POWER BRANDS VOL 6 NO.1

VOL 6. NO. 1

Limited Edition

PB_Ads_final.indd 5

8/3/2018 4:15:25 PM

PB_Ads_final.indd 6

8/3/2018 4:15:26 PM

BONJO

JOUR

NIRMALESHWAR DEVA

MAHAMAYA MATA

KRISHNADARSHI ICHHAPOORTI GANESHA

GURUMATA NIRMAL AMMA, FOUNDER, MAHAMAYA TEMPLE

MAHAMAYA MANDIR, VANGNI (E), e-mail:devibhaktiprachartrust@gmail.com

Yaa devi sarvabhuteshu, maatrirupena sansthita..

Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah!

THIS SPECIAL ISSUE OF ‘POWER BRANDS 2018 ‘ IS DEDICATED TO OUR DIVINE GURU MATA NIRMAL AMMA & MAHAMAYA DEVI

CONTENTS 20| Luxury Branding

A balance between creating an aura and overpromoting

78| Madame: Western wear innovations for women

24| Brand Marketing

79| Monte Carlo: Knitwear brand for the fashion savvy

Personalisation, unique retail experience, new ways of enticing consumers

28| Digital branding

VOL 6. NO. 1

Limited Edition

81| Parx: High speed innovation

30| Branding thru Sustainability

82| Ruff: A futuristic outlook

Global brands fostering change in production cycles, consumer mindset

84| Status Quo: Complete wardrobe solution for men

33| branding jeanswear

85| Turtle: A lifestyle men’s brand

Focus on sustainability, unique in-store experience key to branding

86| w: The mix n match pioneer

36| Kidswear branding

Ingrediants

A profitable proposition for brands/retailers

41| Case Study Editor-in Chief & Publisher & CEO Sanjay Chawla

Zara h&m Burberry

Director - Salil Chawla

International Mega brand

Managing Editor - Sujata Dutta Sachdeva

49| Aéropostale: An incredible transformation story

Assistant General Manager - Saqib Meer

50| Arrow: A Broad assortment of apparels 51| Cadini: Synonymous with excellence and creativity in men’s fashion

Editorial - Narayan Subramaniam

52| Celio: Masculinity and relaxed fashion

Editorial Asst. - Ranjit Kaur

53| Fruit of the Loom: Most comfortable underwear ever

Sales Team: Upasna Chhabra

Sanchita Banerjee

Bipasha Bhattacharya

54| Gant: Shirts with signature features

Correspondent - Ajay Kumar Goswami,

Prerna Sharma

56| Jack & Jones: The disruptive, rebellious and edgy brand

55| gap: Redefining denim choices in India

Graphic Designer - Sanjeev D. Sonavane

57| Nautica: Taking ahead its water-inspired heritage

Production & Admn. - Dhansukh Rathod,

Dinesh Poojary

58| Only: Uniqueness is in the name 60| Pepe Jeans: Denim for the young at heart

Mumbai Office: 38/314, Unnat Nagar 4, Off M. G. Road, MHADA Colony, Goregaon (W), Mumbai - 400 062. Ph: 022 2875 5181 e-mail: dfuif@yahoo.co.in / dfu@rediffmail.com Dehli Office: Salil Chawla, Business & Mktg: New Delhi - 110017, Mobile: +9193503 18639/ 95601 79633 e-mail: dfudelhi@yahoo.co.in

62| Triumph: Lingerie that makes a fashion statement 64| Vero Moda: Vibrant, fast fashion for young women power brand

66| 109°F: New Age fashion for urban women 67| Being Human: Every garment shaping a life 68| Blackberrys: Optimum wardrobe solutions for men 70| Classic Polo: Affordable, superior quality apparel

Powered By: DFU Publications

72| Deal Jeans: Wooing women with designer denim and chic tops 73| Duke: Top T-shirt brand with authentic fashion heritage 74| Hoffmen: Focus on Tier II and III towns 75| Indigo Nation: Cult brand for the young and restless 76| Jealous 21: Denim with the right fits 77| Manyavar: A strong customer connect

16 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

and boro inspired collections

Making a fashion brand, digitally

VP-Corporate Communications Shraboni Mukherjee

80| Numero Uno: Scoring high with zero gravity denim

87| Liva: The New Age soft fluid, eco-friendly fabric 88| R Elan: Innovative fabric range for better functionality

snapshots

|

90 US Polo Assn: In the spirit of the game

Ralph Lauren: Aspirational lifestyle brand Calvin Klein: World’ leading fashion studio

|

91 Louis Philippe: Purveyor of fine clothing Allen Solly: New Age work wear Van Heusen: Modern, minimalist, timeless clothes

|

92 Zodiac: For the forward-looking man

Corneliani: Finest Italian tailoring tradition Indian Terrain: The choice of a cosmopolitan man

|

92 Lee Cooper: For the young and the youthful suullers: Orange at the core John Players: Cool fashion for the youth

|

96 Peter England: Chic, fashion forward apparel Oxemberg: Epitome of world-class fashion Cantabil: Florals fused with modern geometrics

|

98 Stori: A standout line Callino: A new menswear fashion brand John Miller: Tailored for ultra comfort 100| FORCE NXT: Exploring fashion and innovation in

innerwear Cool Colors: End-to-end garment solution Breakbounce: Global street fashion for young men

|

102 Black Panther: A sporty core with wearable styles Bonjour: Changed the way socks are sold in India Supersox: A wide range of socks for every feet

|

104 Crusoe: Adventure-inspired designs Neva: A wide collection of thermals for every Indian zoiro: Eco-friendly innerwear

|

106 B:kind: A blend of influences and themes Bodycare Creations: Building on quality and pricing Zola: The best casual fashion brand

|

108 Amante: Niche intimate wear Enamor: For beautiful insides Groversons: Inner beauty and comfort 109| Toonz: Touching the right chord among children and parents

|

110 612 League: Celebrating a child’s inner star Bodycare kids: Building on quality and pricing

M

Mannequins Display Dummies Dress Forms Jiffy Steamers Wooden Hangers Display Accessories Any Customised Work

Art

& branding science of

What is a brand? Ask ten experts and you get ten different answers. In other words, everyone knows a brand when they see one but can't quite define it.

To progress from a label to a brand is what every business aspires for. A brand confers respectability and status. The product is no longer a commodity. It is not merely to be consumed but to be savored.

Lux ury B r an d i n g

Brand Building

A balance between creating an aura and overpromoting Given their unique positioning and niche target group, luxury brands have to deal with the liability of market newness, compete with well entrenched incumbents who have made deep inroads into the local cultural fabric. A look at some practical tips to create that winning formula and drive luxury fashion growth forward…

W

ith growing competition and the trend of commoditisation, companies are keen to create strong brands, especially luxury brands that can increase their revenue base, enhance their overall brand equity and strengthen the base of their loyal customers.

However, building luxury brands is extremely challenging. Given these inherent challenges, how can companies build globally successful luxury brands that simultaneously appeal to key customers while differentiating themselves with the field defined by long-standing brands? Martin Roll offers a practical framework for CEOs and brand managers to build resonating luxury brands by following certain key strategies:

Luxury fashion fans want to touch a piece of fame, not the ‘boy next door’.

Darren Dahl, Marketing Professor, the Sauder School of Business, UBC

Identify a niche segment One of the fundamental principles of effective branding is to diligently select a lucrative segment that they can then target through an enticing positioning.

Although this general principle is universally applicable, luxury brands are substantively different from other brands. Luxury brands are built on the premise of offering high symbolic value to a selective segment of consumers that are more focussed on high status associations than the underlying price.

Given the focus on highlighting symbolic value either through an overall brand experience or via exclusivity in offerings, price points or availability, luxury brands have a heightened need to identify their niche segment to which they design their offerings.

For example, the Giorgio Armani brand is known globally for its high end designer clothing line for men. Although the brand began by specifically targeting the ultra-high-end, mobile professionals that cared for a high quality product, over the years, it has gradually expanded its brand architecture scope with different products and slightly broader customer segments. Recently, Armani announced that it would launch the Armani jeans in the US market targeted at fashion seeking yet price sensitive youngsters in the urban metro cities in the US. Selecting such a

20 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

niche segment is key even to an established luxury brand such as Armani. As such, it becomes even more important to an aspiring luxury brand.

Positioning based on differentiation As global brands strategise their competitive moves, they are likely to either follow a cost leadership strategy or a differentiation strategy.

All luxury brands follow a differentiation strategy.

However, unlike differentiation on mere product attributes, luxury brands should aggressively differentiate their brand experience. Unlike the usual mainstream brands, luxury brands are characterised by high levels of customer loyalty, key features that define their identity and powerful associations with certain central intermediaries in the market for luxury products. These features mandate that the

Luxury Brand in g

level and type of differentiation that luxury brands carry out be even more powerful, more distinct and more focused on the symbolic value that it offers to customers.

Emphasise on symbolic value The most important element of creating luxury brands is the brand’s ability to create and communicate symbolic value for its customers.

Brands usually offer two types of value – functional value and symbolic value. Functional value emanates from the features and the potential uses of the brand. Functional value highlights the base line value that customers expect when they buy a brand over a commodity or a store brand because of its underlying promise of quality, reliability and trust.

As such, it directly reflects the tangible ability of the brand for the customers.

Symbolic value on the other hand emanates from the social standing of the brand, that is, the extent to which the brand is perceived as being an elite offering aspired by the customers. As such, symbolic value reflects the extent to which the brand is endorsed and validated by the cream of the customers. Global brands aspiring to build luxury brands should carefully devise strategies to emphasise symbolic value for their customers.

Aspiring luxury brands should strive to carve their own way of creating symbolic value for customers that they are primarily targeting.

One way to emphasize the brand’s symbolic value is through storytelling and building a longstanding heritage. If one were to study the similarities between luxury brands in the market today, it is very apparent that all luxury brands have a story to tell, from its story of founding the brand, to its sustainable efforts in connecting with the society.

One interesting example is the Ralph Lauren brand. Starting out with making rags into ties, the American label truly personifies the rags-to-riches American Dream. As Ralph Lauren once said, “I don’t design clothes, I design dreams”.

Create perceptions of exclusivity All luxury brands strive to create a sense of exclusivity for its customers. Perceptions of exclusivity can in terms of unattainable price, limited geographic availability, barriers to possession, or even limited supply. These mechanisms of creating perceived exclusivity not only creates a pseudo sense of demand for the brand in the eyes of the observer

The trend for crowd-sourced fashion goods is booming; new research, however, shows that crowdsourcing fashion only works for mainstream brands – try selling haute couture devotee a user-designed Gucci purse and she will reject it as inferior and potentially damaging to her reputation. but also enables those who patronise the brand a sense of special status. Furthermore, creating the perception of exclusivity also enables the brand to sustain its positioning in the face of extreme external shocks such as heightened competition, regulatory shocks or even recession. As such, CEOs and brand managers striving to build luxury brands should carefully devise their strategies and resulting tactical actions to create a sense of exclusivity for their brands.

Nokia Vertu, the ultra high-end mobile phone, was launched by Nokia directed at luxury seeking customers. In addition to selling them through “Vertu Stores” that were located in the showrooms of Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, Nokia also managed to limit its supply to create a strong sense of limited availability and exclusivity. Another similar example

is Hermès. The aura of exclusivity around the brand is a result of its philosophy and aim to always remain “ultra-premium luxury” to be afforded by only the very few and not easily available. Such strategies can facilitate aspiring brands to create successful luxury brands.

Uncompromised delivery on superior brand promise Successful brands create supportive organisational and operational structures that facilitate the implementation of strategies to deliver on the promises. However, delivering on brand promises involves multiple dimensions in the case of luxury brands. Not only do luxury brands need to consistently deliver on the promise of symbolic value, they also need to project consistency and continuity in every possible touch point. Giorgio Armani, the Italian luxury fashion brand, takes great efforts to ensure that all touch points are effectively met across its vast global operational system.

To add to this, are the external shocks in terms of global recession leading customers to cut down on their luxury products, they are also forced to compete on non-luxury brands, many times on the price front.

In fact, many luxury and high-fashion brands have not been immune to this as we see many companies creating sub-brands in their brand architecture to capitalise on and cater to the low-priced customer segment. In such situations, it becomes even more important for luxury brands to solely focus on highlighting the symbolic value through brand experiences than being inconsistent to its brand

• Luxury brands don’t need to allure consumers, they must impress them • They have to project an air of strength, showing that they are at the top, not ‘bossed’ around by anybody, including their consumers • Hermès shuns celebrity freebies or paid endorsements altogether • It presents the celebrity as equal or the one paying tribute rather than the brand in need of someone else’s glory • Unlike mass brands luxury brands tend to stay veiled, creating an aura without overpromoting themselves • There’s always been a close connection between luxury brands and the art world • Both deal with products that are creatively inspired and exceptionally crafted • They build their value on limited supply and share a highly distinguished and elite audience.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

21

Lux ury B r an d i n g if they don’t connect as directly to the end user, they struggle to get that data. On top of that, millennials, as a group, don’t seem to value brands in the same respect that their parents might have. That’s a threat.

Both Gucci and Xcel Brands have worked a better connection to the end customer into their speedto-market strategies. Gucci’s Art Lab is designed to digest customer data faster and emphasise direct retail channels, like boutiques and e-commerce. Xcel Brands, which depends on retail partners, is building a better data loop between its in-house team and its wholesale partners.

promise of high value. Louis Vuitton is a good example of this as the brand is never on sale, and any surplus merchandise is destroyed systematically to avoid dilution of the brand equity. Maintaining their focus on superior value and unique brand experience across time and space is an important part of uncompromising delivery of brand promise.

Elie Saab – case in point Beirut is known as the Paris of the Middle East, where culture flows through the DNA of its people.

Elie Saab, the world-class Haute Couture designer is a shining example of this. Elie Saab’s flagship headquarters in Central Beirut represents the complexity of a man, who is minimalist in nature, but passionate about intricate details. The 300 strong team dedicated to exclusive clothing breathes life into shimmering dresses, sharing its passion for style. The team has members with three decades of embroidering experience who, along with a team of 50 experts, painstakingly embellish each layer of fabric. Elie Saab’s vision makes luxury more than a state of mind, it is a reality and a business.

Saab’s story is well-known; the icon started designing for his sisters at 9 years-of age and began his atelier at eighteen in the middle of the Lebanese civil war.

To be a successful couturier, he says that talented new generations need to listen, stay calm, and stay modest.

Saab’s brand has built a solid base of loyal fans and has held various initiatives that have an impact on their lives. Elie Saab relies on the value of portraying powerful and successful stories of women, to inspire young women to become success stories themselves. The designer believes that women have another dimension nowadays and that their power is more visible than ever.

Changing with times Labels like Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Coach, Helmut Lang, Burberry and Rag & Bone — all brands that could once call the shots around trends and fashion cycles — are adopting new strategies focused on increased flexibility and faster-paced production windows, in order to adapt to increasing competition and an in-control customer.

Karin Tracy, Head of fashion, luxury and beauty industries at Facebook, points out that speed is everything now. For luxury brands, whoever is the

For luxury brands which are positioned to help their customers exhibit affluence and elevated social status, user involvement is a powder keg that might backfire. Christoph Fuchs Associate Professor, Rotterdam School of Management

22 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

The most important element of creating luxury brands is the brand’s ability to create and communicate symbolic value for its customers. Brands usually offer two types of value – functional value and symbolic value. fastest right now will have competitive advantage, full stop. They need to step out of the comfort zone of perfection, think about how to move fast and build things to let them do so.

Fast-fashion brands like Zara — which releases new items four to five times faster than a traditional retail brand, according to the apparel consultancy firm Alvanon — and online-only retailers like Boohoo that can update their sites with hundreds of new styles daily, are guiding the quickening pace of trends, as well as customers’ need for newness.

Within the luxury industry, brands have taken different degrees of action to deal, with some disregarding the traditional fashion calendar to bend to a see-now-buy-now approach and others adding more collection drops throughout the year.

On the changing diaspora, Caitlin Aylward, director – research, L2, stated that in order to really perform like Zara does, or go with an immediate fashion calendar, these brands will have to consider an overhaul. There are other steps that can be taken to improve speed-to-market.

Leading with data Processing customer data and using that feedback to aid in faster decision making is an obstacle for luxury brands. Since many still make the majority of their sales through wholesale channels like boutiques and department stores, there is a degree of separation between customer feedback and the brand.

This distance poses a greater threat when the end customer’s behaviour is changing. Millennials, of course, have become known for less brand loyalty and an unwillingness to pay luxury prices.

Ed Gribbins, President, Alvanon, informed during an interaction that Data is the hardest because brands don’t own the customer, in many cases, and

Across the board, luxury brands are looking to get closer to customers through their owned chawnnels, not only to stay relevant, but also to take faster decisions. Antony Karabus, CEO, HRC Retail Advisory, added that luxury retail needs to get a much closer and tighter understanding of the customer, including the ones buying, what’s being bought and how they want to interact with you. Then they can react.

Building a luxury brand is a journey Indeed, building a luxury brand today amidst other longstanding brands in the current market landscape may seem daunting. However, with a clear plan to identify a niche customer segment and emphasise the brand’s symbolic value, there is huge potential for brand managers in Asia to differentiate and position new, iconic luxury brands in the market.

Some recent examples are Shang Xia, a Chinese luxury fashion brand offering high-quality products with a contemporary twist on traditional Chinese aesthetics and crafts.

In addition, another challenge that luxury brand managers need to deeply consider is how to make digital and technology a key business enabler.

Purchase decision of luxury consumers go much beyond just financial extravagance but allows them to pursue a passion or associate themselves with the brand’s image and aspiration. In such a digitalised and commoditised world, brands need to express the same emotion that can resonate with luxury consumers.

Digital disruption and emotional engagement, seemingly opposite, can be combined to enable companies to reap the most out of luxury branding efforts. With digital disruption being the norm in the industry, it will be exciting to see what new luxury brands will be discovered in the coming 5 years and how they will find new ways to engage consumers.

Br an d M ar k e t i n g

tech trends

Personalisation, unique retail experience, new ways of enticing consumers Marketing has undergone a sea change. Retailers who relied only on vanilla stores to boost their market have now transitioned to new ways of attracting customers. With increased competition both offline and online, and personal shoppers and technology, aiding consumers in their shopping decision, retailers are adopting New Age retailing strategies to remain relevant, writes Prerna Sharma.

I

n the 21st century brand merchandising strategies have become the core of many lifestyle and brand-driven retailers. It’s hard to keep up with rapid changing styles and trends fast transforming consumer attitudes.

