responsibility to sell their goods. This model affects the profit margins of brands who are left with the unsold inventory by the end of the season. To deal with this, brands need to focus on the manufacturing, designing, marketing of their apparels and making their retailers responsible for the stocks they buy.

What solutions would you offer to deal with the consignment model and growing discounting trend?

Brands need to reduce their production for two seasons. It’s like reduce production, reduce inventory which needs to be disposed of and minimize the pressure to annouce promotions and discounts. To do away with the problem, brands and retailers need to squeeze their profit margins and offer

genuinely reasonable prices from the first day of the season. If a customer believes that she is getting a good value for money, she will surely buy the product at regular prices instead of waiting for discounts. Earlier, around 60 per cent of the sales of major brands were recorded during the Diwali season. Today, around 80 per cent of these sales are inspired by schemes launched by brands across the year.

The ecommerce threat has been overplayed. In the most developed countries e-commerce does not garner more than 15 to 20 per cent of the apparel market. In India too, the segment constitutes only three to four per cent share of the entire apparel market and is not likely to grow beyond 10 per cent in the next few years.

How can we boost our per capita consumption which is quite low compared to overseas markets?

The domestic industry is growing on account of its young population, stable economy and declining imports. However, increasing supplies are making the industry very competitive. The industry can grow only if brands make profits. Brands can make profits either by increasing their margins or turnover. For this, they need to increase their productivity, improve market access and expand their product base.

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Cover Story

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Streetwear redefines fashion trends in India Streetwear is big business globally. In India too, the cult is here to stay as more and more designers/brands are emerging and existing ones are adding streetwear styles to their collections. With celebrity endorsement and a push from ecommerce players, the segment is expected to grow further in future.

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nfluenced by a combination of real world streets and the social media, streetwear style was incepted in Los Angeles in the late ’70s and early 80s.

In 2018, the style saw the rise of dad fashion, military themes and oversized clothes.

Growing popularity fuelled by ecom to celebs Its popularity in recent times has been due to various reasons from the e-commerce boom which encouraged online retailers in the early 2000s like karmaloop.com to open streetwear brands up to the masses, making them more accessible for a wider audience. Then in 2005,

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• Streetwear style was incepted in Los Angeles in the late ’70s and early 80s • Year 2018 saw the rise of dad fashion, military themes and oversized clothes • Year 2019 is officially known as the season of flare pants • Top streetwear trends for women in 2019 ranged from Savile Row suiting to ultra bright neons an lace overload • In 2020, oversized puffer jackets will be the next fashion statement in streetwear hypebeast.com, a media site that commands 77 million page views a month and recognized as one of the world’s pre-eminent authorities

on streetwear brewed the segment further.

One big reason for the growing popularity of streetwear is celebrity endorsement. This is

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cover story

“Closer home, the subculture is brewing among Indian millennials as well. Their needs are being addressed by the rising roster of home grown streetwear brands that accommodate the diversity of Indian identity.” vital for something to reach trend status and streetwear has it in abundance from the likes of Justin Beiber, Jonah Hill, ASAP Rocky and more.

Finally, interest from the luxury sector is when streetwear really skyrocketed. The menswear Spring 2017 collaboration between Supreme and Louis Vuitton remains one of the most talked-about shows in history with items from the first drop now reselling on some sites for a price 374 per cent higher than the original. This collaboration shed light on the spending power of younger generations and gave Supreme mainstream exposure.

It also kicked off a streetwear trickle-up effect into the luxury markets with brands such as Gucci and Fendi drawing on inspiration for their own collections. In fact, Virgil Abloh, Founder of Off-White, picked up as creative director by Louis Vuitton in 2018, further symbolizing the influence of streetwear on luxury fashion.

While luxury brands are pitched at a higher price point, it’s the millennial Gen-Z who are the foremost consumers. A recent study in the US by Hypebeast revealed, 55 per cent consumers spend $100-500 for a streetwear item and another 18 per cent over $500; when it comes to a non-streetwear item, only 40 per cent spend this much.

Popupular streetwear trends in ’19 In 2019, several themes emerged in streetwear globally. Some of these are: Flare pants: The year 2019 is officially the season of flare pants, even for men. Spotted at all European fashion shows, these pants are available in varied styles including Von Dutch flares, ivory flared trousers and even pink bell bottoms.

Streetwear suit: A streetwear trend that made headlines is head-to-toe knit outfit or relaxed suit. Fashion show guests explored this trend through their roomy suits in mint or lilac and a powder blue grandpa sweater with matching leggings and a Gucci purse.

The cross-body bag: Fanny packs are not just stylish but also practical. In 2019, an advanced take on these fanny backs were introduced by brands like Fendi and Louis Vuitton in the form of cross body bags.

Shorts: The 2019 spring fashion shows saw the resurgence of the shorts fashion as

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men were seen in all types of shorts such s denim shorts, khaki shorts, tailored shorts with suits, etc.

Though the number of female founded brands and creatives remain low, women consumers are increasingly seen as a sales opportunity in streetwear. In 2019, the top streetwear trends for women encompassed everything from Savile Row suiting to ultra bright neons and lace overload. Runways had a little something in store for every style this season: the sophisticated working woman, the bold risk-taker, and even those who’d prefer to stick to the classics. Brands like Proenza Schouler and McQueen explored new takes on power suiting while Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Miu Miu mastered the art of feminine, moody fall florals. There were unexpected highlights, too, like hot, rave ready neons spotted at Saint Laurent and Jacquemus.

top global streetwear brands Supreme: New York-based brand Supreme is revolutionising the streetwear market in America by dumping the traditional supply and demand model and collaborating with brands like Rolex and Louis Vuitton to become one of the most revered names in fashion today Stüssy: Stüssy, the first real streetwear label is known for its surf and skate apparel. Staying true to its Californian roots, the brand offers forward-thinking designs to its customers.

A-Cold-Wall: London-based A-Cold-Wall is going from strength to strength in recent years by using utilitarian silhouettes and fabrics to create fashion-week worthy streetwear.

BAPE: Founded in Tokyo, in 1993, A Bathing Ape (or BAPE) is best recognised for its bright, multi-coloured camouflage prints and shark hoodies that zip right up over the wearer’s face.

Off-White: The brainchild of Virgil Abloh, the creative director of Louis Vuitton, Offwhite is known as one of the hottest labels on the face of the earth. It features include bold prints, ironic labels and high-profile collaborations .

Nike: Nike is one of the most respected street wear brands across the world. A fair share of the brand’s success can be attributed to the masterful work of footwear designer Tinker Hatfield, who created some of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes, including the Air Max 1, MAG and countless Air Jordans.

Adidas: Not a typical streetwear brand, Adidas is responsible for churning out Kanye West’s Yeezy line of sneakers. Its Yeezy Boost range, designed in conjunction with Ye, produces some of the most talked-about and sought-after shoes in recent history.

indian millenials take to streetwear Closer home, the subculture is brewing among Indian millennials as well. Their needs are being addressed by the rising roster of home grown streetwear brands that accommodate the diversity of Indian identity.

The streetwear landscape in India has Capsul, which is the only platform offering streetwear at retail prices, VegNonVeg, India’s first sneaker boutique that also has their own branded streetwear drops and Superkicks. There also are a handful of Indian labels such as Space Biskit, Jaywalking, NorBlackNorWhite, Huemn and NoughtOne. And then there are resellers who curate hype brands and resell them to various communities, spread across India. As Bhavisha Dave, Co-

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“The menswear Spring 2017 collaboration between Supreme and Louis Vuitton remains one of the most talked-about shows in history with items from the first drop now reselling on some sites for a price 374 per cent higher than the original. This collaboration shed light on the spending power of younger generations and gave Supreme mainstream exposure. ” Founder and Dirctor of Capsul points out, there are two kinds of streetwear consumers in India: one, those who are fans of the original streetwear brands, for their heritage, storytelling, role in building sub-culture communities and breaking through societal barriers; others, those who identify primarily with the ‘hype’ aspect of streetwear. And this is how it is both in India and outside. Dave says the segment is still nascent in India and at this point in time everyone involved is helping build the market and it is too early for competition.

Rise of independent streetwear labels Meanwhile, India has seen a spurt in streetwear labels. Some of these are: Jaywalking, Mumbai-based Jay Ajay Ajalal’streetwear label taps into the diversity of the youth by showcasing irreverent styles on the runway. The brand looks at streetwear as a

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facilitator of conversation and exchange of ideas.

For Delhi-based siblings Avni and Ambar Aneja, Co-founders of Six5Six Sport and Six5Six Street labels streetwear is more of an art. These designers use textual references and millennial slang in their collections to voice their concerns over relevant issues. Their first collection ‘The Global Traveller’ dealt with everything happening around the world with respect to the refugee crisis, while the second ‘Humanity in the Digital Age’, focused on our dependance on screens and fascination with technology.

Besides the big brands, a small group of independent streetwear labels are sprouting up in far reaches of the country. Mumbai-based label, Strey is one that melds humanitarian ambition with contemporary design. Founded

by Aasshna Aroraa and Eashan Parekh, the streetwear brand donates a percentage of profits towards animal shelters in Mumbai.

Keeping in touch with the notion of strong identity is Biskit, a brand started by Shruti and Harsha Biswajit. The brand envisions creating a multidisciplinary studio that explores the boundaries between art, fashion and photography. It aims to create a clothing line that isn’t compelled to change with the seasons.

Bobo Calcutta: Bobo, a prêt couture label, founded by by Jeet Shahi and Ayushman Mitra challenges the stereotypes that exist within the idea of gendered dressing. The brand’s clothes embody the universal ideas of love and freedom.

Shia Rai: Shia Rai, one of India’s most premiere Streetwear clothing brands gives Indian youth a medium to diversify their style and express their individualities.

Then there is Capsul, India’s first multi-brand streetwear platform. If offers a mix of skate brands, pop culture based brands and street luxe brands in its portfolio. The platform has built partnerships with streetwear brands that it now makes available to Indian consumers through a curated platform of over 15 brands including Stussy, The Hundreds, Chinatown Market, Thrasher, Carhartt WIP, HUF and

Staple Pigeon to name a few.

streetwear trends in 2020 As we head into early 2020, some streetwear trends one can invest in before the summer season arrives are: Oversized puffer jackets: Seen at the stores of Balenciaga and Off-White, oversized puffer jackets will be the next fashion statement in the streetwear industry. These jackets are available in all bright shades and patterns.

Distressed knitwear: Another emerging trend, distressed knitwear is the ideal blend of practical seasonal dressing with a streetwear edge. The shredded lookof these knitted sweaters, jumpers and cardigans create a fascinating influence of both grunge and streetwear.

Cargo trousers: Cargo trousers have made a huge comeback across designers like Fendi, Stella McCartney, Dries Van Noten, Lanvin and Louis Vuitton. Complete with drawstring ties, large pockets and earthy tones, these trousers are inspired by workwear but made much cooler.

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Spykar redefines men’s fashion rules with new collection of shirts

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or the past couple of years, shirts are becoming simpler with minimal styling,” says Abhishek Yadav, Design Head, Spykar. The brand launched its Spring/Summer ’20 collection which offers an exciting range of shirts that focus on fits, fabrics and other eyecatching details. “These shirts are classic and trendy. Their unique detailing makes them a highly fashionable product,” opines Yadav.

A mix of classic, modern and highfashion styles

Established in 1992, Spykar has redefined the rules of fashion. From being solely a men’s denim brand sold at multi-brand outlets, Spykar has gone on to become a one stop shop for casual wear ensemble for both men and women. It is now available pan India across 240 exclusive outlets, over 1,400 multi-brand outlets, all key large format stores and e-commerce portals. “Exuding an individualistic and contemporary style, our brand has become synonymous with the young and restless generation of today,” Yadav emphasises.