In such a scenario, retailers must create ways and opportunities to add to the consumer experience to enable people to buy branded products from them. In the 90s, brand merchandising was what streetwear brands were doing all along without even knowing, branding merchandise with a message behind it that resonated with consumers. Today, individuals, influencers and celebrities are brands in themselves, not logos.

As a retailer, how do you use these strategies to work towards building a better brand identity that resonates with consumers? The market is growing for consumers who want branded products that carry a message, not just a logo - and they are willing to pay for it. However, with a disconnect between what branding is and what branding is not, if retailers began taking a similar approach to creating a lifestyle brand, they would reap rewards, points out Jeanel Alvarado, Founder, RetailBoss in her LinkedIn post.

Factors influencing consumers Personalisation is one of the biggest driving factors influencing brands’ botttomlines in a big way. In the Business of Fashion and McKinsey 2018 State of Fashion report, respondents identified personalisation as the number-one trend of 2018; the report also cites a Linkdex survey, which found more than 70 per cent US consumers expect some sort of personalisation from online businesses.

Broadly, a big focus of retailers today is taking information they get from shoppers’ browsing and purchasing habits and using it to create personalised experiences for those customers online, suggesting items one may like. Some have taken it a step further, introducing personal styling and personal shopping services, both on- and offline. Nordstrom,

24 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Personalisation is one of the biggest driving factors influencing brands’ botttomlines in a big way. In the Business of Fashion and McKinsey 2018 State of Fashion report, respondents identified personalisation as the numberone trend of 2018; the report also cites a Linkdex survey, which found more than 70 per cent US consumers expect some sort of personalisation from online businesses

for instance, opened a store recently that holds none of its own inventory but is geared towards hosting personal styling sessions. Retailers like JCrew and Topshop have also begun emphasising their instore personal styling services, wherein customers can make free appointments to have someone pull clothes for them and be more attentive than a typical sales associate.

Artificial Intelligence, shows the new way AI has been making waves lately in the fashion industry. Chatbots, often on Facebook Messenger, have been the most popular form of AI to be adopted by retailers. Some use them purely for customer service purposes to send order updates or as a more interactive FAQ page (some have abandoned this use, finding emails are sufficient); others have used them to create personal styling or shopping services.

Brand Marketin g connection based on common interests: it’s where beauty lovers can ask questions, share tips, and get recommendations in real time.

Levi’s, for instance, launched a bot to help shoppers find the perfect pair of jeans online. They hired the platform Mode.ai to build it, which claimed to be hired by Louis Vuitton for the luxury brand’s first foray into AI: a Facebook Messenger bot that allows users to share products with friends, ask questions about the brand, browse products and ask basic customer service questions.

The next frontier in this space is voice-enabled hardware like Amazon Alexa. Jonathan Shriftman, Director at Snaps, a startup similar to Mode.ai that develops bots for companies like Nike, Coach and Macy’s, said with the proliferation of Alexa and Google Assistant, yes, companies might have an Instagram strategy; a Facebook strategy; a Youtube strategy, but what’s their conversational strategy?

Because this is the next ‘Big Thing’, and companies need to be where their customers are. Notably, retailers are also beginning to use AI in tech-enabled stores. Bots are seen as being more scalable than humans, and a way for retailer to meet consumers’ increasingly high expectations without necessarily hiring more salespeople.

Data For personalisation and curation to succeed, having access to data is prime. The McKinsey report suggested, as consumer values coalesce around authenticity and individuality, brands will value data even more to tailor recommendations, engage influencers and personalise experiences.

The fashion companies that flourish will refocus on their strengths.

Experiential Retail

Mobile Retail Mobile shopping has taken retailing to a different level with more people using their phones to shop.

According to the MicKinsey report, in the US, mobile transactions are projected to reach approximately $930 billion annually by the end of 2018. Shopping on Instagram is also expected to become more commonplace. The wildly popular social-media platform recently partnered Shopify to launch in-app purchasing, which it plans to roll out to more brands.

Going by its huge popularity, major retailers like J Crew, Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M and Nordstrom, are working to establish a more seamless connection between online and offline — aka omnichannel. Year 2017 saw more retailers introduce features like buy online/pick up in-store, same-day delivery and mobile payment in stores that will surely become the norm next year.

Out of the Box Marketing Strategies A recent Euromonitor report on the luxury market noted that lifestyle and experiential categories were growing more quickly than products. Stronger global demand for luxury experiences is encouraging leading fashion houses to build bigger footprints in areas such as hotels, coffee shops, restaurants and bars. Millennial consumers are spending more on experiences than goods, and smart retailers are capitalising on that in different ways: Sportswear companies are organising hikes and jogs out of its stores; brands are opening pop-ups in hotels, etc.

Community The importance of community goes without saying. In coming years, the consumer’s primary

AI has been making waves lately in the fashion industry.

Chatbots, often on Facebook Messenger, have been the most popular form of AI to be adopted by retailers. Some use them purely for customer service purposes to send order updates or as a more interactive FAQ page (some have abandoned this use, finding emails are sufficient); others have used them to create personal styling or shopping services problem will no longer be the scarcity of products rather it will be the scarcity of genuine, human, social connection. Your customers are merely people with shared interests and values. Bringing them together with a sense of community can be socially powerful.

Sephora’s online ‘Beauty Insider’ Community is one example of how to create a strong sense of

Experiential retailing has become a buzz, and though it can often just be an expensive distraction, when well-executed, it can significantly enhance loyalty and increase sales. Effective experiential retail generally ties directly into the product and is focussed on either branding or on customers experiencing or interacting with the products in ways that directly increase sales. Stores stocked with great merchandise are warm and welcoming, and store associates who know their stuff – and how to work with every kind of customer. In-store events that encourage one to shop, are also fun and entertaining, like pop-up shops in unexpected places. The challenge for every brick-and-mortar retailer is to create and cultivate experiences that are unique to their business and thrill shoppers at the same time.

A look at a few leading retailers and the strategies they have adopted to entice consumers in unique ways

Aditya Birla Group Indian conglomerate Aditya Birla Group’s sustainable fabric brand Liva has come up with a chatbot or often termed as ‘virtual assistant’ for its website and Facebook. The chatbot dubbed as the ‘Liva Fluid Fashion Assistant’ has been developed in tech collaboration with Gupshup, a Silicon Valleybased bot and messaging platform. For the Liva brand, the chatbot functions as a fashion portal that features the most up-to-date information on fashion and celebrity style trends. It is meant to facilitate visitors to traverse through the Liva product assortment while handling enquiries from prospective buyers. It also provides them with a gateway to connect with the brand’s sales team.

Furthermore, the 24×7 tech service also aids the brand’s team to apprehend buyer’s inclinations and selections and then optimise the offerings.

The company feels the innovation will keep it connected to customers and help understand their preferences better. Beerud Sheth, Co-founder & CEO, Gupshup.io points out fashion purchases are usually a consultative experience. Customers want to browse through multiple options, learn

• Features like buy online/pick up in-store, same-day delivery and mobile payment in stores will become the norm • Millennial consumers are spending more on experiences than goods • Sportswear companies are organising hikes and jogs out of its stores; brands are opening pop-ups in hotels; etc • Experiential retailing has become a buzzy word • It can significantly enhance loyalty and increase sales • Influencer marketing still is top of the agenda for lifestyle companies.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

25

Br an d M ar k e t i n g

Tommy Hilfiger, IBM and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Infor Design and Tech Lab recently announced a collaborative AI project, ‘Reimagine Retail’, which involves the use of AI to identify, upcoming fashion trends and take the apparel design process to the next level. With the project, FIT students used IBM Research AI tools and a library of Tommy Hilfiger product and runway images to develop designs with AI. more about some of the items and then maybe purchase one. Chatbots such as Liva’s are ideal for enabling this consultative experience. They let the user control their own experience by presenting the information as requested. According to him, this tieup would redefine customer experience in the realm of fashion.

Recently, global fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton and Levi’s initiated chatbot services to attract the tech-savvy consumers of today and thereby increase sales of their products.

Future Group In December 2017, Future Group’s fashion venture FBB went all out and celebrated the festive fever by giving customers something unique to look forward to. Social Kinnect, FBB’s digital agency, conceptualised National Jeans Day. The initiative was aimed at influencing people to celebrate the most popular clothing item in today’s day and age.

This way, December 17, 2017 became National Jeans Day. To launch of the day, the agency started the #GrabAPair campaign to celebrate #NationalJeansDay. The aim of the initiative was to

26 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

popularise jeans as a category and increase overall sales. No other player in retail has taken the effort to own a merchandise category by creating such a brand property.

Anyone who bought a pair of jeans for over Rs 999 that day would get a T-shirt worth Rs 499 and cashback worth Rs 500. To create urgency, Social Kinnect asked customers to register online to get the opportunity to celebrate the day with the brand. This led to over 100,000 registrations on Facebook and on the brand’s landing page. With over 13 million impressions, the agency ensured that everyone was talking about National Jeans Day. The brand got onboard celebrities like Varun Dhawan, Katrina Kaif and Esha Gupta saying they were going to be part of the day to build further excitement among customers. National Jeans Day was a massive success. Sale of the jeans category grew five times that day compared to any other Sunday so far. Fbb almost sold out their entire denim collection on National Jeans Day.

Tommy Hilfiger At the recent ‘Tommy Hilfiger: The Power of Disruption’ panel discussion, Hilfiger and Michelle Peluso, Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer of IBM, highlighted how Hilfiger pursued disruption and innovation to keep the brand fresh and relevant to millennial consumers worldwide. Despite retail’s uncertainty, Hilfiger emphasised on the importance of connecting with youth culture—and delivering on consumers’ expectations with the brand’s ‘classic Americana-meets-pop culture’ image.

The ace designer said, whether you are a retailer, manufacturer, brand, you have to evolve without losing face. Hilfiger wanted to keep the brand young, so he surrounded himself with young people. To keep his brand’s youthful aesthetic over the years, he tapped celebrities for his ad campaigns. Notable past faces have included Beyoncé, Brittany Spears and other stars who played a role in the late ’90s and early ’00s music culture. Today, the brand is still using influencers, like model Gigi Hadid, in its campaigns, however, social media is the primary channel used to connect with consumers.

Around two years ago, Tommy Hilfiger captured everyone’s attention at the New York Fashion Week with an immersive show experience, where

Aditya Birla Group’s sustainable fabric brand Liva has come up with a chatbot or often termed as ‘virtual assistant’ for its website and Facebook.

The chatbot, ‘Liva Fluid Fashion Assistant’, has been developed in tech collaboration with Gupshup, a Silicon Valleybased bot and messaging platform. For the Liva brand, the chatbot will function as a fashion portal that will feature the most up-to-date information on fashion and celebrity style trends consumers experienced a carnival and purchased looks straight off the runway. Unlike the traditional fashion cycle, the show enabled consumers to interact, view and buy products on the spot, rather than wait months for products to come out. They could buy apparel, accessories and footwear from Hilfiger’s Fall 2016 collection and the exclusive TommyXGigi line. The risk paid off well for Hilfiger, who provided consumers with relevant and stylish products at their fingertips.

Tommy Hilfiger, IBM and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Infor Design and Tech Lab recently announced a collaborative AI project, ‘Reimagine Retail’, which involves the use of AI to identify, upcoming fashion trends and take the apparel design process to the next level. With the project, FIT students used IBM Research AI tools and a library of Tommy Hilfiger product and runway images to develop designs with AI.

Roposo The search for the most talented fashion designers and stylists in India became more promising with Roposo’s Fashion Fables 2.0. The fashion expedition witnessed some of the most creative budding designers showcasing their creations. The nationwide hunt for next-gen fashion designers that began on August 11, 2017 ended on on January 18, 2018 in Mumbai. Organised in association with Marie Claire, a lifestyle brand, the winner of the contest bagged a chance to design a special fashion collection for the brand, an internship opportunity with the brand, design credits on the website/social media by the team and Rs 50K worth of goodies from both the brands, besides a photo shoot with a professional photographer.

To sum up, today’s consumers want what they want, when they want it, the way they want it, and given all the shopping venues available to them, those wants are critically important.

D igital b r and i n g

social media

Making a fashion brand, digitally

Fashion digital marketing is one of the best ways to improve brand presence and sales, as well as increase brand awareness. It is easily trackable which helps in immediate feedback and determines if a campaign is working. Uhuru Network, LLC, has come up with 12 creative ideas to help a brand drive digital growth…

I

n a crowded online fashion market, it can be difficult to distinguish one brand from the pack.

Not only can fashion digital marketing improve brand presence and sales, it can increase brand awareness, and is easily trackable so that one can get immediate feedback and determine if a campaign is working. When done correctly, fashion digital marketing gets a product in front of ideal audience so they become aware of the brand, purchase the products, and ultimately turn into brand ambassadors. Here are 12 fashion digital marketing examples and ideas that will help market a fashion brand

Retarget your visitor with Facebook ads to increase conversion rates.

Most people are not ready to buy immediately upon seeing an ad or visiting a website. With retargeting one is able to reach the same people that were thinking about buying the product with reminder ads. Brands can retarget visitors to their website by creating Custom Audiences with Facebook (with just a snippet of code), and target Lookalike Audiences as well to expand reach. If they don’t purchase—let’s say after a week—the brand can give them a slight discount in the ad to get them to act. Retargeting people who have abandoned their shopping cart is also a fantastic way to generate sales that otherwise would have been lost.

items with a purchase over a certain amount. The customer is happy because they received something for free and every time they use that item they get reminded of your brand.

What’s more: Every seasonal incentive should also be shared on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, as well as your blog.

Run a promotion during holidays to increase sales and capture attention when buyers are more aware.

Create style guides to show visitors how to wear or incorporate items into everyday life.

Depending on the time of year, the brand could provide different incentives to buyers. If it’s Christmas, have a series of emails go out to email subscribers with a digital marketing strategy that focusses on compounding discounts. For example, they could promote 12 days of giving and offer a discount each day on a different product. Day one discount shoes, day two dresses, etc. Give subscribers a reason to share their email discounts with their friends and on social media.

Promote summer with discounts on pairings—a bathing suit and cover-up or sandals and shorts. Or offer a bonus gift with sales over a certain amount.

Sunglasses, flip-flops, hat, or sunscreen (with your brand and logo on it) are possible giveaway

If you own a fashion brand that sells a variety of clothing items, put together a style guide for your website so that visitors and subscribers can get ideas on how to wear your clothing, and even incorporate pieces into their existing wardrobe. Don’t limit yourself to just one guide. Style guides can be done seasonally (spring, summer, fall, winter), for special occasions (wedding, party, picnic), holidays (Diwali, Christmas, New Year), and for more topical themes: travel, work, weekend, beach.

Guides can be listed as a special section on your website and incorporated into your blog, where you can provide more in-depth information on each item in the collection. Try telling a story with the style guide to interest your customer. Limeroad can be the

28 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

best example of such a great marketing gimmick.

Run a giveaway on Instagram to increase both brand awareness and the size of your community.

If you have a very popular item in your store, run a giveaway strictly on Instagram. For the giveaway have your Instagram followers comment on why they want to win the item in the photo and then tag three of their friends that would want the gift as well. (Who will often comment and tag another three friends!)

Instagram giveaways can become a regular feature for your brand, offering a new item at the beginning of each month. Make sure you use beneficial and/ or recognisable hashtags for the item giveaway.

Create a special hashtag just for the giveaway program, that you will use each time. Running an Instagram campaign will increase your followers and brand awareness among Instagram users. Lot many brands have started doing this exercise. Some of the most notable ones are bunaai.com & thebagtalk.

Work with influencers in your category to provide you with access to a new audience, gain social proof, and receive

D igital b rand in g unique content.

To get in front of your ideal audience, work with a popular fashion vlogger or blogger that already has a dedicated following of people who would like your brand. Those with large audiences have built a reputation and are well respected by their readers.

They can have a huge impact if they choose to mention, review, or even wear your products. You can work with them to create content around a specific campaign or just create gorgeous images with your product. Their influence and creative take on your product will garner great interaction and sales.

Working with bloggers gives you two huge things: you get in front of a new audience and, if you selected the correct influencer, then you will gain new customers and the blogger will create content for you. Depending on the collaboration, they will share custom content on their blog, social channels, and you (the brand) may also get the opportunity to use the content they produce. When collaborating with a blogger, you can also run Facebook ads featuring the photos of the bloggers to send traffic their way, and in turn get your product(s) noticed.

PR TIP: When working with blogger, provide a brand guide so you give them more guidance and they create the content you are looking for.

Have every new email subscriber follow you on Instagram.

Send new email subscribers a thank you for following and direct them to follow you on Instagram for style inspiration and tips. Encourage them to not only follow you, but to share photos of themselves with your brand, using a special hashtag you provide.

This way you can reshare your customers’ images easily, creating brand loyalty and bringing a personal touch to your brand.

Create gift guides year-round for your ideal buyer’s life events to inspire them to buy.

Depending on the type of ecommerce store you own and your ideal buyer, create gift guides for life occasions. People buy gifts year-round, so promote your products by creating gift guides for Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, Valentine’s Day, weddings, anniversaries, baby showers, etc. Gift guides should be available on your website and can be sent in target emails to customers. You can also promote gift guides on all social media (with images, of course). These gifts guides are a collection of items that you sell in your shop that would fit a certain category for gifting. For example; for Mother’s Day if your brand sells women’s items, you could create a collection of perfect gifts for mom. Create a special landing page on your website with the list of shoppable items. You could also create a digital ebook with a magazine style gift guide. With ebooks, make sure you include links to your ecommerce store so they are easy to purchase.

Get your audience involved to create a community around your brand.

Encourage your audience to share content based on your brand values to foster engagement and reinforce those values. For example, you could run a contest on Facebook and Instagram where you ask

your community to share a photo of something that your brand believes in. Under Armour recently ran a campaign with Gisele Bündchen (and other women) where they used the hashtag #IWILLWHATIWANT to share something that the brand believes in and their online community was able to get involved as well by using the same hashtag.

When your community creates content for your brand, you might also incorporate shared photos into blog posts on your website or even your homepage like LOFT does. Who wouldn’t want to be mentioned by a fashion brand they love? By sharing the photos on your website, along with descriptions and links to buy the items, you have a customer that will share that link with all her friends.

Remember (and learn) customers’ birthdays to build brand loyalty.

Send your customers a happy birthday card via mail with a coupon code (#happybirthday). People love getting things in the mail and it means you are going the extra step outside the digital world. This will reinforce brand awareness and build loyalty. But you should always tie your non-digital activity like mail offers to digital, so you know if your efforts are working. For example, include a code that is only available to the customers who received the letter.

That way you are able to track offline activities.

Make sure your campaign messages resonate with your audience by reaching them everywhere—marry up offline and online channels for a truly integrated campaign.

Launch a blog or, if you already have one, keep up with it.

Provide constant valuable information to your audience via a blog. Blog posts should be regularly released (same day[s] of the week, same time of day), so your readers know when to visit, they should also be visually interesting and generally less than 500 words. Short, sweet, and to the point—which is what most readers are looking for these days.

There will be times that your online digital marketing strategy will require a longer (1,500-2,000 word) post with numerous photos and maybe even a video.

Longer blog posts are great for guides and

resources. For instance, you own an e-commerce store that specialises in camping. You could create a blog post that details the best places to camp in India with tips, hikes, activities, and best time of the year to visit. It’s a resource that you know your customers will like and it’s related to the products you sell.

Blogs are used as a way to promote products, let consumers know who you are, and provide them with advice. You can personalise your blog by writing about an employee, how your items are created from drawing to production (like ONA bags shared on their blog), or how you to choose your pieces in your collections. Discuss current trends and feature items in your brand that fit those trends. For your more popular pieces, pair them in a style feature with a more obscure item to garner interest and show how to pair up different pieces from your store.

Nurture people that are not ready to buy to turn them into a customer later.

When someone first comes to your shop, they are not always ready to buy. Make sure to capture their email address and have an automated email series that slowly feeds them new content and you’ll also learn their buying preferences, like how many emails it took for the person to turn into a customer. You will learn what type of products they prefer by what they click on in the emails and day and time they open their emails.

E-mail: a reminder to people who left items in their shopping cart to increase conversion rates.

People add items to their shopping cart and then forget all about them. Send a reminder email to those who added items to their shopping cart but didn’t buy. Send them in intervals: the next day, the next week, and then maybe the next month, along with a discount code to encourage purchase. In order to send reminder emails, your website visitors will need to have an account, so make sure you make it very easy for visitors to create accounts on your website.

Digital marketing can be a fairly easy and fun way to increase your brand awareness and sales. While it’s not necessary for you to employ all twelve tactics, you will probably find that each one individually will increase sales, brand awareness, or your community.

In a nutshell, the more you utilise, the stronger your brand presence will be.

• Fashion digital marketing brings a product in front of ideal audience • Retargeting is a fantastic way to generate sales • Style guide help visitors and subscribers get ideas on how to wear your clothing • Running an Instagram campaign increases brand awareness DFU’s POWER BRANDS

29

b r an d i n g t h r u S u s tain a bilit y

eco mindset

Global brands fostering change in production cycles, consumer mindset The industry and consumers have understood the impact of garment production on environment. Indeed, they have taken a few steps but these seem quite peripheral in nature and need a thorough think through to devise a long-term sustainable expanse. Customers on their part can opt for eco clothing and reuse to reduce their carbon footprint. It has to be a concerted effort from both sides to truly catapult the industry dynamics, writes Prerna Sharma.

T

he textile and clothing industry is one trade that is always on the move. New designs and new ways of making clothes are constantly evolving, easy to wear, use and even wash are in constant focus. What’s more, clothes today are made to last for short time frames with fast fashion. But these cycles have serious implications on the environment. Despite the shift from consumer to an experience and services economy, people continue to buy goods at accelerated, over-consumed rates.

Circular economy will continue to challenge the retail industry and drive supply chain to do much better in sustainable practices and transparency.

In order to avoid the harmful impact on environment, leading fashion companies including Zara, ASOS, H&M and global luxury group Kering have pledged to foster circularity and boost sustainability in the fashion industry under the guidance of Global Fashion Agenda. The pledges address four areas: design for circularity, increasing the volume of used garments collected, increasing the volume of used garments resold, and increasing the garments made from recycled post-consumer textile fibres. Design for circularity received the most attention, which means companies will focus on either training their designers in circular design strategies to implement circular design principles, such as increased durability, reparability, and recyclability.

VF Corp’s ‘Made for Change’ initiative outlining goals for advancing environmental and social improvements across the company takes on specific meaning when it comes to its Jeanswear Coalition.

Roian Atwood, Sustainability Director for Jeanswear at VF Corp., points out it’s because denim production has some unique characteristics, from cotton farming to fabric treatments to manufacturing methods that make sustainability goals more challenging. “When we look at the denim footprint, in general, there’s obviously an environmental impact, and we want to attack both the hotspots with the most significant

30 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

impact, and then there’s what is it that we can immediately control and effect,” he says. “When it applies to our own cut and sew facilities and the denim wash down process, we’ve been very diligent to implement water savings techniques, and in 2016 we announced our 2020 goal. It’s a Wrangler specific 2020 goal to remove 5.5 billion liters of water from our manufacturing process, leave it in the ground for local communities and we are doing that through not only improved wash cycles, but through simple water recycling methods.”

VF aims to decarbonise its business and help restore the planet’s ability to sequester more carbon through natural carbon sinks such as forests, farms and oceans. To eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in owned and operated facilities, it is moving to

source 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources. VF is also piloting a reverse osmosis program for water recycling across its laundry facilities. The test has seen a 50 per cent reuse rate for the past two years. In 2017, VF expanded the system to increase that rate.

Sustainable steps - a positive move Leading brands and companies are taking several steps to reduce their carbon footprint. ASOS has pledged to train its designers on circular product design and will also implement circular principles for packaging by 2020. In addition, it will launch a garment collection scheme and a recycling programme for customers in UK and Germany.

B randin g t hru SuS tain aBiLit y Inditex, owners of Zara, Stradivarius, Massimo Duty, Bershka, and Pull and Bear, has pledged by 2020 all its 2,000 local stores will have an active garment collection scheme in partnership with local organisations which can re-distribute and recycle the garments. Eva Kruse, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda says, “We have now reviewed all 143 of the targets, and although the focus areas and level of engagement vary from company to company, they all share a common feature by taking steps to transition to a circular fashion industry. I find that very encouraging.”

Adidas has partnered Fashion For Good – a global platform acting as a convener for change, to scale up sustainable innovation in the apparel industry.

The partnership intends to illustrate the benefits of cross-industry collaboration to integrate disruptive innovations in the fashion supply chain. Katrin Ley, MD, Fashion for Good, said, “Together with Adidas and our other partners, we are accelerating the transition to a circular apparel industry and reimagining the way fashion is designed, made, worn and reused”. James Carnes, VP-Strategy Creation, Adidas observes, “We want to be a driver for sustainable innovation, both within the industry and towards consumers. At Adidas, we have an Open Source approach where we believe in solving problems through collaboration with others. In this line of thinking, our partnership with Fashion for Good reinforces our commitment to sustainability and to building a network that impacts the world of consumers — together.”

Sweden-based home furnishings retailer IKEA was recently honored for its sustainability efforts at the World Economic Forum. As Patrik Antoni, Deputy Country Manager and Sustainability Head, IKEA India opines, the company is committed to ensuring that it creates a more sustainable life at home through each and every step it takes. IKEA aims to source locally available sustainable materials such as bamboo, jute, banana fibres, sugarcane, coconut, etc, for its end-products. It has taken many initiatives concerning energy-efficiency, waste disposal, recycling and community involvement to make its India business a sustainable one. The retailer, which is prepared to open its maiden store in India, has collaborated with producers in Karnataka to make products from banana fibres that are sold at its stores worldwide. The company has also inked a partnership with a supplier in western India to create products from 100 per cent recycled plastic. The retailer is also in talks with various state governments to establish bamboo sourcing facilities for sustainable production.

In early January, six multinational apparel companies — Esprit, Gap, Inditex, New Balance,

Puma and Target — became the first to have all of their Chinese suppliers openly identified on the IPE Green Supply Chain map. Jointly developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Beijingbased Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE), the map visualises real-time and historical trend data on air pollution, soil contamination and wastewater for more than 15,000 major industrial facilities. The information reaches back at least eight years.

“These brands are stepping up because they feel their environmental supply chain management is robust enough,” opines Kate Logan, Green

The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation recently launched its Implementation Hub in the Netherlands, which will accelerate positive environmental impacts in apparel, footwear and leather supply chains and elevate global sustainable chemistry practices. The hub’s debut was part of the ZDHC Foundation’s first ‘Friends of ZDHC’ event that brought together contributors to the sustainable chemicals cause, and the greater community of brands, supply chain partners and leading sector organisations that support ZDHC’s mission of protecting the planet.

Choice Outreach Director, IPE, working with more than 50 international brands to help them more closely monitor their supply chains. “Until now, customers have lacked effective tools to assess the environmental impact of their favorite brands’ global operations,” said Linda Greer, Senior Health Scientist, NRDC and Founder of NGO Clean

by Design green supply chain program. “These companies that have stepped up to put their names first on the inaugural map are showing new levels of transparency on their manufacturing abroad and are demonstrating real leadership in supply chain responsibility.”

Fashion is no longer just about trends and innovative designs, it is also a means to encourage dialogue on sustainable choices. Gautam Vazirani, Fashion Curator, IMG Reliance, who has been curating Lakmé Fashion Week’s Handloom Day for 13 editions, observes its evolution into Sustainable Fashion Day in the last two editions is a sign of the times. “The purpose of Textile Day was to promote ethical, artisanal fashion, but the value behind these principles is sustainability. This is the global conversation now, and we’re helping designers understand its value,” he says.

The recent fashion week saw designer-weaver collaborations — like Amit and Richard X Kaladhera — labels/designers Hemang Agrawal, Maku and Pankaja looking to Benaras, West Bengal and Odisha, and the popular #NorthEastMojo runway, with six Northeast designers showcasing their collections. “As a country with one of the world’s largest handmade

• Circular economy will continue to challenge the retail industry • Leading fashion companies have pledged to foster circularity • Boost sustainability in the fashion industry under Global Fashion Agenda • Brands that partner suppliers, innovate eco-materials and processes will lead a sustainable future.

• Eco-leather and down substitutes, as well as recycled, bio and regenerated natural and synthetic fibres, will gain popularity • Leading designers in India are collaborating to bring sustainable change.

• Designers should follow slow fashion cycles • Chose natural fibres and dyes, and commit to ethically right manufacturing processes.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

31

b r an d i n g t h r u S u s tain a bilit y creative economies — artisans involved in creating textiles and handicrafts — I’m seeing an upswing in people leveraging it. But even more positively, this is happening with an evolved sense of aesthetics, with labels creating contemporary collections with global appeal,” stated Vazirani.

Sustainable fabrics are not always easy to make. Loin loom, woven on a backstrap loom, is a time-consuming process, and has its limitations: maximum 54 inches length and 20 inches wide, a single piece takes about five days to weave. A jacket will require at least three pieces. Which is why, it will be retailed for about Rs 25,000. Loin loom is only for a niche market at present. But it could be mixed with other sustainable fabrics to make it affordable.

Kate Fletcher, Research Professor, Centre For Sustainable Fashion, London College of Art, during a recent India visit had said reusing old saris and textiles and fashioning them into dresses or other things is also a way of having cultural memories alive. Fashioning new dresses was difficult, because here things are more constructed than a sari. Such practices stemmed out of an economically thrifty environment and plain old necessity. As in for woven fabrics, especially in India which have been made with such dexterity and care, there is something about wearing them, especially if they have been handed down to you. Juxtapose it with this new trend of materialism and appreciation of material goods.

Indian design sensibility right from Gandhi to his idea of khadi needs to be replicated.

For renowned designer Anita Dongre the only way forward in the world of fashion is through sustainability. The designer explains, today there is a growing need to conserve natural resources and protect the planet from unnecessary wastage. As Gaurav Gupta celebrates 13 years in the fashion industry, the Indian designer is increasingly focussed on sustainable fashion and production as his eponymous label develops. Gaurav Gupta, famous for his art-inspired gowns and technical work, started off as a fashion student in London over 13 years ago. He has now become one of India’s most well-known modern couture designers and is using this platform to raise the issue of sustainability in the fashion industry, as well as in everyday life.

GAP recently announced ‘Recycle Your Blues’ at all brand stores across India. Customers could drop off any old pair of denim at a GAP store and avail 20 per cent discount on the purchase of a new pair. GAP’s denim offering features over 50 styles

32 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

for different body types. GAP’s vision is to integrate commitment to sustainability and this begins with the design and the development of products that look good, have lower impact on the environment and bring confidence to GAP customers. Since the materials in GAP’s clothes greatly contribute to each garment’s environmental impact, the design and production decisions have significant power to make the products more sustainable. This is brought to life through a series of initiatives that focus on developing product with a sustainability focus, tracking the lifecycle of the product to measure its impact, and sustainably sourcing raw materials.

Trickle-down effect Fashion weeks like LFW (with a social media reach of over 90 million consumers) are becoming great platforms to reach out to consumers, especially millennials. It is important to inform them about what’s out there — like a beautiful collection created by Nagaland’s loin loom artisans, or an innovative dabu line by Delhi label Poochki and Rajasthani artisan Bheru Lal Chippa. Reliance Trends launched Swadesh, their in-house brand, while Fabindia has a big marketing campaign around handloom and western wear. Many labels like Mumbai-based Runaway Bicycle and Metaphor Racha from Bengaluru are also offering their clothes at affordable prices. Going forward, Vazirani feels, sustainability must also look beyond handloom. It has to be a complete strategy for the industry. No one’s talking about the people working with, say, polyester. But if they are recycling, using the right kinds of dyes, sourcing and selling in a mindful way, and with a good carbon footprint, then they can be sustainable too.

In early January, six multinational apparel companies — Esprit, Gap, Inditex, New Balance, Puma and Target — became the first to have all of their Chinese suppliers openly identified on the IPE Green Supply Chain map.

Jointly developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Beijingbased Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE), the map visualises real-time and historical trend data on air pollution, soil contamination and wastewater for more than 15,000 major industrial facilities. The information reaches back at least eight years Designer Ruchika Sachdeva, winner of the International Woolmark Prize, points out much like the meaning of life, sustainability often means different things to different people. She has always upcycled, right from when she was at the London College of Fashion, converting vintage clothes into everyday wear. For her label, Bodice, she has made reversible clothing, to extend its wear, and dabbled with handloom and natural dyes. As a part of the Woolmark endeavour, she was mentored for a year by a sustainability expert to truly understand what the fashion industry is doing to the world. Her garments today have an eco-antimicrobial coating, so they can be used several times before washing, and she swears by wool’s sustainable, breathable, sweat-wicking, antimicrobial qualities. Tracking what the rest of the world is doing, she talks of Nike’s endeavours to recycle plastic bottles into shoes and fitness clothes, Freitag that recycles old truck tarps into bags, and Stella McCartney’s autumn-winter 2017 campaign shot on landfills.

According to leading designer Rajesh Pratap Singh, the industry’s understanding of sustainability is limited because we are still experimenting and learning. This is not just in fashion, it prevails in other industries as well. As designers, they can follow slow fashion cycles, opt for natural fibres and dyes, and commit to ethically right manufacturing processes.

But what’s needed are ways for commercial mass production. There has to be an industrial solution that can take sustainability beyond the class to the mass. As sustainable fashion becomes a greater part of the Indian fashion industry’s consciousness, backed up by government initiatives, it is likely that more designers will follow suit.

b rand in g j ean s w ear

youth marketing

Focus on sustainability, unique in-store experience key to branding

The youth driven denim market promises unmatched value as well as volume growth in the Indian apparel market. While brands are making rapid strides to enhance their youth portfolio, it’s ultimately the in-store experience and social media supremacy that offer companies an edge.

I

t was the 80s when the denim trend picked up in the country and now, it has become a rage of sorts. As per a Technopak study the denim market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent and touch Rs 39,651 crore by 2021, and Rs 77,999 crore by 2026. The men’s denim segment comprises 84 per cent of the market while women’s and kids’ make up 10 and 6 per cent respectively. The market size of Indian denim wear was estimated at Rs 20,205 crore in 2016.

Men’s denim with the larger share is poised to grow at a CAGR of 14 per cent over the next decade.

Until a few years ago, denim was popular among urban men, however, the scenario has changed with denim’s popularity cutting across age groups, background and sexes. Growing awareness and an increasing affinity for global fashion have led to this development. Denim is considered the most versatile fabric for men with multiple applications both in casual wear, work wear and everyday wear.

Among Indian women too jeans has gained considerable popularity. Women across age groups with various shapes and sizes opt for denim simply because its comfortable, functional and durable.

It’s also gaining popularity in athleisure form among women owing to the comfort provided by stretch denims. Women who are not at ease with western wear have taken to jeans, pairing them with Indian ethnic wear like kurtis. The mix and match style is gradually picking up, particularly among women in small towns and those who come from a traditional background and is likely to further fuel segment growth.

The fashion and fit element which is an inherent necessity in women’s apparel has been taken care of through the introduction of flexible/ stretch fabric for different applications. This segment is expected to grow the fastest at a CAGR of 17.5 per cent, points out Amit Gugnani, Senior Vice President – Fashion and Saima Nigar, Associate Consultant – Fashion and Textile Division, Technopak. Kids’ denim segment is the smallest in the domestic market but is expected to grow at a high rate primarily due to the availability of products led by innovations in the industry for natural, hygienic and flexible fabrics.

Market Trends Recent trends have indicated increased penetration of denim category across semi-urban and rural areas which will drive volume growth across mass market and unbranded segments.

Factors which are contributing as key growth drivers of denim wear in the country are: Youth, a growth driver: Youth (15 to 29 years old) who comprise 26 per cent of the consuming population, are a key growth drivers of denim in the country. Increasing disposable income, comfort, quality and brand consciousness are major reasons behind increasing acceptance of denims among this young population.

Growth of organised retail: The denim wear market is dominated by unbranded denim products which constitutes 60 per cent of the market and thus tend to give intense competition to branded denim players. However, with many private labels and international brands entering the Indian apparel market, the inclination towards branded denim wear is increasing in consumers.

Online retail: Increased penetration of Internet coupled with burgeoning smart phone market has resulted in the growth of e-tailing in India. Due to

ease of ordering online, paucity of time, flexible return policies and the cash on delivery, the youth of India is more likely to purchase denims online.

Increased rural spending: Rural areas are developing at a rapid pace and so is their purchasing power. With the percolation of mass media, people in rural areas are also aware of fashion trends.

Their inclination towards western wear is another reason for the growing demand of denims in rural areas. The mid-value segment of denim wear, characterised by quality, value-for-money, and increasing styling quotient, is the preferred choice of people from rural areas.