The new collection offers a wide mix of checks, stripes, and prints in varied colors.

The patterns and designs are further divided in distinct themes which give them a distinct look. Collars across this range are classified as: classic, mandarin, button down and spread along with other trendy variations. “Even the cuffs in this range are of multiple varieties like square cuffs with single and double buttons, square cut cuffs and rounded french cuff,” notes Yadav.

The new shirts range by Spykar offers a good mix of classic, modern and high fashion. They are divided in three distinct lines. “Purist is a range of classic shirts, YnR is a range of trendy shirts and Actif is a range of fashionable shirts,” adds Yadav. The Purist line is semi-formal, while the YnR and Actif are casual lines.

Currently, checkered shirts in different weaves and composition are trending. “All over prints like dobbies and structures are in demand with solid colors like mustard, olive, black, navy, khaki being preferred,” says Yadav. In collars, classic and button down collars are always in demand with new trend conscious consumers opting for variations like the mandarin and spread collar.

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Asics launches new initiatives to beat competition

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ccording to Rajat Khurana, Managing Director of sportswear brand Asics, there is a shift in the Indian fashion scenario with people opting for comfortable yet stylish clothing. This has led to the rise of the athleisure category in India. People are conscious about fitness, and the kind of look they want to sport. This amalgamation of function and fashion has given rise to Asics Sportstyle. The brand recently launched a new athleisure range that will be endorsed by actor Tiger Shroff.

Believing that sports has the power to change lives, Asics recently launched a new running campaign that inspires people to run without a finish line and propagate this habit for the joy of running itself. For this initiative, the brand plans to engage in-house coaches, fitness influencers and nutrition experts of the ASICS Running Club in different cities across India.

New initiatives to promote brand recall The brand has also launched a few consumer facing initiatives that will help it to promote brand recall in the Indian market.

Its innovative Foot ID analysis provides its consumers firsthand knowledge of their GAIT, helping them make informed decisions about their footwear purchases. The brand now plans to foray into other sports like tennis and cricket to further improve its brand experience.

Going beyond cricketers to other sports persons Meanwhile the brand has also roped in several new faces from India’s growing noncricket portfolio along with newcomers on the cricket field. It has signed athletes like Rohan Bopanna (tennis), Jinson Johnson (athletics), T Gopi (atheletics), Sakshi Malik (wrestling), and Bajrang Punia (wrestling) this year. Earlier, it roped in Karman Kaur Thandi (tennis), and pacer Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.

Asics has a lot to look forward to in 2020.

The brand hopes the completely exploit the business potential that the upcoming Olympics offers. For this, it aims to support athletes from across the world, including India. The brand is currently working on the “I MOVE ME� campaign through which it gives a strong message to its consumers on a Global scale.

The brand will also mobilise its network of 41 stores across 27 cities in India to market its athleisure products. Though, it may prove an uphill task for the brand to make a mark in this category, a dedicated marketing strategy will help it to break through this clutter.

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Classic Polo continues innovations, adopts an omni-channel retail strategy

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sha Periasamy, Director, Classic Polo believes offering fashion at sharp prices is the best marketing strategy that brands can adopt today. Disrupting the buying pattern through discounts, emotional influence and promotion through local/micro influencer from the same community/segment can help organised players compete with unorganised players in the market.

Classic Polo registered a marginal growth last year and expects to grow by 15-20 per cent this year. The brand has launched several new innovations in its collections. “Some of our recent innovations include: seamless denim with special finishing. We also launched cotton enhanced through a special process with juxtapose patterns and other subtle surprises,” notes Periasamy.

Colors influenced by consumer preferences Classic Polo’s colours for the season can be categorised into: black and white, rich and deep colors in new patterns and nature-influenced olive and deep blue colors. “Our colors are also influenced by the data of millions of consumers and other external factors. The most dominating colors of the upcoming

season are likely to be blue, followed by black and white, shades of olive, brown, deep muted reds and range Popsicle,” she informs.

Lack of availability, prices, driving consumers away from big brands Metros and Tier II cities like Nagpur and Pune are fast catching up with global fashion trends.

“However, the lack of availability of big fashion brands there, negative retail experiences, price, lack of micro customisation and not disrupting consumer’ s behavior pattern with strong conversion factor is leading to an increase in number of unorganised players in the market,” says Periasamy.

These players are attracting customers with lower prices, customised fittings, out of the box creativity and quick responses to changing market trends. Local fashion trends, celebrities, movie and influential local movements dominate the creations of these unbranded players. “To tackle this, brands need to make their products available in these locations and also online. They should also launch exclusive collections at affordable rates for online buyers,” Periasamy explains.

Transforming identity through omnichannel presence A trendsetter in innovation and fashion, Classic Polo is equipping to adopt a new avatar with respect its offerings clubbed with affordability, an intense research on the market and consumer psyche of past, present and future. The brand’s aim is to transform into an influential and strong youth brand through its omni channel presence across the country.

Classic Polo is currently present in 5,000 MBOs and over 175 large format stores across the country. “We also have 150 EBOs which we aim to increase to 200 by 2019-end,” reveals Periasamy. Besides retail expansion, Classic Polo also aims to add adaptive clothing, business sport apparels, special finishes and seamless and biker denim to its portfolio.

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If Exclusives

Deal Jeans enhances its denim collection with a new kid’s range demand premium fabrics for their kids. This shift in preferences has resulted in fabrics, fits and colors of kid’s wear becoming more styledriven. Today, kid’s denim ranges between Rs 1,395 to Rs 1, 895 and casual top ranges from Rs 395 to Rs 1,295. Women’s range varies from Rs 1,595 to Rs 3,199 and top and dresses range from Rs 595 to Rs 4,995.

Expanding reach with standalone stores

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Though starting with an MBO as its first distribution channel, Deal Jeans later incorporated large format stores to channelize further penetration.“As innovation in technology and online shopping are being preferred by consumers, we have also expanded our operations to online portals which help us establish ourselves faster,” Patel observes.

Besides, MBO’s and LFS, the brand has also added standalone stores to increase market penetration. It is expanding exclusive brand outlets in India and internationally. “Our core strength lies in beautifying our product range every season. We already have 16 product categories in our seasonal collections which we plan to expand in coming years.”

he act of wearing clothes has become a form of art, one that we call fashion,” says Sameer Patel, Chairman, Deal Jeans which has launched a new denim collection for kids. “Embellished with embroideries, gel embossing and studs and appliques, this collection adds a unique twist to current trends. The color palette varies from light to dark shades in emerging bright and pastel colors,” he explains.

Staying ahead with international cuts, finishes and fabrics One of the first brands to introduce international trends to Indian fashion, Deal Jeans has always been a step ahead of competitors in launching designer denims every season. “From interesting finishes and unconventional cuts to frayed and uneven hems, we add the perfect amount of edge to every pair of jeans,” notes Patel. The brand uses fabrics like cotton for denim and georgette, rayon and cashmere for tops.

“We use faded laser fabric which is far more environment friendly, compared to acid washes and sandblasting, instead of bleaches and other chemicals for washing process,” he adds.

In earlier days, parents spent thriftily on kid’s apparel. However, they have not only become more fashion conscious but also

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Ruff eyes international footprint as it bags a major export order

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ith its upgraded infrastructure, kids’ wear brand Ruff is able to compete with the international markets in designing and production of branded kids wear. The brand recently bagged a huge export order which would help it grow both in the domestic and international markets.

“We plan to export to various countries,” says Sohail Patca, Director of the brand. The brand, which caters to boys in the age group of 6-16 years, also plans to expand its retail operations domestically. As says Patca, “We plan to open more EBOs besides increasing our presence in all major large format stores.”

Patca believes, funky detailing, cool prints and bright colors are all you need to make a kid

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look cool. Inspired by the diversity of the youth culture, the brand is developing new fabrics that are better both in terms of look and durability.

Mill-made cotton tops the list. “Poplins in various count and construction are being used to make the best top-wear. Similarly, pre-washed knits, ranging from 180 to 200 GSM are being used to make T-shirts,” he says

Growing demand for branded kids With purchasing power of parents increasing, the market for kid’s wear is also growing, points out Patca. Parents want their kids to look good and also maintain their standard of living.

“Demand for branded products is increasing as

there is growing awareness and marketing of the product in Tier II and III cities,” adds Patca.

Exposure to international market, a better educational system, higher spending power, high lifestyle and education have fuelled the growth of kidswear in India. “However, there are lots of challenges ahead,” says Patca. He advises industry leaders to build an atmosphere of healthy competition. “This would allow all players to get their share of profits,” he feels.

Many national and international players are planning to tap this segment. This will help the industry to evolve from being unorganised to organised. New players plan to take over many unorganised companies and convert them into an organised firm. “This will help them to establish their brand’s name in the junior wear market,” Patca observes.

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Toonz Retail’s A/W collection stirs up a child’s enthusiasm

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he latest A/W ’19 collection

by Toonz Retail resembles the enthusiasm of a small child. Colorful, vibrant and energetic, the collection offers a comfortable party ensemble. “The collection though heavy on style is light on the body and offers more options for layering and styling,” says Sharad Venkta, Managing Director & CEO of the brand.

Building on the child’s imagination For autumn, the brand launched a new collection called ‘Freestyle’ in its Superyoung category, while in Wowmom category it launched ‘My Waves’. “Both collections enable our kids to express their individuality.

Freestyle is an outdoor range with a bright color palette, edgy, oversized and interactive designs while My Waves incorporates more pop-ups, cute motifs and bright colors. The collection resonates the creative and cute style of toddlers,” notes Venkta.

The brand also launched two new collections for winters. The Superyoung category collection is known as ‘Entangled Woods’ while Wowmom collection is known as ‘Forest Friends’. “Both collections build on the idea of mysticism and enchantment that surrounds the forests in a child’s mind. Entangled Woods collection has a darker and earthier tone to it with more intricate design. On the other hand, Forest Friends collection depicts the child’s imagination about the forests and animals with extensive use of warm colours and animals in the design.”

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Besides these Toonz Retail has also launched the new concept of SuperyongDIY jeans that explores the creative mind of a kid. “These jeans come with customised embroidered patches that can be either stitched on the garment or attached on it with fabric glue,” adds Venkta.

Warm fabrics and bright colors Focusing on warm layered fabrics that look rich and are comfortable to wear, Toonz Retail has transformed its winter silhouettes into more comfortable and easy to wear garments that ease movement and feel warm from inside.

“The collection has been embellished with 3D elements and embroidery badges to make the kids look cuter,” reveals Venkta. “We have also introduced stretch corduroys that are extremely comfortable. The color palette for this collection includes maroon, navy, mustard, subtle grays, and bright prints,” he adds.

Venkta. For this, it is targeting the Northern and Western regions by launching new stores in Bijnor, Noida, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Bhilwara, etc.

The brand also plans to grow its omnichannel presence. It is currently developing its online portal. The brand’s products are available on multiple e-commerce websites like Amazon, Baby Chakra, etc. “However, our primary focus remains on offline sales. We do not foresee online sales impacting our sales strategy,” adds Venkta.

Retail expansion for future growth Toonz Retail has over 100 EBOs across India. The brand now plans to collaborate with leading kid’s wear brands to convert EBOs into MBOs. “We also plan to expand our presence in large format stores segment,” adds

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Twills aims to be one of the top men’s garments brand in India venturing in this segment,” he says. However, the segment is currently challenged by the twin slabs of GST. To overcome this challenge, he advises new entrants to adopt strong marketing strategies, hire a popular brand ambassador and keep their prices competitive.