Growing popularity innovative denim: The emergence of tattered denim has provided a perfect option for fashion conscious youth. The applications of distressed/ripped/tattered/patched denim are not restricted to bottom wear jeans but can be seen in jackets, shorts, skirts, etc. These are emerging as one of the most stylish must haves for both men and women. This trend has been re-emerging in many new avatars every season.

New denim washes: In denims, ‘wash’ refers to shade of the denim fabric. Jeans manufacturers are focused in achieving different hues of blue by

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

33

b r an d i n g j e an s w e ar

washing the fabric in certain dyes, bleaches or other agents that affect the denim colour. Dark indigo, faded blue/vintage/aged, stone wash and distressed jeans are new denim fabric washes in trend these days.

Changing classification of consumer’s wardrobe: The change in classification of consumer’s wardrobe has acted as a growth driver for the casual wear and denim wear in India. Earlier, fashion was considered as a basic need to be purchased on the basis of the requirements. Consequently, the typical consumer wardrobe was limited to basic categories like shirts, trousers, winter jackets and sweaters, sarees and salwar kameez. The basic purchase parameters were limited to the basic functions of the cloth, comfort and price. However, with the changing sociocultural values, increased per capita consumption, increasing exposure to international fashion trends and growing disposable income apparel market is slowly becoming more occasions specific.

Consequently, fashion basket has expanded to include clothing like sports/gym wear, occasion specific ethnic wear, jeans, etc.

Brand power play The Indian denim segment is dominated by brands like Wrangler, Lee, Spykar, Flying Machine, and many more, ranging from affordable to luxury. Strong competition among brands is directly reflected on social media, as they battle with varied objectives.

In line with this, and to double sales, Spykar aims to fully utilise social media to connect with the youth and promote sales across all channels. Sanjay Vakharia, COO, Spykar Lifetstyle, points out the idea is to leverage the digital space to grow the brand, add influencers to the kitty and promote sales across all its channels by effective use of the medium.

Spykar’s social media communication is more product centric – the hooks are intended to redirect users towards a purchase or store visit. Vakharia adds their strategy is to stay connected with good content, which would resonate well with them, start them talking about the brand and reach a larger audience thereby. The beauty of this medium is they can target very sharply.

34 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Future value growth within the denim category shall be because of the increased demand for enhanced product attributes: fashion quotient, stretch and light weight fabric, varying colours, styling and detailing. This trend is emerging across both men and women’s segments.

These factors will combine to drive relatively higher levels of growth of the mid-premium and premium/luxury segments as well.

The brand’s Facebook page functions on certain recurring content hooks and properties, in addition to campaigns or tie ups. For instance, Spykar heavy spoke about their tie up with Global Citizen when recently got Coldplay to perform in India. The brand initiated, #SpykarXGlobalCitizenIndia, wherein they urged the users to share creative images or videos of themselves in lights. Additionally, Spykar spent heavily on posts with CTAs to buying and earning passes. Most of their communication was to the point and banked on the Coldplay craze in the

country. Spykar invested in Facebook advertising to make the most out of their Global Citizen partnership, resulting in the number of likes ranging from a couple hundreds to thousands.

Spykar has 4,795 followers on Twitter, which is nearing apt for a fashion brand. On the first look, Spykar’s content on Twitter isn’t much different from what they post on Facebook, except for the concise copies, which usually bank on common hashtags such as #OOTD and #Style. Additionally, Spykar tweets about their achievements at awards, shares pictures and happening of their outdoor activations and so on. With Twitter becoming a powerful social media tool these days, the company seems to be acing up this platform pretty well with almost one post everyday. Instagram, which is a hit among youngsters and that’s what Spykar is targeting at.

Having follower base of 31.6K followers, it seems to be quite a hit among its consumers. The company has been utilising all the social media marketing tools to its advantage. The company seems to be competing closely with its rivals such as Flying Machine, Wrangler, etc. Having said that, it’s the social media expanse that’s driving the growth of denim among its core consumers.

Giorgio Armani is the latest designer to announce a new brand strategy. After his Emporio Armani show, he revealed his decision to cease the Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans brands and use only the Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani and A|X Armani Exchange names. The new strategy will be effective starting with the spring 2018 season. Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans will be blended into those three main lines. Emporio Armani will become a cluster of ideas, according to the designer. They are rethinking on their stores’ strategy. The ace designer doesn’t believe in a strict separation of categories, jackets all in one place, skirts all in another, pants in yet another.

Armani said the goal was also to serve a different public, showing different lines within one single space. Customers want to enjoy the shopping experience. Their request is to be entertained.

At the same time, he claimed this diversification would help wholesale accounts to sell and display the collections. There was too much confusion with so many collections, the designer continued.

Times have changed and they have to evolve.” If the product is good, the prices are competitive and it is marketed in a compelling way that the customer understands and can relate to, then it will have been a good decision. From a retail perspective, it makes sense that they are looking for a way to jump-start and reignite the customer interest in and relevance of the Collezioni brand.

Through his hands-on approach and scrupulous

• The denim market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent and touch Rs 77,999 crore by 2026.

• Recent trends have indicated increased penetration of denim category across semi-urban and rural areas • Some jeans brands are collaborating with fibre producers and manufacturers that are sensitive to environmentally friendly issues.

• Large youth population with rising disposable income will act as a catalyst in the growth of denim wear in the country.

b rand in g j ean s w ear control, Armani was a pioneer in anticipating the trend of luxury to the masses, seeing it as an opportunity, rather than a risk. His designer denim and T-shirts — as well as his sweeping eagle logo — helped build his name globally and cement his stature. Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans were more geared toward wholesale, such as department stores and multibrand specialty boutiques, which may also have influenced the designer in his decision, given the challenging times this channel is facing.

Brands’ sustainable initiatives And in keeping with focus on sustainability and a growing demand for eco-friendly products, some jeans brands have jumped on the environmental bandwagon, collaborating with fibre producers and manufacturers in the value chain that are sensitive to environmentally friendly issues. G-Star is one of them, in November 2017, the brand launched a new jeans capsule collection through selected stores and online. The line is made with denim dyed with Archroma’s Earth Colors. These dyes replace petroleum-derived materials that are conventionally used to synthetise dyes. The colors are obtained from nonedible parts of beetroot and saw palmetto leftover from the agriculture industry or herbal extraction.

Continuing to support sustainable causes, G-Star launched G-Star Elwood RFTPi, developed with highly sustainable materials. This new product, whose name RFTPi stands for RAW For The Planet indigo, is now selling in leading stores. It uses denim manufactured

by Artistic Milliners and dyed with Dystar chemical substances which employ 70 per cent less chemicals and no salts nor similar water-harming substances.

The garments are washed by Saitex, a specialised laundry that is also committed to recycling 98 per cent water. As a part of its environmentally friendly strategy, G-Star will gradually employ only 100 per cent bio cotton and will employ only recyclable labels, accessories and carton packaging. For this specific project, G-Star will also employ Cradle-to-Cradle “Gold” certified denims as per the Cradle-to-Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

VF Corp.’s Made for Change initiative outlining goals for advancing environmental and social improvements across the company takes on specific meaning when it comes to its Jeanswear Coalition.

Roian Atwood, Sustainability Director for Jeanswear, VF Corp., explained that’s because denim production has some unique characteristics, from cotton farming to fabric treatments to manufacturing methods that make sustainability goals more challenging.

Atwood points out they recognise even though the

word sustainability may be overplayed with some consumer groups, and they have been reframing it to talk about value and sustainability as value, as in having confidence, as in caring for all of those things.

The platform has been developed taking cues from leaders such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which focusses on biology as this missing link that hasn’t been managed in the farming systems. They have been very diligient with their cut and sew facilities and the denim wash down process. In 2016 they announced their 2020 goal. It’s a Wrangler specific 2020 goal to remove 5.5 billion liters of water from our manufacturing process, leave it in the ground for local communities through improved wash cycles, and simple water recycling methods. In water recycling, VF is piloting a reverse osmosis program for water recycling across its laundry facilities. The test has seen a 50 per cent reuse rate for the past two years. In 2017, VF expanded the system to increase that rate.

Meanwhile, Levi’s late last year became one of the first mainstream clothing brands to offer a truly wearable garment with the launch of their $350 ‘smart jacket’. The denim pioneer is tapping technology for a strategic – and eco-friendly – advantage. Levi’s recently announced the ‘future of jeans manufacturing’. Dubbed Project F.L.X. (futureled execution), the new operating model ushers denim finishing into the digital era by replacing manual techniques and automating the timeconsuming, labour-intensive and chemical-reliant process of hand-finishing through the use of lasers.

The new technique drastically cuts finishing time – from two to three pairs per hour by hand to just 90 seconds per garment followed by a wash cycle

In keeping with focus on sustainability and growing demand for eco-friendly products, some jeans brands have jumped on the environmental bandwagon, collaborating with fibre producers and manufacturers in the value chain that are sensitive to environmentally friendly issues

– and shaves off valuable time in the design and development process. What used to take months can now be accomplished in just weeks or perhaps mere days, allowing Levi’s to make changes in a product’s design later into the production process. Levi’s also anticipates a significant reduction in the total number of chemical formulations used in its finishing process, from a few thousand currently down to just a couple dozen. The company pegs this as a major step forward in its commitment to achieving “zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020.”

Innovative expanse in India The Collective, India’s first and largest multi-brand luxury retail concept known for its breadth of fashion

by Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, is launching The Collective Denims – an exclusive denim lifestyle store which houses some of the most iconic luxury denim brands. The Collective Denims also brings to Delhi its well-known personal styling services and concept of complete wardrobe solutions with assistance from style experts in-stores, gifting services will also be available at the new store.

The first exclusive denims store in luxury retailer’s ever expanding portfolio, The Collective Denims offers iconic brands such as Seven for all Mankind, Versace Jeans, Replay, Dsquared2 and numerous other international designer labels.

As a part of its retail expansion strategy in India, American apparel and accessories brand Gap, is looking to double its store strength. It opened two new stores in the Delhi-NCR region. The range features ‘Feel Good Jeans’, and denim and leggings in an array of colours and prints, including reds, blues, greens and vintage florals. The brand had recently formed exclusive partnership with Amazon to widen reach of Gap merchandise in places where Gap is not physically present. Globally, US-based fashion company Apparel Society Chicago launched a Kickstarter campaign to introduce No Denim Denim, a range of pants that offer the same look, feel and fit of traditional denim, without sagging, tightness or colour transference. Apparel Society Chicago used proprietary body contouring technology and air dye print technology to develop No Denim Denim. The company aims to provide consumers with jeans that fit properly and don’t leave a negative environmental footprint.

Retailers as growth harbingers Indian denim wear market is expected to witness a huge growth in coming years. With the country’s ever-expanding economy, booming consumption, urbanisation, and growing middle class purchasing power; denim wear has a huge opportunity to grow.

The increasing shift of rural fashion market from ethnic wear to western wear is one of the key growth drivers of denim industry. The large youth population with rising disposable income and awareness towards fashion will act as a catalyst in the growth of denim wear in the country.

The denim market indeed holds much potential for brands and retailers, however to capitalise on this growth potential, retailers need to focus on factors such as pricing, quality, consumer preferences, key trends, innovations, etc. Retailers can also leverage the available growth opportunities in denims by expanding into online channels and Omnichannels of retailing.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

35

k id S we ar B r and i n g

catching’em young

A profitable proposition for brands/retailers

With experts hailing kidswear as ‘recession proof’, this sure is a segment that hardly sees a dip. The segment touched $236.6 billion in 2016 globally. The reason behind this stupendous growth includes growing affluence of parents, inclination to dress children in most trendy clothes, better marketing by brands, widening range of choices of luxury and designer clothing, enhanced role of children in purchase decisions and growing exposure to media, writes Prerna Sharma.

A

sia-Pacific is one of the fastest growing markets for kids’ wear segment. The market in India and China alone is growing at 12-15 per cent CAGR while even a saturated market like the US is growing at 5.7 per cent. The expanding base of affluent middle-class parents, development of organised retail infrastructure and rising awareness about international brands are governing the kids wear market. A report by Ken Research reveals, countries in this region are expected to prosper economically, which would push demand for quality kids’ clothing. India and China will continue to be at the top. But to cater to global players, these countries would have to tailor their products to suit the sociocultural parameters while blending the offerings with global trends and styles.

Influencing Trends With growing influence of fashion in children’s clothing, this category is consistently outperforming other categories. The advent of technology and rise of social media have also been huge contributors to growth, specifically in the pre-teen category.

Thanks to social platforms such as Instagram and technology such as smartphones, satellite TV and tablets, children now have immediate access to international trends.

To take advantage of category growth, retailers need to be customer-centric and adaptable. If a line of kids’ jackets sold well last year, do not assume a similar style will do well this year. Do not repeat a formula simply because it was successful in the past. The macro environment is in a constant state of flux and children’s desires – and the circumstances of their parents or guardians – are dynamic. It is integral to pay attention to and constantly re-assess customers’ needs, innovate and adapt accordingly, and then deliver well – and consistently – on your brand proposition.

Children’s fascination for social platforms that utilise augmented reality – such as Snapchat – will also influence design. Moreover, kids are drawing style inspiration from celebrities – and closer home – their parents. They want to wear the same style as mom and dad and there is a demand for kid-friendly

36 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Arvind Lifestyle Brands, which sells foreign labels like Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, GAP and Aeropostale, is developing kidswear as a separate business vertical in a bid to double its business over the next five years.

In the process, the company is planning to open exclusive kidswear outlets, which will sell apparel, footwear and accessories from Arvind’s in-house brands, starting with Bengaluru and Delhi. Currently, the company retails kidswear products through standalone brand stores. replicas of what they see their parents wearing. An example is a woman wearing a maxi dress, with her daughter emulating her in a three-quarter version, appropriate for her age. Siblings are increasingly opting to wear matching or complementary outfits.

Establishing their identity is important to kids, but now, children are finding comfort in choosing to express themselves with their siblings as a unit.

Children love active wear as it is both fashionable and functional, and even more so now as they see the ‘athleisure’ trend becoming more popular with adults.

India Growth Story Demand for branded childrenswear continued to increase in India in 2016 thanks to rising disposable incomes and families with two working parents.

However, the share of branded childrenswear continued to remain small compared to unbranded or local childrenswear products. This situation,

however, is slowly changing as the penetration of organised and branded childrenswear continues to rise.

Elaborating on the growing market for designer kidswear in India, Pankaj Kapoor, Head-marketing, Reliance India says there has been a boom in kidswear industry. Earlier, children’s garments were purchased from local stores, and neighbourhood shops based on convenience. Branded clothing was only bought by affluent people. This trend has evolved gradually into a market where branded clothing holds top position.

Along with it, shopping and purchasing methods are also undergoing extensive changes. New categories like infant wear, kids’ formal wear, kids’ ethnic wear, swim wear and casual wear are evolving, along with a wide range of other merchandise for children to tap the growing segment.

Realising the potential, many apparel brands are widening their presence in this segment. Another important change is the emergence of children as

K id s wear brand in g an independent buyer group. As Kapoor points out while developing their own styles children reveal their creative streaks. Market has many categories for children apparels differentiated on the basis of their age and personalities. Furthermore, events like Junior Fashion Week (JFW), India Kids Fashion Week (IKFW) and others displaying latest trends in kids fashion have added to inexorable growth.

Alok Dubey, Head-marketing, USPA explains, “The whole range of latest, sophisticated and snazzy apparels will make a mark in the fashion industry.

When we see juniors wrapped in fashion, we tend to lose our hearts.” Moreover, online portals have also been launched for shopping branded kids wear and accessories. Indian fashion designers are also eyeing the space. Some have begun retailing their exclusive designs for kids through physical and e-stores.

Brands Expanding Horizons Over the last two years, kidswear industry has seen many new brands venturing into the segment.

In 2016, Pantaloons, a part of Aditya Birla Fashion Retail, stepped into children’s wear and launched Pantaloons Kids. Earlier this year, women’s ethnic brand Biba Apparels also opened standalone stores that exclusively sell children’s apparel. Mahindra Retail, in January 2016, added children’s clothing, gifts and accessories range of US-based Carter’s, to its chain of BabyOye stores across the country. So far, kidswear market has remained largely untapped due to the dominance of unorganised and local players in the apparel sector. Rajat Wahi, Partner (management consulting) at Deloitte India, opines the increasing penetration of Internet and influences of western style have led to a rise in demand for branded and designer apparel. The advent and rapid rise of digital age has also led to kids becoming increasingly aware of brands and conscious of their looks and style.

Keeping this in focus, 612 League claims to provide complete wardrobe solutions to children till 16 years at a price which targets the middle and upper-middle income groups. Recently, the company added essentials like night wear, inner wear, shoes and accessories too. 612 League’s best sellers remain girls’ category. The company will introduce another category called ‘612 Fearless’ for teenage girls, which will cater to their need of designer outfits and send a message to be self-confident. Only brands like Zara or H&M have this category. In an effort to mark their presence in children’s life, they have introduced ‘Mommy Moments’, a platform for parents and children to share their treasured moments, 612 Icon, a way of recognising the kid’s achievements in schools and societies. 612 Wonder Store is the first virtual kids wear store in India where children can try different clothes virtually by a simple hand gesture.

Fashion e-commerce platform Voonik recently

With growing influence of fashion in children’s clothing, this category is consistently outperforming other categories. The advent of technology and rise of social media have also been huge contributors to growth, specifically in the pre-teen category. Thanks to social platforms such as Instagram and technology such as smartphones, satellite TV and tablets, children now have immediate access to international trends. forayed into kids wear. The category is focussed on clothes and accessories for children from newborn to 12 years. Sujayath Ali, Co-founder & CEO, Voonik says, customers have been asking for kids wear for many years. They launched the category with a collection of comfortable, fun and affordable products. The collection is especially curated to bring international styles to Indian consumers at pocket friendly prices that Voonik is known for. With kids wear, the company is deepening its engagement with sellers to penetrate a market segment where both frequency as well as number of items per order is higher than any other fashion category.

Flipkart-owned Myntra and Jabong have teamed up with leading toy companies like Hamleys, Hot wheels, Funskool, Lego and Barbie to foray into

the growing kids category. Myntra launched toys from the stables of Hot wheels, Funskool, Lego, Barbie and Simba on its platform. Padmakumar Pal, Director (women’s ethnic, inner wear and kids wear), Myntra, says the category has grown by over 70 per cent in last year and the company is looking to double its growth in FY18. The company aims to address the gap present in online space when it comes to kids’ requirements and ultimately become a mass premium and preferred destination for kids in coming years. Jabong, on the other hand, has partnered 257-year old brand-Hamleys for launching the range.

Arvind Lifestyle Brands, which sells global labels like Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, GAP and Aeropostale, is developing kidswear as a separate business vertical in a bid to double its business over the next five years. In the process, the company is planning to open exclusive kidswear outlets, which will sell apparel, footwear and accessories from Arvind’s in-house brands, starting with Bengaluru and Delhi.

Currently, the company retails kidswear products through standalone brand stores. Alok Dubey, CEO-lifestyle brands, Arvind Lifestyle Brands, said Arvind is looking at kidswear as a holistic business.

Kidswear is the fastest growing category and we want to dominate this space.

The company is developing and reorganising the vertical with all its brands that have kids’ offerings.

There is a lot of opportunity in the segment. The multi-brand kidswear format will be led by three power brands—US Polo Association, The Children’s Place and Flying Machine. Over the next five years, they want to double the business to Rs400-500 crore from these top three brands.

Smiley has teamed up with retailer Zara for the launch of a new children’s collection. Having previously worked on successful Zara Baby, Zara

• The kids wear category will post a retail value CAGR of 13 per cent at constant 2016 prices • It aims to reach worth Rs 1,769 billion in 2021 • The market remained largely untapped due to the dominance of unorganised and local players • Kids fashion shows are offering newer growth avenues to companies to expand reach.

• Luxury couturiers are also foraying into the booming kids wear to cash in on the opportunities DFU’s POWER BRANDS

37

K id s we ar b r and i n g Woman and Zara Trafaluc ranges, the new deal sees Smiley tap into the kidswear market. The collection features jersey T-shirts, crew neck jumpers, jogging bottoms and more, all featuring the Smiley World branding. Nicolas Loufrani, CEO, Smiley says they are entering many new departments and design and marketing teams are working hand in hand, almost daily to design and promote the best possible products for each product category and consumer target.

Luxury Couturiers a New Focus Little Tags-Luxury portal for kids wear, a brainchild of Chandni Agarwal, a couture connoisseur offers kids’ apparel, footwear and accessories from a huge spectrum of designers for children aged up to 14 year. The online portal has forayed into the kidswear market by joining hands with celebrated luxury labels, such as Masaba Gupta, Shivan & Narresh, Monisha Jaising, Rina Dhaka, Pallavi Mohan, Ridhima Bhasin, Anand Bhushan, Sahil Aneja, and more from the Indian fashion industry. Apart from Indian designers, also on board is eminent Turkish designer Ebru Danyal.

Agarwal says “It has been at the back of our mind always and we could see that there is a gap in the market but never had the intention to tap it basically.

But I had my own daughter one and a half year back so that was the time when we realised that there is some avenue missing from the market where we can get good designer wear and Indian wear also.

Traditional wear is missing from everywhere; you have to go to the designer personally if you want a custom order. So we just want to be the one stop shop for everything related to designer kids wear be it traditional wear or western wear, shoes or accessories.”

For Shivan & Narresh, designing kidswear was an exciting experience. As Narresh revealed, “When Chandni approached us it just became a platform

Demand for branded childrenswear continued to increase in India in 2016 thanks to rising disposable incomes and families with two working parents. However, the share of branded childrenswear continued to remain small compared to unbranded or local childrenswear products.

This situation, however, is slowly changing as the penetration of organised and branded childrenswear continues to rise 40 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

and an opportunity for us to do this and had Chandni not come along, we would have done this in sometime but the whole process got fast forwarded.

We could do this much earlier than we anticipated. So we are very excited to be part of the website and it is completely an untapped market and we seek to be a very bright success in the future.” Already designing for millennial couple, making apparels for their kids just became an extension for them. Their collection at Little Tags makes it convenient for the family to travel in style and comfort.

Narresh says, young parents are becoming increasingly aware of brands and spending power is at an all-time high — that has translated into a heightened demand for brands like theirs to churn out kidswear. It is one of the fastest growing categories in fashion, internationally as well as in India. Still, silhouettes that are on-trend, yet speak to childlike qualities are missing in the current landscape. Their Piccolo line aims to bridge that gap.

Shivan feels with social media being at the centre of everything one does today, it is virtually impossible to limit their exposure to fashion and trends. However, kids don’t need to be made conscious of brands at an early age. Children should be encouraged to express themselves via their clothes, but the brands they wear shouldn’t necessarily be at the forefront. For years now, celebrity children have been scrutinised for their outfits, which has resulted in them being decked in the finest clothes on offer in the market.

Luxury brands have tapped into this demand, and

this phenomenon has trickled down to India as well.

The kidswear category has gained popularity with an unmatched momentum and has long surpassed women’s wear and men’s wear. There is massive scope for growth, both creatively and commercially.

The demand for trendy kidswear is only growing and we don’t see it slowing down any time soon.

Celebrated designer Ashish Soni has also joined hands with ‘Little Tags’. His collection for ‘Little Tags’, is simple yet dramatic and boasts of intricate handembroidery in each piece. The collection comprises of traditional and western wear for boys. Patrons can choose from a wide array of contemporary, indo-western and ethnic wear for boys on the luxury platform. From designer kurta, churidars to suits and embroidered/ printed shirts, ‘Little Tags’ is all set to embrace the latest designer offerings from Ashish Soni in a customised way too.

Designer Monisha Jaising expanded her portfolio by introducing a range of apparels for boys and girls from 1-10 years of age under the label – ‘MJkids’.

The assortment under the exclusive MJkids line comprises t-shirts, tracksuits and mul kurtas for toddlers. It also includes long sleeves t-shirts and tracksuits with multi-coloured playful and gamesome motifs in the form of ballet slippers, dogs, rainbows and elephants.

MJkids reflects the special heritage with luxuriously constructed children’s wear pieces in soft, airbreathing fabrics. Set up in 1989, Monisha Jaising is among the pioneers of the Indian fashion industry, which designs luxe sportswear, eveningwear, bridal couture, resortwear and now kidswear.

Rising Growth Moment Euromonitor’s recent research reveals demand for children’s wear is expected to remain strong in the near future. In India, children’s wear has traditionally been dominated by the large unorganised sector.

However, the expansion of organised players and the strong growth of Internet retailing helped drive sales of branded products, contributing to a fall in share for unorganised sector.

This trend is expected to accelerate over time as more brands enter the marketplace and existing players invest in store-based expansion. These factors, along with a strong economic outlook for India, will enable children’s wear to continue to perform well. The category is thus anticipated to post a retail value CAGR of 13 per cent at constant 2016 prices, reaching sales of Rs 1,769 billion in 2021.

Zara

Success secret decoded Customer insights are the holy grail of modern business, and more the companies know about their customers, the better they can innovate and compete. This is the winning formula that Zara has been using to beat the competition and remain successful over the years. An intriguing case story by Martin Roll Company…

Z

ara is one of the world’s most successful fashion retail brands. With its dramatic introduction of the concept of fast fashion retail since it was founded in 1975 in Spain, Zara aspires to create responsible passion for fashion amongst a broad spectrum of consumers, spread across different cultures and age groups. There are many factors that have contributed to the success of Zara but one of its key strengths, which has played a strong role in it becoming a global fashion powerhouse as it is today, is its ability to put customers first. Zara is obsessed with its customers, who have defined the company and the brand’s culture right from the very beginning.

The secret to Zara’s success has largely being driven by its ability to keep up with the rapidly changing fashion trends and showcase it in its collections with very little delay. From the very beginning, Zara found a significant gap in the market that few clothing brands had effectively addressed.

This was to keep pace with latest fashion trends and offer collections that are a combination of high quality and yet, are affordable.

The brand keeps a close watch on how fashion is changing and evolving every day across the world.

Based on latest styles and trends, it creates new designs and puts them into stores in a week or two.

In stark comparison, most other fashion brands would take close to six months to get new designs and collections into the market.

It is through this strategic ability of introducing new collections based on latest trends in a rapid manner that has enabled Zara to beat other competitors. It quickly became the people’s favourite brand, especially with those who want to keep up with fashion trends. Founder Amancio Ortega is famously known for his views on clothes as a perishable commodity. According to him, people should love to use and wear clothes for a short while and then they should throw them away, just like yogurt, bread or fish, rather than store them in cupboards.

Success strategies The media often quotes that the brand produces ‘freshly baked clothes’, which survive fashion trends for less than a month or two. Zara concentrates on three areas to effectively ‘bake’ its fresh fashions: Shorter lead times (and more fashionable clothes): Shorter lead times allow Zara to ensure its stores stock clothes that customers want at that time. While many retailers try to forecast what customers might buy months in the future, Zara moves in step with its customers and offers them what they want to buy at a given point in time.

Lower quantities: By reducing the quantity manufactured for a particular style, Zara not only reduces its exposure to any single product but also creates artificial scarcity. Similar to the principle that applies to all fashion items (and more specifically luxury), the lesser the availability, the more desirable an object becomes. Zara only has two time-bound sales a year rather than constant markdowns, and it discounts a very small proportion of its products.

More styles: Rather than producing more

C as e S tudy

quantities per style, Zara produces more styles, roughly 12,000 a year. Even if a style sells out quickly, there are new styles waiting to take up the space. This means more choices and a higher chance of getting it right with the consumer. Zara only allows its designs to remain on the shop floor for three to four weeks. This practice pushes consumers to keep visiting the brand’s stores.

Winning formula Zara’s unrelenting focus on the customer is at the core of the brand’s success and the heights it has achieved today. Customer insights are the holy grail of modern business, and the more companies know about their customers, the better they can innovate and compete. But it can prove challenging to have the right insights, at the right time, and have access to them consistently over time.

One of the secrets of Zara’s success is that the brand trains and empowers its store employees and managers to be particularly sensitive to customer needs and wants, and how customers enact them on the shop floors. Zara empowers its sales associates and store managers to be at the forefront of customer research – they intently listen and note down customer comments, ideas for cuts, fabrics or a new line, and keenly observe new styles that its customers are wearing that have the potential to be converted into unique Zara styles.

Due to Zara’s competitive customer research capabilities, its product offerings across its stores globally reflect unique customer needs and wants in terms of physical, climate or cultural differences.

It offers smaller sizes in Japan, special women’s clothes in Arab countries, and clothes of different seasonality in South America. The fact that Zara’s designers and customers are inextricably linked is a crucial part of the brand strategy. Specialist teams receive constant feedback on the decisions its customers are making at every Zara store, which continuously inspires the Zara creative team.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

41

• Zara trains and empowers its store employees and managers to be particularly sensitive to customer needs and wants.

• The brand’s highly responsive, vertically integrated supply chain ships new products to stores twice a week.

• Zara has used almost a zero advertising and endorsement policy throughout its entire existence

C as e S t u dy

Super-efficient supply chain

percentage of its revenues in opening new stores instead. It spends a meagre 0.3 per cent of sales Zara’s highly responsive, vertically integrated on advertising compared to an average of 3.5 per supply chain ships new products to stores twice a cent by competitors. The brand’s founder Amancio week. After products are designed, they take around has never spoken to the media nor has in any way 10 to 15 days to reach the stores. All its clothes advertised Zara. This is indeed the mark of a truly items are processed through the distribution successful brand where customers appreciate and center in Spain, where new items are inspected, desire the brand, which is over and above product sorted, tagged, and loaded into trucks. In most level benefits but strongly driven by the brand cases, clothing items are delivered to stores within experience.

48 hours. This vertical integration allows Zara to Instead of advertising, Zara uses its store retain control over areas like dyeing and processing location and store displays as key elements of its and have fabric-processing capacity available onmarketing strategy. By choosing to be in the most demand to provide the correct fabrics for new styles prominent locations in a city, Zara ensures very high according to customer preferences. customer traffic for its stores. Its window displays, It also eliminates the need for warehouses and which showcase the most outstanding pieces in the helps reduce the impact of demand fluctuations. collection, are also a powerful communication tool Zara produces over 450 million items and designed by a specialised team. A lot of time and launches around 12,000 new designs annually, so the efficiency of the supply chain is critical to ensure that this constant refreshment of store level collections goes off Zara is one smoothly and efficiently. of the world’s In addition to these supply chain efficiencies, Zara can also most successful modify existing items in as little fashion retail as two weeks. Shortening the product life cycle means greater brands. With success in meeting consumer preferences. If a design does its dramatic not sell well within a week, it is introduction withdrawn from shops, further orders are cancelled and a new of the concept design is pursued.

Brand communication strategy Zara has used almost a zero advertising and endorsement policy throughout its entire existence, preferring to invest a

effort is spent designing the window displays to be artistic and attention grabbing. According to Zara’s philosophy of fast fashion, the window displays are constantly changed. This strategy goes down to how the employees dress as well – all Zara employees are required to wear Zara clothes while working in the stores, but these ‘uniforms’ vary across different Zara stores to reflect socio-economic differences in the regions they were located.

Rising up to the challenges For Zara to effectively compete and maintain its strategic advantage, the focus needs to shift away from price but towards quality. Even today the Zara brand enjoys high levels of appeal, which is evident by the serpentine queues outside its stores when it launches in new markets. There is a need for Zara to start investing in building a strong brand positioning

of fast fashion retail since it was founded in 1975 in Spain

and aggressively communicate it. Additionally, Zara needs to adopt, imbibe and leverage social media and digital platforms in its advertising and communication strategies deeper going forward.

Without advertisements, Zara relies heavily on word of mouth or social media. This causes the perception of potential customers towards Zara to be heavily shaped by family and friends, which may not be accurate. In addition, Zara’s social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube exist merely as a feed for updates rather than a platform that consumers can interact with. Its videos on YouTube are also seeing very low viewership in comparison with its follower count, which is not ideal as videos are a powerful medium for brands in the fashion industry. This is a gap that Zara needs to plug immediately as the reach and impact of social media marketing gets stronger. As Zara’s target customer segments start using more social and digital platforms for communication and for sharing their lives, it is important for Zara to have a strong presence on such platforms.

Source: Martin Roll Company

42 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

43

C A SE S TUDY

Burberry

An incredible transformation story

Burberry’s early commitment to digital marketing, and willingness to try new and exciting marketing avenues, has undoubtedly positioned the company as the pre-eminent luxury brand on social media. The numbers speak for themselves – by the time CEO Angela Ahrendts left in mid-2014, share value had trebled since 2006 (to £7 billion), and Burberry enjoyed the greatest combined social followership of any luxury brand and that’s the power of social media we are talking about…

A

s a brand, Burberry can come across as a contradiction in terms. The company has historically represented old-world British charm, elegance and refinement. Its use of timeless fabrics like tartan, and enduring styles such as its signature trench coat, give the impression of a brand that is quite comfortable with its place in the market. But its recent marketing efforts have been quite at odds with its conservative and traditional reputation.

Marketing history At 21 years of age, Thomas Burberry, a former draper’s apprentice, opened his first store in Basingstoke in 1856. After gaining a foothold in the local market, he made a name for himself in 1880, after introducing gabardine to the public, a waterproof yet breathable fabric perfect for the often inclement British weather. Burberry’s big break, however, came off the back of World War I. The British war office requested the company to adapt one of its most popular lines, the officer coat, to cope with the challenges presented by

Burberry used technology to drive its digital strategy.

It collaborated with tech companies, streamed content on Snapchat and maximised social media

the recently developed tactic of trench warfare.

The design worked beautifully, and after supplying an incredible amount of uniforms to the armed forces, they released it to the general public at the conclusion of the war, to huge success. The trench coat continues to be Burberry’s most iconic line, and biggest seller, to this day.

Through the 20th century Burberry focussed on maintaining this brand perception of elegance and refinement, employing the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and Ronald Reagan as brand ambassadors.

Until late 90s, its place as one of the most iconic British fashion houses was without question. That changed with the arrival of the new millennium.

An influx of counterfeit Burberry goods entered the market, and were a hit with chavs (lower class, often welfare-dependent Brits) and football hooligans alike.

Burberry’s current success can be traced back to 2006. A new CEO, Angela Ahrendts, was appointed, and her first move was to remove the iconic Burberry check pattern from all but 10 per cent of the

44 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

C ASE S TUDY

brand’s designs, to minimise the association with hooliganism. She also announced that Burberry would aim to be the world’s first fully digital luxury company; an incredible statement from a company so steeped in history and tradition.

The Burberry Social Strategy Over the last decade, Burberry has placed heavy focus on digital marketing. Over 60 per cent of their marketing budget is now spent on digital media, a percentage that comfortably outdoes every other luxury fashion brand. Over the years, their social channels have become the centrepiece of this digital strategy, with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram forming their main points of focus.

This focus has been generously rewarded, with Burberry sitting in the top three most followed luxury brands on Facebook and Twitter, and in the top 10 on Instagram. No mean feat when you’re competing with the likes of Chanel, Dior and Gucci; noted luxury brand superpowers. Burberry has worked hard to create a uniform look across all of their social platforms. The content that they use across their accounts, while similar, is subtly optimised to cater to the strengths of each platform; using the live streaming abilities of Facebook, saving artfully minimalist photos for Instagram, and posting the material that will promote audience engagement on Twitter.

Facebooks feeds Facebook is Burberry’s most popular account, with over 17 million likes. This puts them only marginally behind Louis Vuitton (18 million) and Chanel (17 million) in terms of most followed luxury brands, and, up until recently, they very much owned top spot. Burberry posts quite sparingly, averaging an update every 3-4 days.

The content Burberry uses for Facebook is essentially a highlight package of their Twitter feed. They save it for large announcements, or high production value videos. The engagement is solid, with each post enjoying a few thousand likes, although it must be said that this communication is very much one way – Burberry doesn’t appear to respond to – or even acknowledge – any of its fans’

The result was that Burberry achieved a one-year growth of 86 per cent and a brand value of $3.38 billion

brand Twitter audience size. While the ‘favourite’ and ‘retweet’ numbers may appear to pale in comparison to those that the Burberry Facebook and Instagram accounts enjoy, it needs to be remembered that a retweet on Twitter is extremely valuable, getting a host of fresh eyes on the content. Burberry were also one of the first brands to make use of Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ function, back in 2014.

Other social marketing efforts comments. This lack of engagement could be the reason behind Burberry losing 1 million fans over the course of the last year, and may be an area that could use some improvement.

Insta imagics Instagram provides Burberry with perhaps the brand’s most natural social network fit. The simplicity of the minimalist platform ties in beautifully with the minimalism of much of Burberry’s content, which results in a very successful account. From 7.5 million followers, 50k+ likes and 100k+ video views isn’t an uncommon occurrence (this video, for example, has 400k+ views). The content is beautifully created, with an almost even mix of images and videos getting uploaded daily. There is a strong focus on simple beauty, with the photos, and even videos, never too busy or complex. The healthy engagement numbers show that Burberry is doing Instagram as well as almost any fashion house out there.