Focus on manufacturing and distribution

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riven by a passionate team of in-house designers, Twills recently launched its new spring/summer ’20 collection that offers six distinct range of shirts. “The Adventure range offers hoodies, patches and other fashion elements and the Printastic offers the entire prints range,” notes Navin Gamini, Managing Director of the brand. Similarly, “The Clean range offers the entire stripes collection; Denim Kraft offers the entire indigo collection; United offers the entire checks collections; and Celebrity range offers the entire partywear collection,” he explains.

Each of these collections is a perfect mélange of fun and fashion and stands as a testament to the experience and expertise of the brand’s designers.

He points out the garment industry contribute majorly to business “Even big brands are

A value for money brand, Twills manufactures all its garments in-house through an integrated R&D centre. The brand’s main driving forces are its exclusive designs, styles and the value it adds to garments. The aim is to attain the top slot in the mid segment category. “To achieve this, we are collaborating with partners, stakeholders, vendors and end-users to predict upcoming fashion trends and market needs,” notes Gamini. The brand has also made heavy investments in its manufacturing and distribution centers to leverage customer reach.

Now, Twills aims to be the largest provider of stylish garments for men across India.

“Our operational excellence and integrated business strategies empower us to become a leading garment brand in the country. Catering to the aspiring Indian male in the age group 18-40 year, the brand currently has 135 EBOs besides being present in over 3,500 MBOs and 131 large format stores across India. “We aim to expand our EBO network across India,” Gamini observes.

Marketing strategies, pricing to overcome challenges The apparels and accessories offered by Twills not only enhance the style quotient of men but also compliment their mood. The brand has transformed from being an early entrant in this segment to being a game changer. “We offer superior quality collections at competitive prices, and have made the best-in-class styles accessible to youth across India,” adds Gamini.

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Cottonking continues innovating with shirts, plans retail expansion

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opular shirts brand Cottonking has introduced a variety of shirts in its current range.

“These include shirts with a carbon peach finish, stainresistant shirts and a new range known as Aerosoft,” informs Kaushik Marathe, Director of the brand. The brand also offers a wide variety of designs and prints. “Floral prints are popular nowadays. Besides, we also offer checks and stripes in good numbers. Though majorly cotton based brand, we also have cotton linen shirts in our collection. The color palette is largely blue, green and maroon,” he adds.

Marathe sees shirt as a promising category both in terms of business and volumes. “Men require more shirts than trousers and T-shirts.

They usually have three to four shirts over two trousers. Obviously it has promising growth prospects,” he says.

Ensuring right prices and value to customers Cottonking has been manufacturing shirts since 1996. The brand offers both formal and semi-formal shirts. “Our consumers prefer slim fit over regular fit. Rather than core formals, they prefer semi-formal shirts. For these customers, we have introduced a new range called weekend formals,” Marathe explains.

He believes the shirts industry has changed a lot over the years. “People have become more

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value conscious, price sensitive and smart as they now have a lot of options to choose from.

You have to keep up with fashion and keep introducing new things,” he adds. For such customers, Cottonking is as preferred brand as it is an affordable brand. The brand’s inhouse production, strong supply chain and delivery enable it to save a lot of money. “We ensure right prices and value for our customer,” notes Marathe adding that the brand’s production is growing 1520 per cent every year.

to 200 in the next four to five months as we have about 20 EBOs lined up for launch,” he informs. In future, Cottonking plans to stick to cotton only. “Indian climate is favorable to cotton and the market will continue to grow,” Marathe sums up.

Cotton to remain the preferred fabric Predatory pricing is another challenge that the industry faces. “Reducing your prices to a ridiculous level to bring competitors market down is not a fair market strategy,” states Marathe. His brand is currently present in Maharashtra, Telangana, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. “We have 185 stores in Maharashtra and plan to increase this

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Nauti Nati to introduce a kid’s ethnic wear range, enter more MBOs forward clothing at affordable rates for Indian children, majority of Nauti Nati’s products are manufactured in-house and adhere to the strictest export standard quality control.

“Our brand has consistently delivered bestin-class performance though our focus on natural fibres, accurate fits, and vibrant colors that match Indian preferences. Even our embroideries and trims are customised to the preferences and aspirations of our target groups” adds Dugar.

Dugar points out, functionality and pricing are

sharper for children’s wear compared to men’s and women’s segment. “However, since not enough brands’ exist in this segment, fashion differentiation is still possible,” he says. A shift in preferences from unbranded to branded clothes and an access to international fashion makes kid’s wear segment promising in India.

Organised retail also makes distribution for retailers/brands easier.

Challenges in the segment

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ids’ wear brand Nauti Nati plans to foray into the kids’ ethnic wear segment. The brand caters to boys in the age group one to five years and girls six months to eight years. “We do not cater to boys older than five years as purchasing for this age group becomes more brand-oriented and product differentiation becomes difficult,” notes Shantanu Dugar, Director of the brand.

“For girls in the age group six to 14 years, we have a separate brand called Natilene as this age group has a distinct identity and requires special focus,” he explains.

Focus on natural fibers, accurate fits and vibrant colors Launched with a vision to provide fashion

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However, as against the men’s and women’s segments which can be run with a limited assortment also, in kid’s wear, all categories need to be serviced. “This is because mothers’ tend to shop more frequently and prefer going to stores that meet most of their requirements,” notes Dugar. Secondly, kid’s wear has more sizes than adult brands therefore, have to work on their own grading and sizing parameters and constantly evolve. Around 85 per cent of kid’s wear market is driven by unorganised brands in India. “Even if international brands cater to 70 per cent of the remaining 15 per cent, it is still only 10 per cent of the overall mix,” adds Dugar.

In future, Nauti Nati plans to increase its presence in multi-brand stores from the current 50 MBOs to well over 300 in the next two to three years. “We also plan to launch our own range of footwear online in 2020,” Dugar informs.

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Citykart delights millennials with new collection, retail expansion

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nderstanding the change in today’s buying pattern, Citykart, a leading value chain retailer has designed its latest collection focusing on the requirements of millennial fashion in non-metros.

The collection offers hooded shirts with inner, shirts and washed denims among other things.

For semi formal and formal shirts, the retailer has used 100 per cent cotton in dobby, twills and poplene. “The formal category blends cotton with plain weave fabrics. For casuals, we have used 100 per cent cotton with dobby, twill and filafill weaves,” explains Sudhanshu Agarwal, Founder and Director of the retail value chain.

Shirts evolve with new styles of collars, cuffs and prints Formal wear today is not just office attire or an outfit for social gathering in few classic colors.

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“It represents one’s personality and has evolved with numerous patterns fits and colors. Smart fits are in trend in formals and semi formals as they exude authority and confidence,” states Agarwal. “In casuals, slim fits are more in trend,” he adds. Not just fabrics and fittings, shirt styles have also have undergone a huge change.

“Regular and mandarin collars are in fashion alongwith roll up sleeves in semi casuals and cargo style sleeves in casual category. In cuffs, we offer double cuffs both with cufflinks and in regular styles,” notes Agarwal Plain shirts make up almost 40 to 45 per cent of Citykart’s current collection followed by checks which vary around 30-35 per cent and prints which accounts for 15-20 per cent.

“This year, we are going ahead with dye to match button instead of white collar button.

We are also exploring snap buttons in casual shirts,” Agarwal observes.

Retail expansion to boost sales Citykart is positive about sales in the forthcoming season. “Purchasing power of our consumer is increasing. Also, there are multiple occasions of dressing today which is fuelling demand for fashion in the country, “says Agarwal. Hence, the average sale per person has increased over time. Earlier a classic white and blue shirt use to suffice a man’s wardrobe needs. However, today they want multiple patterns and different colors. “We cater to this need through our new collection and are expecting a good response,” he adds.

The retailer has 53 company owned stores in 47 cities across four states including UP, Bihar, Nagaland, Assam. “We now aim to expand our footprint across different cities besides deepening our presence in existing cities. Our target is to open 25 new stores every year,” Agarwal sums up.

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Bespoke shirt brand 16Stitches thrives ahead in India and abroad

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hough the market for made to measure clothing is still at a nascent stage, the concept is fast catching in India. “There is an increased consciousness amongst people about what they wish to wear,” says Punit Chokani, Co-Founder of 16Stitches a brand that offers customised shirts for men.

“Every emerging economy goes through this phase as people move towards customised clothing and the same is happening in India currently,” he adds.

In made-to-measure clothing, fitting is priority, even before the garment’s fashion quotient and its exclusivity. However, when people buy from global and established brands they are attracted by the fabrics, patterns and designs available but do not get appropriate sizes. “We have enough options in terms of fits, fabrics and designs,” notes Chokani.

The brand deals with this problem by using fabrics and designs that are on par with those available with established brands. Fabrics are sourced from mills across the world while it differentiates its clothes through digital printing.

for corporates also,” Chokani informs. The brand is currently in the deliberative stage and future expansion will be targeted towards big and small cities.

Middle class to drive demand for customised apparels 16 Stitches mainly serves the Indian middle class. “Middle class customers in India have high aspirational value which promotes the growth of this segment. This class and demography is the biggest reason why we expect good growth in coming years,” he says.

Cusomisation is a brand building game

and it takes time to build it. “Big brands are getting into customisation as it increases the popularity of this segment. These brands have big network which helps the industry to grow.

Many brands are customising successfully,” adds Chokani Though it is said that customisation is expensive, this is not the case. The average price of customised a shirt by 16 Stitches is Rs 2,500 which is equal to the price points of big brands. “We try to minimise the gap in pricing between our and other brands. No over the top value and extra charging, are our brand values,” Chokani observes.

Wide scope for growth in the Indian market The Indian market for bespoke clothing is growing in double digits. “Indian body type is different from other countries, which offers a wide scope for growth in this market,” Chokani opines. However, it is difficult to acquire new customers in this market. 16Stitches delivers to customers across India and overseas. “We have an offline studio in Mumbai besides having operations in countries of Eastern Europe, Japan, South Africa etc. Majority of our sales happen online and through social media channels. We customise our apparels

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Trends that shaped the global fashion industry in 2019

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he fashion industry once again took centrestage in 2019 as several new trends and disruptive startups moulding and shaping the market made up the year. Like their global counterparts, Indian brands like the Mumbaibased Suta Sarees and Gurugram-based designer Gursakhi Lugani’s brand Nakhrewali made a mark in the industry with their unique and out of ordinary styles.

A trend that made headlines during the

the beginning of the year with the trend further seeping down to red carpets and magazine covers as well.

Brands explore their wild side with cow prints This year fashionistas scored with monochrome and minimalistic cow prints. The black-and-white cow print not only made a bold fashion statement but also added a playful vibe to the ensemble. Some of the most prominent celebrities like the Ducbess of Sussex and Victoria Beckham were seen dressed in this

from prominent brands like Adidas by Stella McCartney to the Rhyton Gucci sneakers.

Conscious shift to sustainable fashion In 2019, the apparel industry made a conscious shift towards sustainability. Globally, this wave was spearheaded by designers like Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, and Kenneth Cole. In India, a host of homegrown brands are ensuring that the country does not miss out on these positive changes.

For instance, designer Sujata Chatterjee has

year was that of tiny handbags. At the 2019 American Music Awards, American singer Lizzo sported a ridiculously tiny handbag. The 31-year-old Juice hitmaker stepped onto the red carpet decked in a peach, one-shouldered outfit by Valentino. Her statement Valentino bag completed her look at the show.

Neon green was the ‘it’ color as was evident from the first look of the Spring fashion 2019 itself. Several major labels – from Gucci, with its feathered neon gowns and Balenciaga with its fluffed-up sweater – embraced the shade in

rather understated look from the animal print family. In India, designer Masaba Gupta combined the print with traditional sensibilities thus giving it a modern vibe.

Sneakers make a fashion statement In the last couple of years, sneakers have become a fashion staple. Designers and stylists across the world are paring these sneakers with all types of outfits and using them for all kinds of outings. Some of the biggest names in fashion lend their own touch of innovation and luxury to sneakers last years. These ranged

launched a new startup Twirl Store which rewards customers to buy upcycled products on its website. The brand also donated some of its collected clothes. Similarly, Chennaibased brand Rossebelle produces sustainable women’s wear and other products with ecofriendly material, deadstock fabrics, and repurposed vintage fabrics.

Industry leaders hope that in future more brands, designers and labels adopt sustainability just as they accept new trends like tiny bags and small sunglasses.

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AI reinvents shopping experiences through innovations

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he integration of fashion and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is significantly impacting the fashion industry as technologydriven innovations are reinventing not only customers’ interactions with garments but also their online and offline shopping experiences.

Application of AI by Indian designers Fashion designers Gaurav Gupta and Falguni and Shane Peacock are using artificial intelligence to create innovative garments.

Gupta is the first designer to create an Indian sari gown by using IBM’s cognitive tool Watson. The designer, to create the first-ofits kind cognitive dress, used white fabric with integrated lighting that covered the entire dress.

The AI technology in the lighting enabled the garment to change its color according on the mood of the person interacting with the wearer of the gown. This was achieved through IBM Watson’s tone and emotion gaging software.”

Desigers Falguni and Shane Peacock used IBM’s tool Watson to create a software that helped them browse through the history of fashion weeks within seconds. Apart from

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this, it also helped the duo improvise their work by providing relevant themes and sketches. The tool not only prevents sartorial copies but also brings about transparency in the design process.

Improving shopping experience Another tool chatbots aids luxury brands like Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger to address the grievances of their users 24/7. Farfetch’s augmented retail vision Store of the Future uses data to improve the experience of a shopper, is another instance. It provides ultrapersonalised experiences to its customers both in their real and digital lives. The platform improves retail productivity by capturing consumer data and enhancing interactions between consumers and sales associates, both in store and when the consumer interacts with the retailer or brand online.

Classifying buyers into two categories, designers Falguni and Shane Peacock have launched an interactive online shoppable video which enables the consumer to have a closer look at a product worn by a celebrity, and also helps put together a look specifically for them. Gupta’s tool also makes purchase

simpler for the consumer.

Visual recognition, purchasing recommendations and customised options are other benefits of AI in online fashion retail. Online platform Findow uses advanced AI to help buyers discover nearest fashion designers, retail stores, brands and boutiques.

The website and app updates on the latest trends and keep track of events and sales happening around them.

Benefits galore but negative impact on employment AI allows designers to construct, de-construct ideas and create something new altogether. It encourages creativity by presenting new ideas on the benefits of technology and how it can it be incorporated in their work.

AI offers many benefits that can be beneficial across the fashion supply chain. It increases the speed of brands in delivering their collections.

Besides its ability to store and read a large size of data helps them to recognise a consumer’s wants and needs. Artificial Intelligence also aids in creating new jobs. However, it can also lead to loss of jobs as automated processes make human labor redundant.

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India keeps clothing market going

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hile the global outlook for consumer spending is dim on account of rising trade tensions, political uncertainty and economic concerns, India presents an exciting opportunity particularly for price competitive players.

The Indian clothing market is the sixth largest globally. While GDP growth this year has been somewhat weaker than expected, in part due to regulatory uncertainty, India is still projected

to be the fastest-growing major economy. The country has attracted global brands like Zara, H&M, Marks & Spencer and Uniqlo and has relaxed local sourcing norms in single brand retail, providing further impetus to the industry.

India’s fashion market is projected to grow at 15 per cent compound annual growth rate till 2022. Mobile platforms are expected to influence more than two-thirds of both apparel and fashion accessories purchases by 2022.

The country has emerged as one of the world’s

fastest-growing fashion markets over the past few years. The growing penetration of the internet, social media and e-commerce is now providing consumers in Tier II and below cities increased access to brands and products. New operating models such as omni channel and assisted e-commerce could further fuel growth and adoption of online commerce.

Globally fashion industry revenue growth is expected to slow further in 2020. The most optimistic region is Asia.

Luxury brands downsize in India

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rouble looms over India’s luxury retail sector. India’s luxury malls make up just five per cent of the country’s entire mall strength.

Just a few successful luxury malls have survived and that too in bigger cities. Walkins have dropped sharply at luxury malls. High operating costs and soaring rentals are the bane of luxury retailers who have also noticed a 25 per cent reduction in footfalls.

Average rentals are upwards of Rs 20 lakh in luxury malls. Most luxury brands in India have a confused strategy. Some luxury goods are sold at higher prices than anywhere else in the world. Collections are often a season old.

Consolidations are forcing brands to seek out new partners or close shop. Iconic luxury brands Versace and Roberto Cavalli are on the lookout for a new partner in India. Versace and Cavalli have one store each in Delhi’s DLF Emporio Mall. French bridge-to-luxury brand Longchamp has shut shop. Longchamp had four outlets which have all wound up. It

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had originally announced six stores in India.

The company that runs Longchamp has also shelved plans to bring Alexander McQueen to

India this year. McQueen was to have a monobrand store in DLF’s Chanakya Mall in Delhi for which letters of intent had been signed.

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Fashion brands entering India tweak products to match local tastes

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ashion brands are making a beeline for India. But winning over customers in Asia’s third-largest economy requires a more tactful strategy than simply showing up. Brands that don’t succeed in India typically don’t match the aesthetic preferences of most Indian shoppers.

The fashion houses that thrive in India tailor their collections to local customers, respond to the complexities in Indian wardrobes and cater to different needs throughout the country’s

diverse markets. To resonate with Indian shoppers, international brands have to design collections with their style in mind. This often translates into pieces unique to the market and partnerships with homegrown designers to get a local perspective. Italian men’s wear brand Canali introduced a collection in its six Indian stores that included a bandhgala, a closed collar suit common in Indian men’s wardrobes.

In 2011, Hermès released a limited-edition sari in India. More recently, Giorgio Armani

launched an exclusive Indian capsule collection of achkan jackets.

Uniqlo, which opened its first store in India, in New Delhi, this October, is selling a special collection based on the kurta. In 2016, Christian Louboutin launched a collection of shoes and accessories with Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi. The partnership mixes classic Louboutin styles like the Loubi Queen sandal and the Mary Jane bucket bag with local twists, including hand embroidery and festive colors.

Tier II, III cities to witness organised retail growth: RAI

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umar Rajagopalan, Chief Executive Officer, Retailers Association of India (RAI) feels, the next leg of growth in organised retail going will come from Tier II and III cities as most store additions are likely to take place in these towns. Most of these stores will be run by franchisees as locals have a better understanding of buyers’ preferences in the hinterland.

He also believes the next two to three months will be particularly crucial for the retail sector as the upcoming festive season will help revive growth in the second half of the current financial year (FY20).

He also commended the government for relaxing the sourcing norms as it will allow mergers and acquisitions to take place at regular intervals.

Allowing foreign retailers to commence online sales before setting up offline stores will help international brands to tie up with Indian retailers or e-commerce marketplaces.

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Growing demand for handlooms prompts brands, designers to use more

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rom international runways to museums to celebrity weddings, it is handloom all the way. While handloom purchase has gone up more than 100 per cent in the last decade it is developing itself in terms of product innovation.

Handloom has taken over bling and people prefer handloom outfits even for their own weddings. Several Indian states promote their traditional and indigenous textiles on national and international platforms.

Designers have given a call for greater adoption of handloom products. Designer Ritu Kumar for one is known for blending ageold crafts with a contemporary vocabulary.

Padma Shri recipient Ram Kishore Chippa Derawala is a master-printer in the Dabu

and Bagru prints of Rajasthan. Fashion designer Gaurang Shah’s entire collection is handloom. His paithani silk lehengas are a classic example of pure handloom bridal outfits. For designer Sanjay Garg, handloom is sustainable fashion.

India has 16 million handloom weavers.

The country’s rich heritage of handloom differentiates it from the rest of the fashion world. India celebrates National Handloom Day on August 7. While the textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world, the handloom weaver has the smallest environmental footprint. On the other hand, in terms of fashion, handicraft is the greatest form of luxury because it is handmade and has limited pieces.

Online retail overtakes offline in India: Study

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ndian e-commerce is growing faster than offline retail, says a study by E-Commerce Council of India (TECI) and ChannelPlay. This growth is being fuelled by a massive online boom, low data tariffs, affordable smart phones and growing internet use. E-commerce in India has grown beyond the first wave of metro consumers in Tier I cities. It is now rapidly adding millions of buyers from Tier II, III cities and beyond. There are nearly ten crore online shoppers in India and in ten years they will be joined by another 40 crore to 50 crore shoppers.

Online retail in India is growing at a CAGR of 23 per cent. It is currently around 25 per cent of the

total organised retail market in the country and can potentially increase to around 37 per cent by 2030. Spends per online shoppers, which are estimated at Rs 12,800, are expected to increase to Rs 25,138 by 2030, with consumers shopping online for other segments, beyond electronics and apparel. There has been an increase in the online market share of the electronics segment, including mobile phones, largely due to heavy discounting and cash back online in electronics.

New customers are expected to continue entering online grocery, even as categories such as personal care grow their online market share.

In the long run convenience will outrun discounts as the key driver.

India’s retail sector to grow 14 per cent by 2021

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s noted by the recent report of Care Ratings, India’s retail sector is poised to grow around 12-14 per cent over the next three years to reach $1,150 billion by 2021.will be driven by factors such as higher demand from consumers with higher incomes, job creations, improved standard of living, brand awareness, higher discretionary spends and higher participation of producers/retailers in the organised retail market, discounted and promotional pricing, increased number of products and more private labels with retailers among others.

According to the credit ratings agency, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to go up to 7.3 per cent by FY21.

Private final consumption expenditure is

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expected to grow by 10-11 per cent year-onyear until 2021, which has grown at about 10-12 per cent historically. The retail sector

contributes around 10 per cent of the GDP, around eight per cent of employment and is valued at $792 billion as of 2018.

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Denim dominates Indian fashion Indian denim industry has been growing at nine per cent over the last five years. The industry is expected to grow at rate of 11 per cent in the next five years. The steady growth is credited to the rise in consumerism. Advances in denim fashion have given the segment a major boost.

Stores across clocked in good business this festive season

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hen it comes to fashion apparel and garments, denim is the biggest rage in India. Denim apparel is one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian apparel market, with a double digit growth forecast. The Indian denim industry has moved forward with innovative fashion trends. Thirty-five per cent of the jeans today are made more sustainably, much larger than any other segment of the fashion sector is,

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highlighting the significant role of the denim industry in bringing circularity and sustainability in fashion. Denim manufacturers are taking the lead in embracing sustainability, which needs to be imbibed in the entire textile value chain.

Fashion conscious millennials account for almost 34 per cent of India’s population.

India’s denim fabric exports have increased at a CAGR of five per cent in the last six years.

Bangladesh over the last decade has been the biggest market for Indian denim fabric. The

Indian shoppers preferred shopping at physical stores this festive season. Physical outlets registered a seven per cent increase in footfalls over last year during the same period.