Twitter tweets Twitter is the most active of Burberry’s social accounts, with an average of 5 posts uploaded per day. With another 7 million followers, Burberry is behind only Chanel (12 million) in terms of luxury

Burberry has always been comfortable on the leading edge of digital marketing, breaking ground where many other luxury brands feared to tread. They were one of the first major brands to experiment with Snapchat, using it for nothing less than a seasonal product launch. They are currently one of the first brands to use the new Messenger Codes – a new QR code type portal for Facebook Messenger.

One of the company’s most successful social campaigns was initially not intended to spread to social networks at all. Art of the Trench – a 2009 mini-site that collated photos of customers wearing their Burberry trench coats – became so popular that the company expanded it to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even Pinterest, using hashtags such as #ArtoftheTrench and #AOTT to spread the word. This campaign kick started Burberry’s social strategy, adding millions of followers across a host of social accounts.

The ultimate positioning Burberry’s understanding of each social platform’s strengths, combined with their beautiful content and their digital innovativeness, firm them as the leading digital luxury brand in the world. They are well on their way to fulfilling that promise made back in 2006.

• The brand achieved its transformation through social media • It enables product customisation • Collaborates with tech companies • Uses Snapchat to deliver exclusive content • Uses word-of-mouth marketing • Combines online and in-store shopping DFU’s POWER BRANDS

45

C as e S t u dy

H&M

Recycling Technology Done the Right Way

Leading global fast fashion company H&M, has found ways to be more sustainable and something close to circular is the recycling of textile blends.

E

co-minded fashion companies have had a hard time figuring out how to recycle mixed-fibre textiles such as polycotton blends. While solicited by ethical consumers, recycling mixed-fibre fabrics is a highly complex and expensive process often ending with poor results. Nowadays, recycling is done by mechanical means, where materials are cut and blended into pieces. However, the method doesn’t work with mixed materials, resulting in poor quality textile that has to be blended again with fresh raw materials in order to become production suitable. Moreover, blended materials make up over 90 per cent of all textiles today.

Now, Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M has launched a new programme for innovative recycling.

Working with HKRITA (Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel), the H&M Foundation, an independent charity/investment group, a part of the Swedish clothing giant, has announced a breakthrough in the recycling of textile blends.

Innovative breakthrough Erik Bang, Innovation Lead, H&M Foundation says the Hong Kong-based research institute has found a solution for textile blend recycling that could be commercially viable by 2020. The institute has found a way to recycle fibres of sufficient quality from polyester and cotton, he stated during the Hong Kong Fashion Summit. The breakthrough involves a hydrothermal-chemical process, which requires heat, water and 5 per cent biodegradable agent, to separate cotton and polyester blends. The resulting recycled cotton fibres are sufficient for use in new textile production.

By collecting knowledge and testing findings from 15 or so academic papers projects that are leading the way in research into textile blend recycling, two technologies stood out: hydrothermal and biological recycling. The former earned the researchers’ support. The H&M Foundation aims to scale up the technology to an industrial-level and soon after start making it available to the entire fashion industry by 2020. For this project, the foundation has allocated $6 million, reinforced by an additional $24 million originating from the Hong Kong Government.

Edwin Keh, CEO, HKRITA, elaborates by upcycling used textiles brands no longer need to rely on virgin materials to dress a growing world population. It’s a breakthrough in the pursuit of a fashion industry operating within the planetary boundaries. Bang

48 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

thinks that in the future innovative recycling plants will run on various different technologies that complement each other.

What the future holds H&M’s Group discovery to become an ‘innovative recycling technology’ will depend on its successful licencing and global adoption. Moreover, as of now, most H&M garments end up as waste. The fashion giant is interested not only on how to reuse cotton and polyester for its circular supply chain but also investing in future technologies which can put H&M at the top of the fashion innovation movement.

• H& M Foundation has found a a way to recycle fibres of sufficient quality from polyester and cotton.

• H&M Foundation has allocated $6 million to scale up the technology to an industrial level.

• Use Snapchat to deliver exclusive content • Use word-of-mouth marketing • Combine online and in-store shopping

SECTION

INTERNATIONAL MEGA BRANDS PB_Ads_final.indd 1

8/3/2018 4:15:20 PM

Mega

Brands These are global names that have reached an awe-inspiring position.

Their reputation has spread the world over and their business models have become subjects at business schools.

A mega brand is big in every possible way. And a mega brand is generally one which has been known by generations of consumers.

PB_Ads_final.indd 2

8/3/2018 4:15:20 PM

• The brand was launched in 1982 in the US as a private label • It caters to men and women • Represents the spirit of adventure • Launches two collections every year • Has expanded outside of the US

Me g a b rand

Aéropostale Promoting the spirit of adventure The Brand

Excatly a 100 years ago, Compagnie Generale Aéropostale, a pioneer airmail company, was the first to fly across France, South Africa, and South America. Aéropostale pilots navigated perilous flights across mountains, deserts and seas. Today, Aéropostale continues to represent

that same spirit of adventure and discovery.

Aeropostale was launched in 1982 in the US as a private label. The target customers are men and women aged 16 to 22. Aeropostale has two collections a year, spring and fall/ winter. The assortment this season is inspired

The Aéropostale generation Y and Z is always living in the moment, dreaming of the future, brimming with youthful ideals, socially conscious, yearning to explore, endlessly energetic, boundlessly active, connected and involved, dedicated to discovery, delighted by details, devoted to personal style, appreciate quality and value, are wild at heart and thrilled to be alive People Behind the Scenes Spokesperson Brand

by Aéropostale’s classic preppy heritage along with modern cool kid vibes. This season’s color palette is a full range between bright colors and dark colors with fun tropical inspired prints of florals, stripes, birds and more, mixed in throughout the collection. In 2005 Aéropostale reached a billion dollars in sales and also launched its e-commerce website.

Brand USP

Aéropostale’s latest collection introduces fashionable pieces that fit every personality and style. The brand essence is: anything is possible wherever you roam. The brand’s DNA comprises benchmarks like being authentic, accessible, untucked and youthful, and possessed of unlimited energy, boundless curiosity, and a sense of adventure.

Retail Strategy

In 1987, the first free-standing Aéropostale store opened in the US. In 2007 Aéropostale expanded outside of the US and opened its first store in Canada. The company also achieved same-store sales increase of 3.3 per cent, marking 10 consecutive years of positive samestore sales.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

49

• It is an iconic American brand • It offers a broad assortment of apparels • Launches two collections every year • Targets customers in the age group of 24 to 40 years • Planning to add more stores • Known for its introduction of the first detachable shirt collar

me g a b rand

Arrow A Broad assortment of apparels The Brand

Originally an American brand, Arrow offers a broad assortment of apparels including dress shirts, neckwear, sportswear, and accessories. It is aimed at 24 to 40 year olds. The brand lauches two collections every year; spring/summer and fall/winter. Arrow is known for its introduction of first detachable shirt collar, the smart shirt, anti-UV shirt, four in one shirt and stitchless shirt.

The future is great. Now retail stores merge their physical and online stores in different ways and improve sales. Faster mobile penetration is boosting the Indian internet population.

M-commerce is impacting it at a fast speed People Behind the Scenes Spokesperson Brand

Brand USP

Brand Arrow is best known for its fashionable yet functional apparels. As the second-bestselling dress shirt in the United States, the brand is known for quality, American style, and innovation. The Arrow line consists of feel-good fabrics and comfortable styling. It is wearable on casual workdays that transits into weekend wear. Arrow is committed to providing quality apparels across the world that embody the heritage of the company and deliver superior quality to consumers.

Retail Strategy

In the upcoming season, Arrow plans to add both exclusive outlets and channel partners.

Though the brand has always performed better in metros, its operations in Tier II and III cities have also been showing commendable results.

50 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

• The brand is a blend of Italian creativity and style • It was founded in 1970 • It has a presence in 40 countries • Entered India two years ago • Offers men’s garments and accessories • Is planning to expand into Tier II towns

Me g a b rand

Cadini Synonymous with excellence and creativity in men’s fashion The Brand

Founded in 1970, Italian brand Cadini offers men’s garments and accessories. It has a presence in over 40 countries including the US, UK, China, Russia, etc. The brand entered India two years ago. It is aimed at men in the age group of 25 and above who are successful, fashionable and brand conscious. Its product ine includes suits, jackets, trousers, bandhgalas, tuxedos, shirts, T-shirts, ties, pocket squares, scarves, denims, chinos, accessories. The brand recentlly introduced flatknit polos, cotton chinos and denims, jackets wearable around the year and wrinkel free shirts and suits.

Brand’s USP

A long history of excellence in creativity has made Italian fashion synonym for great taste, careful manufacture and attention to detail. Cadini’s product proposition is its devotion to perfection and functionality which enhances the style as well as spirit of unmatched comfot and effortless elegance. Cadini’s fabrics and readymade garments radiate elan and an aura of absolute authority. It is an international brand with an Indian pricing. Its craftsmanship meets unmatched comfort and timeless style. It has continously sustained a great passion for innovation and has evolved as one of the most sought after brands from Italy with a global presence.

Retail Strategy

The brand has nine EBOs, 10 shop in shops, 20 MBOs and one large format stores. Cadini has exclusive brand outlets in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune, and is expanding into Chennai and Hyderabad. It has a presence in Central and at MBOs in Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, etc. The plan for the next three years is to have 50 exclusive outlets especiall in Tier II towns, 150 shop in shops in MBOs and 25 shop in shops in large format stores. The first phase of retail penetration will have company owned outlets at all major metros. Expansion in state capitals and Tier II towns would be through the franchise mode.

The ideal floor size of these stores would be an average of 1,000 sq.ft.

Brand Communication

Cadini recently launched a national advertising campaign ‘The Power of Presence’ to establish its finesse of Italian creativit, style, production know-how and quality finishing. It

Our aim is to make Cadini the preferred brand in the minds and hearts of every discerning consumer of India. We see immense promise in the domain of brand and retailing in India in the coming years People Behind the Scenes Shridhar K Iyer, Asst. VP features three commercials and presents a diverse range of luxury fabrics and apparels that has been conceived, designed and created with great attention to details upholding the standards set by the finest Italian craftsmen in the making of an indulgent menswear range. The idea has been drawn from the rise of fashion-forward youth who not only follow international trends but also believe in the power of presence. The new campaign is being promoted through multi-channels such as print, electronic and digital. The campaign will be largely diriven through TVCs, theatres, digital and print medium. Sizeable investments will be done over the next three to five years t create visibility and brand recognition.

Retail Details EBOs: 9 Shop in shops: 10 MBOs: 20 Large Format: 1

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

51

• Launched in 1985, Celio is a European men’s ready-to-wear brand • It delivers effortless style and fashion • It targets 25 year old Indian men • Is present in 36 EBOs • Has loyalty programs

me g a b rand

Celio Masculinity and relaxed fashion The Brand

Founded in 1985, Celio is a European men’s ready-to-wear brand. It is present in 60 countries with more than 1,100 stores.

In India, the brand focuses on smart casuals, weekend casuals and jeans. This includes denims, tees, bermudas, cargos, linen shirts, polos, chinos, bottom wear. The target is 25-year-old Indian men, conventional style seekers or progressive consumers, socially connected and style conscious. Celio aims to be among the most preferred international menswear brand in India in the next few years.

Brand USP

Known for its smart and contemporary menswear, Celio has brought a breath of freshness to the Indian fashion scene through a blend of masculinity and relaxed fashion. Celio is all about effortless style and fashion. Its products are urban, smart, elegant

and very wearable. Each of its product is a distinct twist of fashion. In terms of pricing strategy, the brand has an accessible pricing with a focus on good value. Collections are launched simultaneously in India as in other parts of the world thereby giving Indian consumers the best of global fashion. There are two main collections, spring/summer and autumn/winter. Each of these seasons has multiple collection drops which are based on the various evolving fashion trends across the world. This essentially means customers see merchandise freshness at stores every few weeks.

Retail Strategy

Celio covers all key markets such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru.

It is present in 60 cities with 36 EBOs, 164 shop in shops and 25 MBOs. The EBOs are a combination of company owned and franchisees.

Usually an EBO is 1,200 sq ft. Celio is bullish about Tier II and III cities. Additionally it is present in most major e-commerce channels such as Myntra, Jabong, Amazon, Flipkart etc. It has a total retail space of 95,000 sq. ft. The expansion strategy is a combination of deeper penetration in current cities and entering new ones.

Retail Details EBOs: 36 Shop in shops: 164 MBOs: 25 Large Format: NA

52 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

With over 900 million mobile phone subscribers and 432 million internet users, India’s e-commerce market is poised for growth in the coming years. The online shopping boom can be attributed to the tech-savvy, socially active, earning and shopping millennial generation. This audience enmeshes quite well with the brand’s vision. At Celio, we strongly believe in merging online and offline spaces toward the next wave of growth, which is omni-channel retailing People Behind the Scenes Abhishek Shetty Marketing, PR and Loyalty Head

Brand Communication

The entire marketing strategy is built on the interest areas and the media consumption habits of the primary customer base. In addition to leveraging stores, print, media, point of sale branding, Celio uses the digital medium to reach out and engage with the its target audience. Celio has its own loyalty program called the ‘Celio Fantastic Program’ with a base of four lakh members. A lot of marketing activities are undertaken on a targeted basis by crunching huge amounts of data to understand each customer. Based the data analytics, dynamic customer segments are created to identify various cross-sell and upsell opportunities. A digital campaign launched lately was the Celio Fantastic football game, where members had to play a game in order to win various promotional offers at stores. The brand is involved with fashion events, bloggers and celebrity stylists to ensure a healthy top of the mind recall.

• It is the first innerwear brand launched in 1871 • Has a mass premium pricing • Intends to touch 12,000 retail stores in the first year • Its products are made in India • Plans exponential growth year on year • Suited for Indian body types

me g a b rand

Fruit of the Loom Most comfortable underwear ever The Brand

Fruit of the Loom (FOTL) is a mass premium brand both in India and globally. It is the first innerwear brand in the world launched in 1871.

Offering the most comfortable underwear ever designed, its products are manufactured in India. They are tested for the weather and are meant for Indian body types. The brand uses right fabrics such as cotton and cotton modal.

Its products have wide price range making it affordable for every class.

The brand offers men’s innerwear and outer wear, women’s innerwear and outer wear. The outer wear mainly caters to sleepwear. In India, the brand doesn’t cater to children although globally it does. The company plans exponential growth year on year. There are two or three products in outer wear and bottom wear and a few more products are likely to be added soon.

Fcuk

Fcuk is a fun brand with an interesting portfolio. It has a different look, feel and finish. The brand offers a new color blocking technology which keeps the garment’s color intact even after 10 or 15 washes. The company has license for Fcuk innerwear, sleep wear, thermals and socks. Globally, Fcuk does not do

In India it’s easier to sell bras than panties.

Bras don’t have price sensitivity. But for panties there is a huge amount of price sensitivity. A woman buying a bra for Rs 1000 won’t buy a panty for Rs 1,000 unless it is a coordinate. But even then it won’t sell as a set.

Brands can’t sell panties at Rs 499 as a single piece even if it is a fine product. Why women are willing to spend on bras, but not on panties, is a mystery to me People Behind the Scenes Spokesperson Fruit of the Loom

women’s range but in India it offers a women’s range. The company has a license for Fcuk women’s innerwear and sleep wear. It launched Fcuk for men and will shortly launch women’s as well.

The target is 20 to 35 year olds. It has a young, vibrant, sexy color combination. The licensee has been given the liberty to experiment with waistbands. There are three products at the same price and all three are selling.

These are: Fcuk England, Fcuk Bold and Fcuk Graffiti. The waistband is in a graffiti style, bold style and England style. All three are priced Rs 499. As of now, Fcuk has no competitor in the market.

Retail Footprint

In the first year the brand will touch all metros, Tier I and II cities. The intention is to cross 100 to 150 distribution points by the end of first year. It intends to touch 12,000 retail stores in the first year. It is also into digital activities.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

53

• A premium lifestyle brand • Pioneer in button-down shirts • The brand has 27 EBOs • It targets men in the age group of 25 to 50 years • Will widen its presence

me g a b rand

Gant Shirts with signature features The brand

Gant is a premium lifestyle brand founded in 1949 in the US. The product portfolio comprises shirts, tees, trousers, chinos, jackets, sweaters, and polos. Shirts are the highlight. The brand uses fabrics like Egyptian or Pima cotton, linen and silk in addition to Tencel, Modal, and Rayon. Some shirts also feature elastane for stretchy comfort, with greater freedom of movement. The target customers are 25-50 year old refined men who appreciate the finer things in life.

They are achievers, and are focused on learning, and a purpose that’s greater than themselves. The brand launches four collections every year – spring, summer, fall and winter.

The current Tech Prep collection has features such as quick dry, breathable (keeps body’s core temperature intact) and wicking.

Style features

A Gant shirt comes in various styles – foldedup sleeves, popped up collars, tucked in, left out. The brand uses techniques and product innovations using Coowax technology, easy care and eco friendly washes. Gant was the first brand to introduce button-down shirts on a large scale in the US. The style became Gant’s most important feature. With signature features such as the hallmark locker loop, the well-constructed box pleat, the perfect roll, the original logotype and the back-collar button, Gant is a pioneer shirt maker.

Finer details such as red-blue-white buttons are used on the plackets in men’s shirts. Different shirts and tees use specific logo and trims. The Diamond G range for example features discreet logos on the sleeve cuff and chest.

Retail Strategy

In India, Gant is retailed through 27 EBOs and 40 MBOs and shop in shop formats. EBOs are a mix of company owned and franchisee stores.

The average size of a store is 900 sq feet. The brand plans to increase the store count to 116 in the next five years and penetrate Tier II and Tier III cities.

Going forward, Gant plans to lauch more franchisee operated stores. It has 20 stores in Tier I and seven stores in Tier III cities. It will to expand into cities such as Amritsar, Jaipur and Patiala.

Brand communication

Retail Details EBOs: 27 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: 40 Large Format: NA

54 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

In India, Gant plans to widen its presence and drive visibility for the brand. It is focused on ATL and digital advertising methods. Its customer base comprises loyal customers in various markets, including

The Indian retail industry is driven by a young demographic profile.