Customers preferred to shop offline during the festival season, particularly in categories such as jewelry and ethnic wear, reveals a Capillary Technolgies study.

Shoppers in India’s top metros preferred to invest in new clothes and jewelry, with an increase in average bill value this festival season. While the bill value increased, the number of items purchased reduced. This indicated that while a consumer might have spent more on their purchase, the actual number of items purchased was less. While jewelry brands witnessed a three per cent decrease in the number of shoppers this year, overall sales were 12 per cent more as compared to last year. Footwear sales increased four per cent rise this year whereas fashion and apparel sales rose seven per cent.

With competition, shoppers are spoilt for choice. Consumer loyalty was a major letdown for brands during the festive season this year.

The jewelry industry showed a dip in consumer loyalty by 28 per cent in 2019 while fashion and footwear saw a mere three per cent surge in consumer loyalty as compared to last year.

Stores across clocked in good business this festive season

ndian shoppers preferred shopping at physical stores this festive season.

Physical outlets registered a seven per cent increase in footfalls over last year during the same period. Customers preferred to shop offline during the festival season, particularly in categories such as jewelry and ethnic wear, reveals a Capillary Technolgies study.

Shoppers in India’s top metros preferred to invest in new clothes and jewelry, with an increase in average bill value this festival season. While the bill value increased, the number of items purchased reduced. This indicated that while a consumer might have spent more on their purchase, the actual number of items purchased was less. While

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jewelry brands witnessed a three per cent decrease in the number of shoppers this year, overall sales were 12 per cent more as compared to last year. Footwear sales increased four per cent rise this year whereas fashion and apparel sales rose seven per cent.

With competition, shoppers are spoilt

for choice. Consumer loyalty was a major letdown for brands during the festive season this year. The jewelry industry showed a dip in consumer loyalty by 28 per cent in 2019 while fashion and footwear saw a mere three per cent surge in consumer loyalty as compared to last year.

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Indians love luxe shopping abroad

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ndians go abroad to buy luxury brands. They feel it’s simpler, more convenient and cheaper. There’s been an over 20 per cent growth this year in travel to destinations that house outlets of designer luxury brands and offer products at heavily discounted rates such as the UK, France, Belgium and the US. Various international tourism offices have increased promotional activity to attract Indian travelers to shopping destinations and outlet malls overseas. There are various initiatives taken like additional discounts, preferential

shopping hours and logistical support. The wider availability of current collections and sizing, coupled with competitive pricing, further make the international shopping experience more attractive. The UK for instance has emerged as a preferred destination for luxury watches because of favorable exchange rates and VAT. The VAT refund in the UK is 18 percent. Expensive watches don’t need proof of identification

proof and can be bought under anonymity. In India, anything costing more than two lakhs requires a pan card identity.

La Vallée Village in France, home to brands such as Armani, Jimmy Choo, Givenchy and Versace, has been organising trade events in India and saw visits by Indians increase 40 per cent last year. Bicester Village in the UK launched an India pop-up concept store this year, housing creations of Indian designers.

Global luxury market grows by 4% in 2019

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s per the Bain-Altagamma 2019 Worldwide Luxury Market Monitor, the global luxury market grew by 4 per cent in 2019 with Asia contributing most to the growth of this market.

The study reveals that the size of the global personal luxury goods market was pegged

at € 281 billion in 2019. Of this, Mainland China’s luxury market grew the most bgy 26 per cent at constant exchange rates this year to reach €30 billion. Fuelled by favorable government policies and lower price differentials, Chinese customers accounted for 90 per cent of the constant growth of the market in 2019.

Luxury consumption in Hong Kong was adversely hit by the ongoing protests. The luxury market in the country declined 20 percent to €6 billion. The Hong Kong luxury landscape will reach a new equilibrium, with rules of the game deeply transformed and local customers becoming the main focus according to the report.

Meanwhile, Chinese buyers of luxury

Indian retail may triple in size

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he Indian retail market is expected to triple in size by fiscal ’25. Food and grocery and the apparel segments are likely to witness a compound annual growth rate of 27 per cent and 22 per cent.

While stores in India may have suffered at the hands of e-commerce, they are likely to stay as a formidable force. Retailers have witnessed an expansion in their footprint, revenue and overall growth. In fact the strong demand in the food and grocery and apparel categories may require 4000 new retail stores over the next eight years offering a huge runway of 15 per cent CAGR in retail footprint.

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Big startups such as Paytm have partnered with retail chains such as Croma, Reliance Digital to provide customers with a tactile experience. Paytm has experienced customers in India prefer to touch and feel the product

turned their sights to other Asian destinations, boosting the performance of these markets.

Japan grew by 4 per cent at constant exchange rates to €24 billion while the rest of Asia grew by 6 per cent at constant exchange rates, reaching €42 billion.

Europe experienced a slow growth of 1 per cent at constant exchange rates with the market reaching €88 billion in size. Driven by tourism and weak currency, Spain and the UK were among the top performers. Germany was impacted by a slowing country dynamism and France by social unrest earlier in the year.

Other geographies, which account for €12 billion, experienced a 5% decrease at constant exchange rates. The Middle East, aside from a hesitant recovery in Dubai, was a subdued market affected by lower consumer confidence and geopolitical uncertainties. before making a purchase. To ensure this, it has partnered with large format retail stores.

However, retailers are likely to employ a few measures as well in a bid to cut operational costs.

Stores are looking to make their businesses more profitable with leaner store layouts, clusterbased growth, focus on private labels and membership-based models in the future.

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Designers Rohit Gandhi, Rahul Khanna launch A/W collection for menswear

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Anushree Reddy presents embroidery and florals Anushree Reddy’s latest wedding themed collection features an array of colors with yellow lehengas adorned with floral embroidery and pastel florals for both men and women.

Champagne and white lehengas, saris, and sherwanis provide subtle options and magenta and red pieces add a splash of drama into the collection. Known for her use of Hyderabadi zardozi embroidery and opulent traditional wear creations, Reddy specialises in both men’s and women’s occasion wear.

Reddy, based in Hyderabad, is a traditional and fusion wear designer. She launched her eponymous label in 2010 which specializes in ethnic wear such as saris and bridal lehengas that represent elegance and drama. Her collection is a mix of old world charm and contemporary elements that exude a pleasing color palette, beautiful floral patterns and intricate zardozi embroidery. She creates sumptuous festive pieces. She draws inspiration from vintage styles, floral patterns and combines them with zardozi embroidery.

Her collections are a dainty world of lace, tulle and gossamer fabrics glorified with careful detailing of embellishments. Her silhouettes are elaborate and feature prints that are subtle.

The resulting collections are full of glamour and drama. She opened her first ever shop-in-shop inside multi-brand retailer Ogaan’s boutique in New Delhi on December 10, 2019.

Fdci hosts fashion show Inherit 2019 with 21 designers Around 21 of India’s leading designers participated in the fashion show organised by the Fashion and Design Council of India (FDCI).

The show was a part of the two-day Inherit Festival that took place on December 7 and 8 at

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esigners Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna have launched their autumn/ winter collection of menswear featuring pristine tailoring and a mix of bright and pastel hues including magenta, pastel blue, pastel pink, and abstract floral prints.

Notable items include long pastel hued sherwanis with statement buttons.

Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna has opened at Ensemble, Mumbai. The fusion wear brand has a dedicated shopin-shop at the men’s wear floor of the multibrand luxury fashion retailer. The space is open and modern with an orange statement wall and black stone floor.

Design duo Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna launched their eponymous brand in 1997 and retail ready-to-wear and bespoke garments for both men and women. Based in New Delhi, the brand is known for its modern take on traditional wear. The brand has showcased collections in the US and France. The designers specialize

the Sunder Nursery in the national capital New Delhi.The Inherit Festival also saw participation by over 100 exhibitors, who showcased their creations in the field of craft, design, fashion, lifestyle and heritage tourism at the event.

The FDCI show was a tribute to the meeting of several disciplines of design through the medium of arts and crafts exhibited in the twoday festival.

The fashion show was closed by designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore of Abraham & Thakore with a handloom soiree.

Other participating designers included AM:PM, Amita Gupta Sustainable, Asha Gautam, Charu Parashar, DHI, Diksha Khanna, Divya Sheth, Elisha Wadhwani, Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini, Ikai by Ragini Ahuja, Ilk, Mynah’s Reynu Taandon, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Pawan Sachdeva, Payal Jain, Rahul Mishra, Siddhartha Bansal, Suman Nathwani, SVA by Sonam & Paras, Taani by Tanira Sethi and Urvashi Kaur.

Jesal Vora making a mark with her ethnic collection Fashion designer Jesal Vora has made a mark with her ethnic and bridal clothing collection.

The designer known for bridal lehengas, trousseau, saris, Indo-western outfits, shararas, gowns and custom made outfits showcased at the Wedding Junction 2019 event where Nupur Sanon was the showstopper. Sano wore a a black embellished lehenga with a burgundy blouse and an embellished dupatta.

in contemporary clothing for both men and women. Their craftsmanship lays great emphasis on silhouettes and detailing.

They draw inspiration from linear structures, geometrical lines and are greatly influenced by modern contemporary art. The duo draws inspiration from unique architectural forms, synonymous with metallic tones amalgamated with modern edgy elements.

Their signature surface ornamentation, metallic embroideries, subtle muted hues and reticulated structures together create a perfect combination of mystery and glamour.

Vora is an experienced fashion designer and her research on Indian wear has made her one of the best in the industry. She is a multi talented personality known for giving stunning Indian wear. A blogger and also an entrepreneur who has created her own fashion brand which is one of the best in providing ethnic wear, and a lehenga collection, which includes bridal clothing for every function.

Vora’s festive collection defines Indian clothing with a simple touch in anarkalis, crop tops and lehengas. She is also known for her ajrak collection in gowns, saris and prêt wear.

Vora has won many prestigious awards in the past. Recently she has won the Inspire award.

She presents Indian wear in stunning designs, and her collection shows Indian luxury. Her brand Jesal Vora is India’s leading fashion brand, and the designer has made clothes for many celebrities, entrepreneurs and film stars.

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Global fashion industry becomes more diverse

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he global fashion industry is becoming more diverse in every respect. Just a few decades ago, there were easy to spot fashion trends that only changed once a year or even slower.

Today’s fashion cycles are more distinct and short-lived. Especially millennials becoming the most important consumer group, seeing themselves as more individualistic, not following general trends set by big brands. American consumers are neither buying more, nor more expensive clothing for almost a decade now.

Clothing manufacturing has become a lot more accessible in recent years. Global supply chains for garment production moved to Asia decades ago, which made the cost of clothing go down significantly.

Factories in Asian countries such as China, Vietnam and the Philippines have matured.

After being dependent on large Western brands for managing their operations in

Guess unveils five year strategy Guess wants to boost brand relevancy and has chalked out a new strategy to take it forward.

The American fashion retail company will set up celebrity and influencer collaborations to engage more effectively with a younger and broader audience made of millennial and Gen Z consumers. Customer centricity is another key area. The company will implement processes and platforms to offer customers a seamless omni-channel experience. Widening the global footprint is another priority. Guess will continue to expand the reach of its brands by optimizing the productivity and profitability of its current footprint and expanding its distribution channels. The strategy will be to increase profitability and sales while delivering global expansion.

Product excellence is also part of the group’s strategy. The company will extend its product offering to provide customers with a wider range of products for different occasions and lifestyles and will seek to better address local product needs. This consists in improving the areas of logistics, sourcing, product development and production, inventory management, and overall infrastructure.

By reaching all these objectives, the company expects to increase its turnover by 250 million dollars and boost its operating profits by 150

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Wrangler. In addition, channel evolution, which includes taking both brands into select new points of wholesale distribution and direct-toconsumer, with a sharp focus on digital, will be undertaken.

LVMH to acquire Tiffany & Co

the nineties, have moved on to work for themselves. Globalization has also helped tremendously to bring down shipping cost and the internet did the rest by simplifying the coordination. It is definitely possible to start a clothing company from anywhere these days. Abolishing the minimum order requirements by more streamlined processes has since resulted in many small brands growing their business. Large minimum order quantities had scared off many aspiring entrepreneurs in the past.

million dollars. On product side Guess made good progress with denim development and expanded presentations in stores and online.

Wrangler to enter china next year Wrangler will be launched in China in the first quarter of 2020. The go-to-market strategy will focus on digital, launching with a large digital partner. Wrangler’s wholesale revenue in the US declined three per cent in the third quarter.

The brand’s US wholesale performance was flat year to date but revenue is expected to improve in the fourth quarter.

Wrangler and Lee are a part of Kontoor Brands. The fashion-forward Wrangler Heritage collection with modern styling pays tribute to the brand’s authentic western legacy. Customization laser technology is used to personalize the product. This technology allows the brand, or in the future its retail partners, to elevate the consumer experience through both customized design and heightened convenience. Asia and specifically China will be a focal point for international expansion overall. Lee’s revenue increased eight per cent constant currency in China during the third quarter, including a 10 per cent comp store increase, as it continues to leverage 20-plus years of business as a leading premium lifestyle brand in the region.

Category extensions, which include expanding further into tops, outerwear and accessories, are being pursued aggressively for Lee and

LVMH plans to take over Tiffany & Co for $16.9bn including net debt, equivalent to nearly four years’ sales at the company. The acquisition consolidates LVMH’s position in the luxury market. In the past five years, the company’s shares have risen threefold which includes a 60 per cent run since January.

The brand is currently worth around €206bn (£175bn) and now vies with Royal Dutch Shell as the most valuable firm based in the EU. This will be 76th brand in the Parisian group’s portfolio, joining Louis Vuitton, Dior and Veuve Clicquot champagne. LVMH emerged as the most obvious buyer for Tiffany in part because its scale begets advantages not available to smaller bauble-peddlers. The brand’s shareholders had pestered management to improve margins and raise sales fast, unduly hurrying its turnaround efforts.

Uniqlo to open first store in Vietnam

Fast Retailing will soon open its first Uniqlo store in Vietnam as the company forays into the sixth market in Southeast Asia which is also one of the fastest growing economies in the region. Fast Retailing hopes Vietnam will drive its regional growth as consumption rises and at the same time, become a manufacturing hub for the company in the face of a prolonged U.S.-China trade war.

Located next to other fast-fashion brands H&M and Zara, Uniqlo’s store in a shopping mall in Dong Khoi in Ho Chi Minh City will be one of its largest stores in Southeast Asia with a gross floor area of 3,107 sq. meters and three stories high.

Vietnam is one of the key markets for Uniqlo, which currently has more than 2,000 stores worldwide and plans to quadruple stores in Southeast Asia to 800 in 10 years. Fast Retailing hopes to increase sales by 30 per cent every year in India -- where it opened its first store in October -- Southeast Asia and Australia.

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Consumers turn away from fast fashion

M Hugo Boss builds online business Hugo Boss is bolstering its online business.

These efforts have not been in vain - the company’s global online sales in the final quarter of 2018 were up by double digits.

Three-quarters of the marketing budget in the coming years will go to digital marketing and a key focus would be on expanding the company’s presence in the relevant social networks. Hugo Boss is looking to quadruple last year’s e-commerce sales by 2022.

The German luxury fashion house is strongly committed to the Chinese market. China is a key driver of the company’s growth. The brand’s stores in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have been posting double-digit growth throughout the year. Some of the key factors behind Hugo Boss’ emphatic growth in China are its focus on integrating its digital and physical retail channels, increasing its presence on social media as well as partnering brands that resonate with the Chinese audience. While the brand’s high-end casual wear has traditionally been the most popular among Chinese consumers, there has been strong growth in the sales of formal wear, particularly Hugo Boss’ made-to-measure suits. When it comes to made-to-measure offerings, China accounts for more than 50 per cent of the brand’s global sales.

Forever 21, the brand that rose high to lose its way on the way

Forever 21, founded in 1984, became a multibillion dollar operation in over 40 countries before it filed for bankruptcy in September 2019. The brand specialised in the fast fashion principle as it made outfits for young teenage girls, who wanted to dress like their favorite celebrities. Forever 21 helped them by providing these fast and at affordable rates.

Customers would form huge lines for new store openings. The company also became an attractive tenant for most malls, usually becoming the anchor tenant with its huge sized stores, which drew huge footfalls. The company became a trendsetter, selling rapidly

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illennials and Gen Z are becoming aware of the massive ecological damage that fast fashion is having on the planet. It’s no secret that fast fashion has been responsible for a catastrophic level of environmental pollution. Overt use of raw materials, water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are only part of the story. This circular buy, wear and toss behavior is impacting landfills and becoming a major carbon contributor. Fast fashion has also played a very dark role in contributing to black market trafficking of forced labor.

There is evidence the seemingly unstoppable growth of fast fashion giants H&M and Zara may be slowing, or at least changing. H&M plans to close 160 stores.

The fashion giant was hit hard in mid-2018, after accumulating huge unsold inventory, forcing significant discounting to clear out

changing styles in young women’s dresses, tops, jeans, other apparel and accessories as part of its fast fashion strategy. The store catered to teenagers and young adults, along with some slightly older customers who refused to grow over 21.

The fashion chain had become successful due to its coolness factor and its ability to identify the needs of its customers. But these same customers started to move to online and other retailers. Falling sales forced the company to renegotiate shop rent leases and reduce the size of bigger stores. But this was not enough and cash crunch continued. The company was focussed on just growing stores and this diverted its attention, distracting it from producing the designs customers wanted.

Forever 21 tried to respond by addressing a broader segment of shoppers, selling clothes and other merchandise towards a larger range of customers. The move to online retail was something that Forever 21 did not pay attention to.

the goods. The effect of this resulted in unexpected reductions in profits for the sixth straight quarter.

Contrary to the forces behind fast fashion, there is evidence of movement by consumers of all ages and demographics towards buying fewer but higher-quality basics that can be mixed, matched and reworn, even with the addition of some great vintage accessories. Significant changes are underway—away from what’s trending and toward what’s stylish.

profitability combine product with distribution and operations. The company is focusing on improving brand positioning, increasing its online sales, continuing to reduce its store of stores and cutting its costs.

Marf gave the company the green light to a payment program for 200 million euros.

Through this program, the company plans to diversify its financing sources. Mango has undergone a reorganisation process during the last years to face the weak evolution of its sales and, above all, to the fall in its profit.

In 2018, Mango had net losses of 35 million euros, although it managed to improve its gross operating result (ebitda), which stood at 135 million euros. The company’s debt stood at 315 million euros at the end of 2018.

At the end of that year, Mango refinanced a debt of 500 million euros with its main banks to postpone its loans four more years.

Spain’s fashion brand Mango back on profitability path According to the documentation sent by the Alyternative Fixed-Income Market (Marf), one of the biggest European retailers is in its way back to profitability after being in low for three years. The company recently concluded the investment phase of the last years, The levers that Mango is using to improve

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MySize app help customers find the right size of jeans

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ySize takes the guesswork out of buying jeans. Users can now receive their size recommendation without having to download the application by easily entering their gender, height and weight. This data is then analyzed by MySize’s proprietary machine learning database in order to calculate the appropriate size. The second feature of the widget is guest mode, which allows guest users to enter their information and receive a size recommendation. The widget can then follow the user across the site and predict a size on different products.

MySize is a measurement app that provides sizing recommendations. The measurement solution bolsters buying confidence in customers by quickly generating their ideal size, which further increases brand loyalty and conversion rates for the retailer while reducing returns. Based on customer engagement, the technology allows retailers to optimize their customer sizing data and maintain appropriate inventory levels on relevant items.

Lee relaunches retro denim line for women

Lee has relaunched the first ever denim it made for women in the 40s and 50s. While vintage sizing has been updated to reflect modern sizes, the thread choices, hardware and manufacturing processes are the same as they were back then. These pieces represent a time when Lee took what was made for men and created jeans made specifically for the female body. They were aimed at women who were riding horses, working in factories during the war, who were making things happen and looking cool and effortless while doing so.

The reissued jeans are for the same women, the ones who forge their own path with confidence and grace, the women who don’t believe being a tomboy or a girly girl are mutually exclusive.

The collection includes the Lady Lee Rider, the original boyfriend jeans created in 1947; the Lee All Purpose Blue Jeans, a high-waisted wide leg introduced in 1950; the Lee Frontier Lady, a high-waisted, side-zip straight leg with pearl accents from 1952; the Lee Riders jacket from 1949; and a raw denim jacket and jeans set with classic white stitching.

While the widget produces accurate results, the app fine-tunes these measurements using proprietary measuring technology without taking photos. The tool not only benefits brands in the sense that they’re ultimately able to reduce returns, but they’re also better able to plan inventory—one of the biggest hurdles to providing customers with a successful instore experience.

Mothercare to cease operations in UK

Levi’s launches new capsule collection

Mothercare-the British children’s fashion company will cease operations in the United Kingdom in the following weeks and month.

The company has 79 stores in the country and 2,500 employees. Mothercare’s UK arm had been up for sale before it fell into administration, but no one had stepped forward to purchase the groups local business and store portfolio.

Before administration, two parties made indicative offers but neither progressed to the stage of final offering.

In the last year, the company had losses worth £36.3 million in the United Kingdom and a drop in sales of 13.5 per cent, to £336.6 million in the country. The group’s international business, meanwhile, ended the period with a profit of £28.3 million.

Tommy Hilfiger launches capsule collection inspired by past Tommy Jeans Sport Tech Denim is Tommy Hilfiger’s capsule collection inspired by the past. The collection turns the clock back to

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1997, when clashing color block patterns appeared on everything from hoodies to fanny packs, and street wear blurred the line between men’s wear and women’s wear. The latest drop includes 15 unisex pieces colored with teal, navy and lavender hues inspired by the street wear of the late ’90s. The piece that’s perhaps the most reflective of the time and the most iconic within the collection is the sport tech jacket. With metallic blue coloring and pops of red and white, the jacket is almost a larger depiction of the Hilfiger and Tommy Jeans logos, which are featured on the left shoulder and arm. Also included in the collection is the sport tech hoodie, available in teal, navy and orchid. It features a Tommy Jeans logo on the chest, as well as enlarged logos vertically stacked on the left arm. The opposite arm features a metallic graphic.

Levi’s recently launched a capsule collection through its eco-friendly line Wellthread designed to be easily processed by an industrial fabric-recycling plant. The collection was made in collaboration with surf brand Outerknown. It comprises graphic tees, Western-style shirts, jeans, and even a trucker jacket. Each of its clothing item is made from a single material.

For instance, the T-shirts are made entirely from cotton (including 25 per cent recycled cotton from jeans and other scraps). There is also a fleece-lined trucker jacket whose design enables the user to take out polyester fleece lining to recycle it separately from hemp denim.

The liner is made entirely with polyester from the thread to label, and the shell is made out of cottonised hemp.

When they’re separated, they are ideal input into both the cotton, cellulosic or polyester recycling system.