Internet penetration is increasing. About 75 percent of online users are in the age group of 15 to 34 years. Backed with easy means of online payments, the e-tailing industry is here to stay.

We’re already present on most online platforms, in recognition of this trend.

Through our omni channel format we’re reaching almost 19,000 postcodes across the country which was previously impossible due to infrastructure and various other barriers. With the deepening internet growth, ease with shopping for apparel online –the customer is more than excited to try new brands, styles and express their personalities through brands such as ours People Behind the Scenes Parag Dani, Business Head

metros, Tier I and Tier II cities.

In future, the brand plans to build off this base of customers and widen its appeal to the growing segment of customers seeking products that can be worn across a variety of occasions: from work to after work, weekend brunches, to evenings out.

The brand communication is refreshed each quarter to showcase its ranges. Each campaign focuses on the key styles and palettes for the season.

• It is the world’s most iconic apparel and accessories brand • It entered India in 2015 • Focuses on sustainable initiatives • Poised to be the denim destination • Introduced the pocket tee shirt • Targets the millennials • Follows four seasons

me g a b rand

gap Redefining denim choices in India The Brand

One of the world’s most iconic apparel and accessories brands and the authority on American casual style, Gap was introduced to India through Arvind Lifestyle Brands. Its target customers are millennials. The brand’s first India store opened in 2015, it retails men’s and women’s apparel and accessories as well as Gap Kids and baby Gap. Gap’s performance collection which consists of denim bottoms, khaki and denim jackets has water repellent, moisture wicking and stretch innovations.

Gap offers a variety of leggings and capris for women who lead an active lifestyle. The leggings are engineered for workouts with a bonded waistband for freedom of movement while providing shape retention.

Brand USP

Denim is at the heart of the brand. A series of product innovations has been done in color, cuts, silhouettes, washes and treatments.

Gap’s range of denim for the entire family has constantly evolved to mirror the needs of the

market, and today showcases one of the widest assortments in the category for customers. Gap’s collections are designed to build the foundation of modern wardrobes, all things denim, classic white shirts, khakis and must-have trends. Gap was the first brand to introduce the pocket tee shirt.

Retail Strategy

In India Gap, has 11 exclusive outlets located across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Gurgaon, Noida, Indore, Pune and Chennai. All EBOs are company owned and the average size of a store is 7,000 sq ft. Further expansions will be made through a hybrid model of retailing.

Retail Details EBOs: 11 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: NA. Large Format: NA

“Gap India has its own omni channel platform, which offers seamless shopping, connecting the offline and online retail experiences. Through the omni channel model, we’re able to offer our customers options of endless aisle, same day delivery, or click and collect in store.

Gap has also partnered with Amazon to retail the brand on its e-commerce platform exclusively People Behind the Scenes Parag Dani, Business Head

Brand Communication

Gap India follows global campaigns and observes four seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter, with a bi-annual focus on denims.

The campaigns focus on key trends in fashion and revolve around the new products/styles launching in the season. Communication is a mix of ATL and BTL. Gap India has a very strong loyalty base and is a key channel for interacting with consumers directly and effectively. Going ahead, its aim is to meet customers at every touch point.

Aside from leveraging some of the most iconic celebrities for marketing campaigns, Gap is also credited with identifying some talented faces with the Gap Kids campaigns.

For the Indian market, some of the key milestones are marketing campaigns run for Gap store launches across cities, namely, the bluewash, which consists of washing the façade of a mall with the Gap blue.

Future Plans

In future 100 per cent of Gap’s cotton will come from more sustainable sources from 2021. The brand will focus on sustainable initiatives like working to reduce the absolute, global greenhouse gas emissions of its facilities by 50 per cent by 2020.

Through a series of product innovations and laser focused attention to creating product that’s exciting for the millennial customer, Gap is poised to be the denim destination

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

55

• It is an iconic fast fashion European menswear brand • It is perceived as a disruptive, rebellious and edgy brand • Jeans forms the backbone of the brand • Has more than 1,000 stores in 38 countries • Its stores are replenished with new styles every week • Aims to be one of the biggest fashion brands in India by 2020

me g a b rand

Jack & Jones The disruptive, rebellious and edgy brand The Brand

Jack & Jones incepted in 1990 by Bestseller, is an iconic menswear brand. Bestseller first sold this carefully crafted collection, at a fashion fair in Oslo, targeted at young men and over the years Jack & Jones has manifested itself as one of the strongest jeans brands in the market.

Aimed at men between 18 to 24 years of age, Jack & Jones today is one of Europe’s leading producers of menswear. It is defined and represented by five unique brands: Jack & Jones Vintage Clothing, Premium by Jack & Jones, Originals by Jack & Jones, Core by Jack & Jones and Jack & Jones Tech. The brands are designed by independent design teams, each with their own ideas, concepts and designs. They offer full range of clothes, accessories and footwear for every man and every occasion.

Brand Philosophy

Jack & Jones is a democratic jeans brand that helps fashion conscious men create their own personal style. Over the past few years, Jack & Jones through its marketing activities has built a perception of being a disruptive, rebellious and edgy brand. With its latest marketing campaign, ‘Don’t Hold Back’, the brand communicates a call to action toward shunning all inhibitions and following one’s gut irrespective of what the world says or its obvious consequences. This campaign resonates the way of life of today’s youth and the merchandise offered allows men to incorporate this attitude in their daily life.

Product Basket

From its inception, jeans have been the backbone of Jack & Jones’ business. It continues to have a higher level of expertise with regards to craftsmanship, quality and design of jeans.

But the brand has diversified into other product categories such as accessories, shirts, T-shirts, pants, shorts, winter wear, trousers and inner wear. The brand launches two collections a year, spring/summer and autumn/winter. However, to meet the ever-increasing demand for fashion, and stay relevant to its fan base, the brand ensures that its stores are replenished with new styles every week. Jack & Jones also comes up with various capsule collections throughout the year. This year, the brand launched its NBA, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pokémon and Mickey collections in collaboration with Disney that were a big hit.

Retail Strategy

Jack & Jones is one of Europe’s top producers of menswear with more than 1,000 stores in 38 countries. Jack & Jones clothes are sold by thousands of wholesale partners across the world. Bestseller as a company continues to focus on increasing shop fronts to improve customer accessibility. Partnership with major online players, along with a dedicated brand website further plays up to reach customers in remote areas. It is constantly looking for new market opportunities and purposefully growing its retail space. Its brands serve as a

“We are constantly looking for new market opportunities and purposefully growing our retail space. Our brands serve as one stop destination with exhaustive options across different categories and large stores offer scope for innovations in visual display and enhance shopping experience for our customers People Behind the Scenes Vineet Gautam Country Head & CEO, Bestseller India one stop destination with exhaustive options across different categories and the large stores offer scope for innovations in visual display and enhancing shopping experience for customers.

In India, Jack & Jones’ has 66 EBOs, 271 shop in shops spread across the country. All Jack & Jones EBOs are company-owned and their average size is 1,800 to 2,000 sq ft. With over 300 brick and mortar store fronts in India, the brand has exponentially increased its footprints in Tier II and III cities to widen the reach and optimise top line and bottom line growth. The brand launched stores in Ludhiana, Jaipur, Goa and other Tier II and III cities.

Future Plans

Jack & Jones has always been looking at the right market opportunities and believes by 2020 it will become one of the biggest fashion brands in India. Key strategies would be bigger brickand-mortar stores providing better customer experience; live inventory with partners; better technological integration of inventory across all platforms; entering new cities and increasing the number of stores.

Retail Details EBOs: 66 Shop in shops: 271 USP: Iconic menswear brand Core Products: Jeans

56 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

• The brand was launched in 1983 • It is inspired by water • Caters to men, women and children • Is sold through 40 EBOs • Focuses on classical pieces

me g a b rand

Nautica Taking ahead its water-inspired heritage Retail Details EBOs: 40 Shop in shops: 53 MBOs: NA Large Format: NA

The Brand

Nautica is an American water-inspired global lifestyle brand founded in 1983. It is aimed at customers of over 25 years of age, who are driven, self-confident, action oriented.

Nautica products are classics that are rich in performance, color and authentic style. The product lines for the Indian market comprise menswear, women’s wear, children’s wear along with accessories. The men’s collection includes polo tees (solid colors as well as prints), casual tees, shirts, chinos, denims and shorts. Depending on the season, the collection also incorporates swimming shorts, outerwear items such as bomber jackets, sweatshirts, and sweaters. In accessories, watches along with belts, shoes, wallets, and sunglasses are available in India. The women’s collection comprises dresses (printed, color blocked, shift dresses), blouses, trousers and casual tees along with accessories like scarves.

are updated to offer a collection that celebrates true nautical style, delivering a re-imagined heritage.

Retail Strategy

In India, Nautica has a presence in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata. It also has a presence in Tier II markets such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Gurgaon, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Jammu. Nautica retails through 40 EBOs and 53 shop in shops at MBOs. The exclusive stores are a mix of company owned and franchisee owned stores.

The average size of a flagship store is 1,000 sq. ft. and a franchisee store is 800 sq. ft. In the next five years, the brand is looking to open shop-inshops in Tier III markets as well.

“Retailing online is one of the fastest and easiest routes to ensure your target consumers have access from all over the country without having to invest time to visit the store.

Most significant brands are already, if not heading towards, launching online.

Indian consumers today have disposable incomes, are well traveled and have clearly articulated brand preferences. With the growing middle segment and movement of consumer spending patterns, we see lifestyle apparel and premium brands only developing further, and penetrating the market in a more robust way People Behind the Scenes Parag Dani Business Head

Brand Communication

Nautica’s strategy has been to showcase its water-inspired heritage through its campaigns.

Such campaigns are shot/built around water and the outdoors—be it the beach or a marina.

Each season focuses on key style pieces and forms the basis of the campaign hero stories.

Brand USP

Nautica’s focus is on classic pieces. It is focused on reinventing traditional and iconic pieces by introducing new fits and fabrications, ensuring that authentic pieces reflect the strong heritage of the brand. The latest collection continues to pay tribute to the sea-inspired roots, with bold colors, iconic logos, sail stitching and navy and white stripes. Classics

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

57

• The brand was launched in India in 2010 • Denim is its core product • The brands stands for feminine strength, boldness and tongue- in-cheek humor • Has 50 exclusive stores • Invests heavily in social media

me g a b rand

Only Uniqueness is in the name

Retail Details EBOs: 50 Shop in shops: 174 MBOs: 20 Large Format: NA

The Brand

Danish brand Only came to India in 2010.

It’s aimed at millennials, consumers that are evolved, who are constantly online seeking quick fixes for fashion. They are the ones who look at trendy yet stylish pieces that are globally trending. Keeping this in mind, Only offers innovative collections that are the perfect mélange of pop culture and global fashion. Only has casual and formal wear, winter and beach wear, denims, playsuits and shorts, accessories, jewelry and more. This includes jerseys, knitwear, chiffon tops, edgy leather jackets and unconventional accessories with an urban influence. But denims are the main product.

The brand houses a range of silhouettes, shades and washes. Only houses an extensive array of options such as distressed denims, acid washes, embroidery, patch work and more. Only’s denim archive addresses the girl who prefers rebellion to compromised peace and believes that compromising conviction is a crime.

The brand stands for feminine strength, boldness and tongue- in-cheek humor. Only has a core personality of being fun, edgy, rebellious, fearless and extremely stylish. The name spells individuality, as in, only you. Uniqueness is in

58 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

the name, the stores and the collections. Each item is created with this special only feeling with a focus on feminine strength, self-confidence and style.

This season Only introduced a lot of quirky and exciting collections. Themes ranging from Think Pink, Smiley London, Grunge on the Prairie featured as part of the latest collection.

Retail Strategy

Only is well established in metros as well as Tier II and III cities. In India the brand has 50 exclusive stores and 174 shop in shops. The average size of an EBO is 1,800 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft. Only was introduced to the Danish market in 1995. Today it is an established and renowned retail chain with more than 300 stores in Europe and the Middle East. The brand is sold in more than 6,500 wholesale stores and is present in 23 markets.

Brand Communication

Only as a brand continues to focus on serial innovation in product design, marketing strategies adapted to consumer preference and increasing shop fronts to improve customer accessibility. Partnership with major online

The development of the e-commerce and e-tailing industry has a growing influence on the buying patterns of consumers.

Online customers are offered competitive pricing, larger assortments, and the benefit of receiving all of this without stepping into a store. To add to this, omni-channel retailing is a very strong value approach that brands are increasingly embracing.

Omni-channel retailing not only enhances sales but also allows consumers to shop online and exchange products offline, leading to an augmented customer experience People Behind the Scenes Vineet Gautam Country Head & CEO, Bestseller India

players along with a dedicated brand website further plays up to reach customers in remote areas. It is constantly looking for new market opportunities and purposefully growing its retail space. The brand utilises a mix of media outlets across print, radio, outdoor, social media and ambient mediums for marketing and campaigning.

It holds parties for youngsters with international DJs, neon lights and an accessible pool. The brand also invests heavily in its social media channels and digital marketing. Only was the first brand in India to launch a campaign exclusive to SnapChat. It was associated with pop sensation Justin Bieber’s visit to India as a style partner and launched a limited-edition Only For Bieber collection, inspired by Bieber’s unique street style. The collection offered perfect staples in the form of cold shouldered crop tops and graphic infused grunge tees.

• The brand was launched in 1973 in London • It entered India in 1989 • Opposites attract is the basis of its new collection • It caters to the young fashion conscious consumer • Manufactures a wide array of chic casual wear • Has an eclectic mix of styles

me g a b rand

Pepe Jeans Denim for the young at heart

Retail Details EBOs: 218 Shop in shops: 174 MBOs: 862 Large Format: 399

The Brand

Pepe Jeans was incepted in 1973 and in 1989, the brand entered India. Pepe Jeans is for the young at heart. The brand caters to the fashion conscious consumer who prefers stylish and trendy denims at an affordable price.

Pepe Jeans India manufactures a wide array of chic casual wear for men, women and children.

Jeans, the core product, comes in a variety of fabrics, washes, fits and colors. The brand’s product portfolio also includes T-shirts, flat knits, sweaters, sweat shirts, jackets as well as woven merchandise. The accessories range consists of bags, wallets, caps, socks and footwear.

60 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Season’s Collections

Pepe has two collections, spring/ summer and autumn/winter.

This season, Pepe Jeans takes its inspiration from the popular saying “opposites attract.” An eclectic mix of styles comes together for the season’s wardrobe. Influence is drawn from the roots of London’s most famous markets. Portobello is the signature style. Notting Hill defines vintage and modern and W11 includes a mix of light and dark colors.

Looking at the rate at which urban India is growing, a large chunk of the working population is now in the age group of 24 years. Nuclear families are increasing with working women and opportunities in the organised retail sector are growing. These are key factors that will lead to the growth in retail by 2020 and beyond. Another key element of the retail is that it continues to grow at an estimated 25 per cent annually. It is estimated that salaries of the working middle class will double after 2020, which will lead to increased spending and the creation of new consumer segments.

There will be a new set of sophisticated consumers looking for premium products. Brands will have to customise their products.

Younger audiences now prefer to shop online.

Brands will have to give even more importance to this channel, similar to brick-and-mortar stores People Behind the Scenes Neha Shah Head, Marketing, Pepe Jeans

Retail Network

In India, Pepe Jeans is present across 13 states and 21 cities and retailed through 218 EBOs, 862 MBOs and 399 large format stores. For EBOs, the brand has partnered franchisees and also has standalone stores.

• The brand is growing at the rate of 40 per cent year on year • One of its important emerging categories is shape wear • The brand emphasises on fabrics, laces, colors • Launched their latest sports bras under the brand name Triaction by Triumph • Will build up its luxury and niche segments • Has more than 1,000 points of sale

me g a b rand

triumph Lingerie that makes a fashion statement The Brand

The brand, which caters to women from all walks of life, is best known for its cutting edge fits and superior quality fabrics.

Growing at the rate of 40 per cent annually, the brand’s growth rate is way above the industry average growth rate. Triumph is now looking at building its luxury and niche segments to bring its Indian collections at par with international range.

Product Range

The range in bras is big. For example, Triumph has beginner bras that offer low to medium support for the years between a girl and a woman, T-shirt bras and comfortable cotton bras for every-day wear and luxurious lace lingerie for weddings and special occasions. Maternity bras keep the comfort of a new mom in mind and help her during nursing. There are bras that offer high support for women in the mature stages of life and special minimizer bras that visually minimise the bust by one size. The brand has bras that go up to a H cup. BeautyFull is designed for curvy women. Magic Boost features soft, flexible wires. Another important category is shape wear, which includes tummy tuckers, high waist panties and shaping shorts.

This year, the brand expanded its Triaction Sports bra range with the launch of a new high performance collection.

Triaction offers the ultimate sportswear solution for modern active women who desire sports bras to not only perform but also offers true comfort with style. It features a Studio and a Cardio collection, which cater to different consumer and workout needs. The Studio series is for

62 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

“We experience a strong shift from functional or occasion-led buying to emotional buying. Lingerie today is a fashion statement with a feel-good factor.

It is seen as an extension of a woman’s personality and desires because it makes her feel sensuous, elegant and fashionable and radiates her inner confidence. Lingerie as a fashion statement and a feel-good factor is gaining significance. With the rise of working women and disposable income, women are not hesitant to spend on lingerie, especially when it makes them look and feel good. Fashion conscious Indian women have finally started experimenting with intimate wear in the form of luxury laces, different colors, vivid patterns, interesting cuts, etc People Behind the Scenes Jennifer Kapasi Commercial Director - India & Sri Lanka women who want to stay toned, and is ideal for low to medium intensity activities whereas the Cardio series offers exceptional support for women who love to feel the burn.

Retail Strategy

Triumph has a presence across all sales channels. Distribution spans more than 75 cities (direct supply) with more than 1000 points of sale. It has a significant online retail presence on major e-commerce platforms. It has a 35 per cent market share in trade.

www.summerlineshirt.in

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

63

• Opened in Denmark in 1987 • Came to India in 2010 • Caters to stylish young women • Known for fast fashion • Innovates in product design

me g a b rand

Vero Moda Vibrant, fast fashion for young women The Brand

Denmark-based brand Vero Moda opened in 1987. It caters to young women looking for new trends, accessible styles and fashionable must-have items. The brand launched in India in 2010. The line includes evening wear, casual wear, fashion wear, T-shirts with cool prints, funky denims and statement leather pants and jackets.

USP

The brand’s forte is fast fashion. A vibrant and accessible approach to fashion is its trademark.