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CCI to issue ‘soft advisory’ to e-commerce firms

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air trade regulatory body the Competition Commission of India (CCI) plans to issue a “soft advisory” to e-commerce businesses operating in India in a bid to increase transparency through self-regulation.

Consumer trust is one of the key challenges facing the Indian e-commerce market and the online cosmetics industry in particular has faced problems with customers receiving fake products. Beauty retail giant Nykaa recently had a large amount of stock seized after a raid found unlicensed cosmetics in the business’ e-commerce store’s warehouse and both Amazon Flipkart have received complaints about fake cosmetic goods. E-commerce platforms have argued that they are not responsible for products retailed by independent sellers

Tribes India partners Ritu Beri to promote tribal crafts Tribes India has associated with Ritu Beri.

The aim is to promote Indian tribal crafts and culture. This is a partnership between one of India’s finest designers and the nation’s biggest promoter of tribal craft and culture. Ritu Beri has proposed a wide range of initiatives to mainstream tribal art form – creating a tribal museum, promoting a wall art festival, organising expositions promoting niche aspects of tribal art, organising fashion shows worldwide, re-modeling tribal products, tribal stores and packaging, introducing marketing strategies, organising a tribal parade, among several others.

Tribes India has more than a 100 showrooms all over India, which provide artisans the platform for marketing and promotion of their products. Tribes India is a part of Trifed, a family of over 1,50,000 tribal master craftsmen and craftswomen who, through their traditional methods, produce state of the art handlooms and handicrafts in deep natural forest areas of the country where they reside. Their access to large markets is therefore restricted, coupled with the constraints of marketing. Ritu Beri is expected to help make Tribes India a household name with her demonstrated and well-established expertise in the fashion world, her experience of working with different countries across the globe, and her ability to adapt to a region’s culture and touch the hearts of the locals.

Snapdeal adds 3,500 new pin codes To strengthen its delivery network in the country, Indian e-commerce platform Snapdeal has added 3,500 new pin codes.

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The e-commerce firm will now serve more than 26,000 pin codes across all 28 states and nine Union Territories.

With this expansion, Snapdeal will now cover small towns in key markets like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh.

but this has been debated.

The CCI had launched a study into the Indian e-commerce market back in May 2019 and intends to release its findings later this month. The government is also in the process of creating a draft e-commerce policy which is expected to address issues in the fast growing online retail market which do not currently have comprehensive regulations.

to strengthen its supply chain Other individual investors who participated in the round include Pradeep Parameswaran, Dilip Khandelwal, and Suhail Sameer.

Fablestreet mainly retails from its dedicated e-commerce store and with this investment plans to enter the offline market by opening exclusive brand outlets in the coming months.

Since its launch, Fablestreet has seen massive product acceptance, globally with its ‘My Style, Your Fit’ concept to offer bespoke fits being the real differentiator. The brand has already tapped into the growing demographic of Indian female professionals and plans to make deeper inroads into this segment in the coming year.

Apart from this, Snapdeal has also entered lower density markets like Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, and Nagaland. The e-commerce platform has witnessed strong sales from smaller cities across India, which contributes 90 percent to its overall revenue with metro cities adding the remaining 10 percent.

Snapdeal uses an extensive network of thirdparty logistics providers to ensure that sellers can ship goods directly from establishment. It has partnered with leading logistics providers like Xpressbees, Bluedart, Delhivery, Ecom Express, Shadowfax, FedEx, and Gati to help it with the delivery of its products across India.

Fablestreet raises Rs 21 crore to expand capacity Fablestreet, a premium workwear brand, has raised Rs 21 crore ($3 million) in series A round led by Fireside Ventures. The brand will use these funds to expand its omnichannel presence, product portfolio and hiring senior professionals. Apart from that, it will also invest in technology, product development, and looks

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WBHA completes 125 years of operations their participation in the industry.

Associations and initiatives

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he West Bengal Hosiery Association (WBHA) recently completed 125 years of its operations. Over these years, the association has emerged as the major think-tank of the hosiery industry in India and contributed immensely to its growth in the country.

“The journey which started 125 years ago has reached its prime today,” said Sandeep Seksaria, Hony Secretary of the association.

Over these years, the association has emerged as the major think tank of the industry and contributed immensely to its growth in India.

“It safeguards the interests and future growth of the hosiery industry by generating new employment opportunites and ensuring best working conditons for the workforce,” added Ashok Kumar Todi, President of the association.

The hosiery /knitwear market in Kolkata is currently estimated to be worth over Rs. 200 billion. “There are over 2,500 hosiery units in the state with the sector being one of the biggest employment generators in West Bengal. Its rapid development gives us a hope of a more promising future,” noted Seksaria.

“Technological advancements are providing the industry much needed support helping it to register revolutionary year on year growth,” he added.

Rejuvenating its objectives Established in 1959, WBHA was registered under the Societies Registration Act by its

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Ashok Kumar Todi, President, WBHA

seven founding members in 1963. Since then, the association has grown to house over 300 members.

The association periodically rejuvenates its objectives by broadening its scope and setting up higher goals.

Its objectives during its formation included protecting and promoting the interest of the hosiery industry and trade in general; maintaining a harmony amongst the workers and employers of the industry; creating a fellowship amongst the members of the association, representing the association at the government level and establishing just and equitable principals for all segments of hosiery industry in West Bengal.

However, the association now aims to focus on expanding its infrastructure, sharing its knowledge and resources, acquiring new members and increasing

WBHA is currently affiliated to the Federation of Chambers & Industry (FICC). It is also represented on the ISI Sectional Committee – TDC, Hosiery Panel that was constituted by the Government of India and State Level Modernisation committee. In addition, it is represented in FICCI’s Small Scale Industry Sub Committee, Executive Committees Federation of Hosiery Manufacturers Association (FOHMA) and various sub committees of Bharat Chamer of Commerce.

In addition, WBHA is also a tier II partner of the Textile Committee’s new project – “Strategies and Preparedness for Trade and Globalisation in India Textiles and Clothing sector”. This project is being jointly implemented by the Textiles Committee of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India in association with the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD) Department for International Development (DFID), UK and Ministry f Commerce, Government of India.

Sandeep Seksaria, Hony Secretary, WBHA

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4 HALLS + 160 COMPANIES OVER 1350 PRODUCTS...

EDITION

2020

An Exhibition on Knitting-Dyeing-Sewing-Finishing-PrintingEmbroidery-Linking-Laser Cutting-Allied Machines & Accessories

Live Demo of Technology/Machines on r r r r r r r r r r r

3-4-5-6 January, 2020

Dana Mandi, Bahadur Ke Road, Ludhiana, INDIA

KNITTING WEAVING DYEING SEWING PRINTING EMBROIDERY LASER CUTTING FINISHING PACKAGING ALLIED MACHINES & ACCESSORIES

Organizers:- GARMENTS

MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION (REGD.) EXPO

SCO - 4, Lucky Enclave, Nr. Basti Jodhewal Chowk, Ludhiana -141 007 Punjab (INDIA) Tel: +91-161-5006077, +91-98158 23182, e-mail: gmmsaindia@gmail.com, www.gmmsaexpo.com For Booking Contact:- Mohan S. Chawla Rajinder S. Bhamra +91-92161 20759 +91-99885 18082

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Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics 2020 to help tap new opportunities in the sector

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“the next spring edition will be held from march 11-13, 2020 at the National exhibition and convention centre (Necc) in shanghai. to be organised by messe Frankfurt (hK) along with sub-council of textile industry, ccPit; and the china textile information centre, the expo will enable worldwide textile suppliers and buyers to once again anticipate new potential and opportunities at the industry’s most prominent sourcing platform”

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nfazed by economic uncertainties and trade concerns, the spring 2019 edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics welcomed a record-breaking 94,661 visitors from over 110 countries and regions in 2019. The fair presented itself as an exceptional spring / summer apparel sourcing

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platform for buyers from China and worldwide with 3,273 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions. While the Chinese exhibitors showed off the country’s strong capability in apparel exports as an international manufacturing hub, a 12 per cent increase in overseas exhibitors also illustrated the attractiveness of China’s large domestic purchasing power.

exhibitors promote new products; increase brand exposure The steady growth of visitor numbers, especially international visitors, provided a greater chance for suppliers to meet more potential buyers, such as garment manufacturers, designers and retailers from Korea, Japan, India, the US, Russia, Italy

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and Spain. Besides understanding about the Chinese market, 90 per cent of overseas exhibitors promoted their new, high quality products besides increasing their brand exposure at the event.

The next Spring Edition will be held from March 11-13, 2020 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) in Shanghai.

To be organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) alongwith Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre, the expo will enable worldwide textile suppliers and buyers to once again anticipate new potential and opportunities at the industry’s most prominent sourcing platform.

Fringe events to help promote brands, attract clients Occupying seven halls at the NECC, the event will showcase the industry’s latest domestic and international trends at specialised product zones and pavilions.

This will be complemented by the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum and the Fabrics China Trend Forums that will focus on international and domestic forecasts respectively, and a series of seminars and panel discussions presented by industry experts from China and

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overseas. These fringe programme events will help exhibitors to promote their brand and attract potential clients to their booths as well.

The highly appreciated business matching programme will facilitate the sourcing progress with more convenience and better suit buyers’ needs.

The expo will include the following zones: • Country & region pavilions / zones: France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy (Milano Unica), Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan and more • Group pavilions: Korea Textile Centre and Birla • Accessories Vision: a comprehensive range of garment and fashion accessories • All About Sustainability: products, services and solutions that meet global demand for sustainability • Beyond Denim: This zone will showcase denim solutions with cutting-edge technologies for a wide range of products from fabrics to accessories • Digital Printing Zone: This will include fabric printing technology that covers machinery, inks and transfer paper to

chemical auxiliaries and apparel fabrics • Functional Lab: The functional Lab will display innovative fabrics for athleisure, sportswear, protective apparel and more • Premium Wool Zone: High-end wool and luxury wool cashmere fabrics from France, Italy, the UK and more for menswear, womenswear and suiting • SalonEurope: This will be a platform for the best of European brands to satisfy the Asian market • Verve for Design: This will offer inspirational and original textile pattern designs by designers and studios from Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Turkey, the UK, the USA and more

A textile platform of unrivalled scale and variety Participants at Intertextile Apparel will also benefit from the four concurrent fairs: the Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, Yarn Expo Spring, CHIC and PH Value. Combined together, these fairs will create a textile platform of unrivalled scale and variety to offer new opportunities and business connections to exhibitors and buyers at one convenient location.

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Review

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Weaves 2019 records over 5,500 business interactions

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he second edition of Weaves –a one-stop comprehensive sourcing and trading platform recorded over 5,500 business interactions in various categories. It also held over 350 one-to-one meetings at B2B lounges where the buyers directly interacted with the exhibitors at their product stalls.

The four-day event attracted over 200 textile machinery manufacturers and MSMEs. It was organised from November 27-30, 2019 at Texvalley, Erode in Tamil Nadu in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The fair was inaugurated by Dr A Sakthivel, Vice Chairman, AEPC & CMD, Poppys Group in the presence of dignitaries’ like Hari Thiagarajan, Vice Chairman, CII-Tamil Nadu State Council and Executive Director, Thiagarajar Mills; T. Rajkumar, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Textile Industry; Nitin Mittal, CEO, Standard Chartered Research and Technology India; Prabhu Dhamodharan, Convenor, ITF;

Inside fashion DEC 2019.indd 55

Dr Prakash Vasudevan, Director, SITRA; Balasubramaniam, Deputy Director & OfficerIncharge, ROTxc; C Devarajan, Past Chairman, CII Erode Zone and Vice Chairman, Texvalley; P Periyaswamy, Chairman, Texvalley. Dr A Sakthivel presented “Young Inspirations of India” award to ten successful personalities from various segments of the textiles industry.

The event was attended by leading textile companies and personalities from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, England, Vietnam, UAE, Dubai, Poland, Australia, etc alongwith domestic buying agents, leading buying houses, sourcing agents, and other buyers from various parts of India like New Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Himachalpradesh, Jaipur, Karnataka, Andhrapradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, etc..

Fashion show blends Indian tradition with modern technology Weaves 2019 also featured a fashion show that blended Indian tradition with the modern

technology. The fashion show featured 15 female and 10 male models alongwith students from the textile design Institutions at Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore, Erode and Chennai. The show displayed traditional, casual, ethnic and designer garments by 40 designers including 15 from the Fashion Design Club, Texvalley.

Companies who promoted their brands on the stage included The Chennai Silks, JansonsJDC, KG Denim, Nool by Hand (5P Venture), Twin Birds, Nandu & Prisma.

Conference highlights importance of SPV and sustainability in industry A conference comprising several panel discussions and interactive sessions was held from November 28-29, 2019. The conference highlighted the importance of forming a special purpose vehicle for creation of CFCs, designing and production of goods and getting regular updates on trends. Kumar Jayant, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government,

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Review

Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles & Khadi, Government of Tamil Nadu, said. “The government can form a Special Purpose Vehicle to allot land, and create common infrastructure including effluent treatment plants (ETP), testing labs, and design centres for a group of units that shows interest in forming clusters anywhere in the state. He also urged the industry needs to set up zero liquid discharge systems and common effluent treatment plants under Integrated Processing Development Scheme (IPDS) that cover upto 75 per cent of the project cost.

The conference also highlighted the significance of sustainability in textiles, advantages of new age textile machineries, need for a business structure to meet global market needs, etc. Speakers at this conference included Nitin Mittal, Irna Mutiara, Prabha, M.Balasubramanian, R.Amalorpavanathan, ND.Mhatre and Kumar Rajagopalan.

who had expanded their business at Texvalley by multifold.

This year a large number of potential buyers from foreign countries visited the exhibition.

“This strengthened our belief that there are

immense opportunities for us to improve trade relations with neighbouring countries and showcase our products to global customers,” said C Devarajan, Past Chairman, CII Erode Zone and Vice Chairman, Texvalley.

Opportunity to strengthen trade relations globally Sengottaiyan KA, Minister for School Education;P Thangamani, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise; KC Karuppannan, Minister for Environment; Kumar Jayant, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles & Khadi, Government of Tamil Nadu, S Chandramohan, Chairman, CII, Tamilnadu were the chief guests at the valedictory session of the event These ministers awarded top five textile entrepreneurs

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Business news

Levi’s grows by a record 25 per cent in India this fiscal

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evi’s has grown 25 per cent this fiscal. This has been the iconic denim maker’s highest ever growth rate in India since it entered the market 25 years ago. The company recorded Rs 1,100 crore revenue from India operations as it made its offerings more premium. Pre-tax profits for Levi’s India stood at Rs 91 crores during the period under review compared to Rs 59 crores a year ago. The company saw the fastest growth coming out of women’s jeans. Levi’s will look to grow the women’s segment faster than men’s, going forward.

The latest financials of Levi’s puts it in a leadership position.

Levi’s is present in about 430 stores spread across 160 cities while also being available on leading online marketplaces.

Tata Unistore net losses widen

The brand plans to expand in segments like accessories, footwear at a fast pace than its other core businesses. Much of its revenue and profitability growth is driven by the fact that it is now established as a lifestyle brand providing a head to toe solution for men and women. This is reflected in the high growth of tops and a 1:1 tops to bottoms mix in this market. The company’s profit remained flat at Rs 50 crores owing to recognition of deferred tax assets in its books.

Odisha woes Jockey India to set up manufacturing facility

in over 23 countries. The Japanese apparel retailer offers high functional and high quality apparel called Life Wear. This is inspired by life’s needs and provides thoughtful and timeless clothing available in a variety of colors and styles for people of all ages. The clothing comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity and is for men, women, children and babies. Uniqlo also has Ultra-Light Down and Heat Tech garments as well as products featuring premium fabrics, including denim, extra fine merino, cashmere and more. Uniqlo works actively across product segments and in many cases creates new categories. For example, winter thermal wear.

Though the category exists, many people do not wear winter thermals because they are uncomfortable. So Uniqlo created a category of thin layered thermal wear which has been a big hit worldwide. The plan is to make Uniqlo accessible across India. For the next six months the focus will be on understanding the Indian market better, including taste, color, pricing, size.

Lenskart revenue up 56 per cent

Tata Unistore’s net losses have widened over 18 per cent. The considerable amount of capital infusion and operational expenditure Tata Unistore has undertaken in the past few years has resulted in the losses. However, with Indian consumers accepting e-commerce, it expects robust growth and better financials on a year-on-year basis. With a clear regulatory regime evolving in the e-commerce segment, the company expects a more efficient business environment and improved consumer confidence in the coming financial year.

Tata Unistore owns and runs the three-year-old e-commerce venture Tata CLiQ. This has yet to scale up. The portal was launched in May 2016.

The Q in the logo represents a magnifying glass – a visual representation of the brand’s focus on curating only the best brands and products. Tata CLiQ sells products across categories such as apparel, footwear and electronics. It plans to add more categories and brands. The venture seeks to cash in on rising purchasing power in a market dominated by deep-pocketed international retailers and startups backed by global tech investors. The website was developed over a year-and-a-half at a cost of several hundred million dollars to be a marketplace for in-house and partner companies to sell apparel and electronics. It’s moving toward strengthening its footprint in the Indian e-commerce space.

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The Odisha government is wooing Jockey India to set up its garment manufacturing base in the state. The company is currently in talks with state officials to set up this unit. It plans to invest Rs 120 crore on the unit that will generate employment for around 5,000 people.

Odisha’s attractiveness for textiles investments is vindicated by ABFRL and Shahi Exports operating their units out of Bhubaneswar. According to an Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) report titled ‘Location Analysis for Selected Cities in Odisha for Sector,’ Odisha is emerging as one of the top destinations for apparel manufacturing in the country. The state government has identified apparel as one of the identified focus sectors as part of its Vision 2025 for industrial development.

Odisha offers abundant skilled skilled workforce for the apparel sector. The attractiveness of the state for textiles investments is vindicated by ABFRL and Shahi Exports operating their units out of Bhubaneswar.

Lenskart’s revenue has jumped 56 per cent this financial year compared to the last financial year. Total expenses shot up about 20 per cent. A combination of increased cost of material, employee benefits and total expenses, which also includes marketing and promotional costs, drove total expenses higher. The company has expanded across the country and established its footprint in Singapore, its first overseas market. Lenskart has held discussions with Japan’s SoftBank, the world’s largest technology-focused investor, to lead its next round of funding.

Lenskart is an omni-channel eyewear solutions company with some 535 stores across India. The aim is to reach a total of 650 stores

by March 2020.The decade-old company plans to set up 2,000 stores in the country over the next five years. Lenskart is among a group of specialised web retailers that have grown to adopt an omnichannel strategy. Lenskart’s strategy to scale up manufacturing has allowed the company to double its production cycle, ensure faster inventory turnarounds and offer a greater array of products through entering new product categories.

Uniqlo profit up 29 per cent

Uniqlo’s net profits increased 29 per cent this fiscal. The Japanese retailer is set to open its second store in India in Gurgaon. The first outlet is in New Delhi. The firm wants to expand very rapidly in the country.

Uniqlo, based in Japan, currently retails

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Industry Bytes

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Rishi Vasudev quits as the group fashion head of Flipkart Rishi Vasudev, group head of fashion at Flipkart and head of Myntra, will quit the India’s largest e-commerce group in March 2020 after being associated with it for almost five years.

Over the past five years, Vasudev has played a key role in building and nurturing the fashion category at Flipkart. Earlier this year, he was promoted to the ranks of Vice-president at Flipkart besides being given the additional role of managing Myntra following Narayanan’s departure. Most recently, he partnered with the Myntra to bring synergies across the group.

A former CEO of Calvin Klein in India, Vasudev joined Flipkart as the head of fashion in 2014 and become one of the most important executives in the management team headed

by Kalyan Krishnamurthy post the Bengaluru e-commerce group’s acquisition last year by Walmart $16 billion. His departure from Flipkart comes less than a year after Narayanan stepped down from the position of CEO of Myntra-Jabong in January this year and at a time when Flipkart is planning to integrate Myntra-Jabong within its own fashion vertical.

Duke Fashions felicitated with MSME award Duke Fashions (India), a lifestyle brand with an affluent track record in manufacturing quality readymade garments with contemporary styling, has been honored with ‘Punjab State MSME Award’ for its Outstanding Quality Products and Tremendous Business Growth. Komal Kumar Jain, Chairman Duke Fashions received this award from Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh during the Punjab Investors Summit-2019, which was organised to promote Punjab as an attractive and competitive destination for Industrial Investments, at Mohali. The initiative aims to recognise and promote the visionary spirit of the entrepreneurs of Punjab. In total, the Punjab Government envisions the distribution of 18 awards in each of the sectors.

Jain further added business strategy, vision and innovation are the principal pillars on which Duke Brand’s forward-thinking corporate policy is founded. “This prestigious award by the Punjab Government rewards our passion for excellence in quality and performance,” he said.

He further revealed that the state government is taking all possible steps for the promotion and growth of textile Industry. It has also launched a very attractive Punjab Industrial and Business Development Policy, 2017 offering various incentives for all sectors of Industry.

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Himanshu Kapania is the new vice-chairman of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail

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imanshu Kapania is the new vicechairman of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL). Kapania is an IIM Bangalore and BIT alumini. He was earlier the managing director of Vodafone Idea.

His experience across sectors is expected to help Aditya Birla further scale up in India.

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail is one of India’s largest fashion companies with a network of 2,875 stores, 22,000 multibrand outlets and 5,400 points of sales in department stores. ABFRL has set up an internal online platform to collate data, analyse and frame long-term business strategy. The recently-launched Liva brand

by Grasim, as well as the registration of over 400 spinners, weavers and processors under the Liva Accredited Partner Forum to process viscose staple fiber as an alternative to cotton, will ensure sustainability of the business along the entire value chain.

By 2030, the group expects more demanding laws and regulations, which will shrink business operating space, and will require manufacturers to completely

transform their value chains to remain sustainable. Aditya Birla is confident of continuing its market-leading performance on the back of a wide distribution network, high quality talent and credible leadership team. ABFRL has acquired a 51 per cent stake in Shantanu and Nikhil.

Chief Minister Capt.

Amarinder Singh congratulated the award winners for achieving excellence in various fields and hoped that other enterprises in the sector would emulate the examples set by the awardees. He said that the textile sector is playing a pivotal role in the economy and it needs to be recognised and respected by all.

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media quotes THE COMPLETE GARMENT PROCESSING UNIT

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“We want to double our footprint and our monobrand portfolio will also see growth.

However, those (mono-brand) stores cost much less at about Rs 2-3 crore per store to set up.”

Amit Pande

“There is a shift in the Indian fashion scenario with people opting for comfortable yet stylish clothing. This has led to the rise of the athleisure category in India.”

Rajat Khurana

CEO, Aditya Birla Fashion Retail (Fast Fashion)

Brand Head, The Collective

Managing Director, Asics

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