Vero Moda is all about rebooting the wardrobe with fresh basics and classic tailoring. It offers quality and classic fits for the young woman, mixing these basics with trendy styles and can’t-live-without pieces for an ever-changing look. The garments created by the brand are relaxed, casual and perfectly represent the urban, cosmopolitan and sophisticated attitude of Vero Moda.

Retail Details Shop in shops: 184 EBOs: 65 Large Format: NA

64 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Retail Strategy

Vero Moda is retailed through 65 EBOs and 184 shop in shops. The average size of an EBO is 1,800 to 2,000 sq ft. The brand is present with major online players and also has a dedicated website of its own. Vero Moda is well established in metros and Tier II and III cities and is constantly looking for new market opportunities to improve customer accessibility.

Brand Communication

Vero Moda continues to focus on serial innovation in product design, marketing strategies adapted to consumer preference and increasing shop fronts to improve customer accessibility. The brand designs campaigns around everyday life of customers. In 2016, Vero Moda launched a campaign to bring fast fashion straight from international runways.

The campaign was all about highlighting one key trend inspired by international fashion every week. It also holds music, food, art and wine festivals interact with customers

Vero Moda is a brand of choice for the fashionconscious, independent young woman who wants to dress well. Vero Moda offers quality, affordable and inspiring clothing for the young woman who wants to look good and have fun with her look People Behind the Scenes Vineet Gautam Country Head and CEO, Bestseller India in a personalized setting. A limited edition collection Marquee was launched to convey luxury at a popular price. Kangana Ranaut is the face, whose acting prowess, confidence and winning attitude with a humble background depict simplicity and elegance.

SECTION

INDIAN POWER BRANDS PB_Ads_final.indd 3

8/3/2018 4:15:22 PM

PB_Ads_final.indd 4

8/3/2018 4:15:25 PM

Power

Brands So far the belief has been that India has not really produced a world renowned brand. India is well on her way to proving that belief wrong. The country has produced powerhouses that are the equal of any abroad and that are second to none in reputation and quality. And what's more many a l s o h av e n e t wo r k i n o t h e r countries.

• The brand was launched in 2006 • It is a women’s western wear brand • Targets women in the age group of 25 to 35 years • Is growing at 20 to 25 per cent annually • Has 65 EBOs • Offers a style for every occasion

p owe r b rand

109°F New Age fashion for urban women The Brand

Brand 109° F was launched in 2006 to meet the growing demand for women’s western wear.

It is a New Age fashion brand that offers finely crafted designs for the urban Indian woman.

The brand targets urbane women between 25 to 35 years of age, aspiring to be at par with international trends and fashion but are sensitive to Indian norms and sensibilities. 109° F has had steady growth of 20 to 25 per cent for the last several years. It will continue to aim at constant and steady growth, and is planning to upgrade its products, ensuring parity with international styling. It is also expanding its presence across the country to achieve its growth objectives.

Brand USP

The creations are designed to celebrate freshest shades and latest trends seasonal, contemporary and complimentary to every body type. The color palette, cuts and styles, fabrics, trims and accessories are considered before creation. There is a style for every occasion, dinner dates or lazy lunches, evening walks or nights out, a day at the office or a holiday.

Retail Details EBOs: 65 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: NA. Large Format: NA

Retail Strategy

The brand is sold through exclusive outlets, large format stores and MBOs. It’s present in over 400 point of sales, with close to 65 EBOs. It’s also sold in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Nepal and Iraq.

Future Plans

In coming years 109° F will be consolidating its operations and upgrading brand experience, focusing on organic growth rather than expansion of outlets.

Fashion is a continuously evolving industry and one has to keep pace with changing trends, needs, and tastes of the consumer.

So while the basic product basket tends to remain the same – with a few additions and subtractions here and there-- the silhouettes, styling, and fabrics will keep changing. As long as people continue to wear clothes, the industry will continue to grow. However, I see a competitive period ahead, with more international brands coming in, with imports getting easier, and retailing norms becoming more stringent People Behind the Scenes Rahul Mehta, Managing Director

66 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

• The brand was launched in 2012 • It embodies human values • Each of its garment helps shape a life • It plans to open 20 EBOs a year • Present in 15 countries • Caters to men and women • Active on social media

p owe r b rand

Being Human Every garment shaping a life

Retail Details EBOs: 63 Shop in shops: 206 MBOs: NA Large format: NA

The Brand

Launched in 2012, Being Human caters to both men and women. It offers shirts, denims, jackets, T-shirts, dresses, wallets, caps, belts and socks. The brand launches two collections every year, spring/summer and autumn/winter.

The autumn/winter collection has leather jackets, denims, hoodies for men and women.

The turnover of the brand is Rs 220 crores. The brand is aiming for a 20 per cent year-on-year growth for the next three to four years.

Brand USP

The clothes of Being Human embody the values of love, care, share, hope, help and joy.

Each of these values forms a part of the brand’s DNA. The detailed visual evokes the charitable aspect of the brand. The result is a collection that is stylish yet reaches out to people to help spread these values. Every garment helps

shape a life through education or helps save a life through healthcare initiatives. Every single garment through every single edition continues to do so. The brand’s USP is celebrity, charity and fashion and it capitalises on that. Someone buying a Being Human product also contributes to the society. So they are not just looking good but are also doing good.

Retail Strategy

The brand aims to open 20 stores a year with at least 70 per cent of stores in Tier I, II and III cities. A few of the cities on the roadmap are Patna, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Jamshedpur and Raipur. The average size of a store is 1,000 to 1,200 sq. ft. The brand is present in 15 countries with more than 600 point of sales.

The brand is also moving from metros to Tier II and III with its exclusive and franchise stores.

The aspirational value of the brand is also much

We are looking at positioning ourselves as the most preferred clothing brand by the young.

Increasing penetration of internet, growing purchasing power, high brand consciousness and fashion sense have made e-commerce an important medium of shopping.

Consumers are ready to experiment with fashion.

They are exploring options which are based not only on value but also on the brand. E-tailing is gaining popularity with rapid adoption of smart phones and better internet connectivity. There seems to be a lot more room for growth in Indian e-commerce space People Behind the Scenes Kunal Mehta VP- Marketing and Business Development

higher in these cities. The expansion will include reaching up to 1,500 outlets or point-of-sales in the next three years. Being Human has tied up with leading online fashion stores in India, and in future may launch its own e-commerce website. Soon it will launch in Fiji. The plan is to be present in the UK, US and Canada.

Brand Communication

The brand’s main mediums of advertising include newspapers, magazines and radio. It is very active on social media platforms and its stores are its biggest marketing points.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

67

• The brand was launched in 1991 • It caters to menswear • Focuses on creating something new • Offers best wardrobe solutions • Adds new styles and designs every season • Is present in 230 EBOs • Uses all media vehicles

p owe r b rand

Blackberrys Optimum wardrobe solutions for men

The Brand

Launched in 1991, Blackberrys caters to men and offers suits, jackets, knit blazers, khakis, formal shirts, trousers, innerwear, shoes and accessories. Formal shirts, trousers and blazers have a range of features like breathable fabrics, wrinkle resistance, anti-microbial.

Every season new styles, designs, colors and constructs are added to the collection. The formal collection caters to 25 to 40 year olds; casual collection to 25 to 35 year olds; and the classy street wear collection is for men between 18 to 25 years of age. The brand offers two collections a year: spring/summer and autumn/ winter. But flash stocks hit stores from time to time to add freshness to the season’s collection.

Brand USP

The core focus is to create something new and provide Indian man the best wardrobe solutions. It believes in constantly introducing innovative designs and quality solutions in men’s clothing, and has earned the trust of millions of customers, and achieving one milestone after another to become a fashion brand to reckon with. Blackberrys has invented and re-invented the paradigms of success with wardrobe solutions that fulfill the fashion lifestyle needs of forward-thinking Indian men.

Retail Strategy

Blackberrys has 230 exclusive brand outlets, 800 MBOs, 180 shop in shops. The brand is present in over 100 cities with large formats like Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons and Central. The brand is also looking at the franchise model for the future. The plan is to have 200 EBOs in the next two or three years and penetrate Tier III markets as well.

Brand Communication

The marketing approach of the brand involves reaching out to its customers, getting closer to the audience and communicating with them in their language. Blackberrys wishes to go local. As a marketing strategy, it plans to use all media vehicles with a huge presence in the digital space.

Retail Details

Blackberrys has invented and re-invented the paradigms of success with wardrobe solutions that fulfill the fashion lifestyle needs of forward-thinking Indian men.

People Behind the Scenes Ramesh Kaushik, VP, Brand Experience

68 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

EBOs: 230+ Shop in shops: 180 MBOs: 800+ Large format: NA

JAI CHAMUNDA APPAREL 106, 1st Floor, Center Plaza, Shivaji Chowk, Daftary Road, Malad (E), Mumbai - 400097 Ravi - 8286253253, Ramesh - 7738888138, Tel : 022 28889666 Email : fablekids@hotmail.com Mumbai : Style - Khar (W), Temperature (Dadar), Louriya (Malad)

• The brand was launched in 2001 • It primarily caters to menswear • It has 104 EBOs • Offers 1,000 designs in a single season • Is growing at the rate of 20 to 25 percent a year • Launched CP Bro in 2014

P owe r b rand

Classic Polo Affordable, superior quality apparel The Brand

Classic Polo, launched in 2001, caters to menwear. Its collection include shirts, trousers, denims, T-shirts, winter wear, lounge wear, active wear, innerwear and accessories. The brand launches around 1,000 designs every season and 2,000 to 2,500 units per year. The latest collection comprises linen tees, jacquards, dobbies and indigos. It has been growing at 20 to 25 per cent every year for the past two to

three years. Classic Polo launched CP Bro in 2014. This targets 18 to 26 year olds who have international tastes but look for an affordable range. CP Bro has denim which changes optics with every wash.

Brand USP

The USP of the brand is affordable, superior quality apparel which is also well designed and durable and offering value for money.

Classic Polo has been winning customers’ hearts with this USP for the past 17 years.

The brand extended its range to fulfill the expectations of the market and loyal customers.

Retail Strategy

Classic Polo covers the length and breadth of the country with 104 exclusive stores, 4,000 multi brand outlets, 405 large format stores.

EBOs are franchise operated. The aim is to add 30 stores this year especially in Tier II and III cities of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand. The brand is on portals like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, Paytm, Myntra, Jabong, etc.

The apparel industry is extremely dynamic and evolving in terms of merchandise and pricing.

Brands are doing their best to keep their loyal base motivated and delighted. Online retail is catching up while traditional stores continue to expand organically in Tier II and III cities. The apparel industry is becoming more structured and organised; brands too will align with the changing trends.

Indian customers will witness more fashion and style in years to come. Classic Polo is set to surprise its audience group of all ages. Sixty per cent of India is below 30. This age group is very experimental and keen to adopt dynamic fashion People Behind the Scenes Usha Periasamy Director, Operations & Brand

Brand Communication

Classic Polo has a budget for brand building and brand promotion. About 5 per cent to 6 per cent of the turnover is benchmarked for brand building activities.

Classic Polo encompasses both ATL and BTL activities to promote the brand’s business. Classic Polo believes in consistent brand building and promotion to create and sustain its image.

Retail Details EBOs: 104 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: 4,000 Large Format: 405

70 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Head Office: #917/44, 2nd Cross, 2nd Stage,Kirloskar Colony,WOC Road, Basaveshwaranagar Bangalore - 560 079. Phone : 080 - 23221083 Telefax : 080 - 23223260

Inviting distributors for PAN India Market

For enquiry - Paresh Chandan +91 9845036022

• The brand was launched in 2000 • It caters to fashion seeking women • It is known for designer denims and casual chic tops • Has 21 EBOs • Plans 40 more EBOs • Provides a blend of fresh hues and trendy patterns

P owe r b rand

Deal Jeans Wooing women with designer denim and chic tops The Brand

Deal Jeans launched in 2000 caters to women in the age group of 16 to 35 years who are fashion seekers with a lot of style, attitude and flair. The product portfolio covers designer denims and western wear. The latest collection is a stylish gamut of winter wear from longline overcoats to cozy cardigans and chic dresses in top wear while bottom wear is about studs, appliques, embroideries and distresses. The

collection is a blend of fresh hues and trendy patterns crafted in leather jackets to cardigans in top wear, studded denims to comfy culottes in bottom wear and striking dresses in party wear.

Brand USP

Designer denims and casual chic tops are the USPs of the brand. It is a leading fashion apparel brand with exclusive positioning in

With growing presence of international brands in India, the new generation of shoppers has become part of the world of fast fashion.

Shoppers are now preferring brands that offer value for money and provide the latest global fashions. Rising disposable incomes along with consumers’ aspirations to follow global fashion have fuelled the growth of fast fashion stores People Behind the Scenes Sameer Patel Founder and Chairman

the high fashion space. It believes in giving its target consumers a piece of what they truly desire. Fashion with style and comfort clubbed together is what it strives to offer its audience. Hitting the right note of extreme market demands and offering them the same has always been the philosophy of Deal Jeans.

Excellent fits and a vivacious international style add to its perfection. Styles are inspired by ongoing international trends. Deal Jeans crafts around 2,500 styles every year.

Retail Strategy

Deal Jeans has 21 exclusive outlets, 1,350 MBOs, 106 large format stores and is present at all leading online shopping portals. EBOs are both company-owned and franchisees. The plan is to have add 40 more EBOs by this fiscal.

Brand Communication

Retail Details EBOs: 21 MBOs: 1,350 Large Format: 106

72 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

The brand reaches out to its target consumers through various medium of advertising.

ATL and BTL activities play a crucial role in communicating the season’s launches, store launch, season’s sale and other brand activities.

• The brand was launched in 1966 • It is India’s top T-shirt brand • It offers a premium lifestyle footwear collection for men • The brand has a vertically integrated garment manufacturing plant • Is retailed through 360 EBOs

P owe r b rand

Duke Top T-shirt brand with authentic fashion heritage The Brand

Launched in 1966, Duke offers clothes for men, women, and children in the premium and mid-premium segment. The range covers T-shirts, jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, tracksuits, thermals, jogging suits, shirts, denims and trousers, lowers, bermudas, shorts, value packs, lounge wear, accessories, etc. Step Ahead is the first premium footwear collection

by Duke. It is a premium lifestyle footwear collection for men, specially designed and crafted for utmost comfort, style and durability.

Retail Details EBOs: 360 Shop in shops: 50 MBOs: 4,000 Large Format: 200

“The collection puts strong emphasis on intricate craftworks and mirror finishing. Duke uses cutting edge technologies and quality checks. In house knitting, dyeing, mercerising, finishing, compacting, garment printing, embroidery / printing and manufacturing facilities feature stateof-the-art machinery and equipment. The embroidery section is fully computerised. By using high quality fabrics and the best pattern technology we are able to deliver stunning fashion at affordable prices People Behind the Scenes Kuntal Raj Jain Director

Brand USP

Duke is India’s top T-shirt brand. The company’s values are based on authentic fashion heritage. Influenced by the latest international fashion trends, the brand is equipped with a complete vertically integrated garment manufacturing plant, with knitting, dyeing, processing, finishing, mercerisng, compacting, embroidery and printing under one roof. Its vision is to satisfy the Indian consumers’ needs in fashion, style and value, across occasions, in apparels, footwear and accessories, by anticipating trends and creating markets with the ultimate purpose of delivering superior value to all customers.

Retail Strategy

Duke has 50 shop in shops, 360 EBOs and 4,000 MBOs. It is in 200 large format stores like Spencer’s, Walmart and Hypercity. Online it sells through Myntra, Snapdeal, Jabong, Flipkart and Amazon.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

73

• The brand was launched in 1991 • It caters to casual menswear • Also offers women’s denims with sub brand Ms. Hfn. • Focuses mainly on Tier II and III • Will explore the rural belt of Chattisgarh

p owe r b rand

Hoffmen Focus on Tier II and III towns The brand

Hoffmen, launched in 1991, caters to men offering them denim, casual, shirts, trousers, blazers, suits and T-shirts. Its target audience is mid segment aged between 21 to 50 years. The brand offers two collections in a year, spring/summer and autumn/winter. It also offers women’s denims and shirts in its sub brand Ms. Hfn.

Retail Strategy

The brand is present in 450 MBOs and has 70 EBOs. Almost 90 per cent of its EBOs are company owned, franchisee operated model as it results in better control over retail network although it leads to higher capex per store.

Hoffmen focuses mainly on Tier II and III towns. This year, it’s looking at exploring the rural belts of Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The brand is also present online across various platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm, Jabong, etc.

Indian apparel industry, although becoming more competitive, is still growing in a healthy manner.

It will continue to do so, with Indian customers affinity towards fashion and clothing. E-tailing has caught on but for a market like India, where entertainment in most cities is still restricted to shopping malls, brick-and -mortar would continue to be the most preferred platform People Behind the Scenes Aayush Rungta Director

Retail Details EBOs: 70 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: 450 Large Format: NA

74 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

• The brand was launched in 1999 by Indus League • It believes in change as the only constant in life • Delivers fast fashion for the young • Caters to the urban Indian men in the age group of 18 to 24 years • Offers 12 collections a year

p owe r b rand

Indigo Nation Cult brand for the young and restless The Brand

Indigo Nation was founded in 1999 by Indus League. It is a cult brand for the young and restless, delivering fast fashion to the Indian dude who forever aspires to be in.

In 2005, Indus League was acquired by the Future Group.

Indigo Nation targets the urban Indian men aged 18 to 24. It began with formals and contra formals and PV trousers and over one and a half decade offers products in the work, club, casual and street segments. The product portfolio is shirts, T-shirts, trousers, shorts, denims, blazers, waistcoats, casual jackets, winter wear, boxer shorts, fashion vests and accessories. The brand offers two collections each having two to three stories, which translates into 12 collections per year. The new range includes long line shirts and T-shirts tweaked and tailored and inspired by the athleisure trend, washed out shirts in sulphurs, denim shirts enhanced by badges and washed.

“We believe the future is all about omni-channel.

Online and offline will have to learn to coexist. We also feel there will be consolidation of e-com players in the near future. As of now, no one is making money and investors would like to consolidate their investments in separate companies by merging them together People Behind the Scenes Tejpal Singh Brand Manager

Brand USP

Indigo Nation strongly believes in change as the only constant in life. The brand believes in the religion of now and here, with yesterday and tomorrow. No guidelines, because tastes change and with that everything. The brand doesn’t sell products but offers looks. These looks can be for any occasion, be it work, date or just chilling out with friends.

Retail Strategy

Indigo Nation is present in 104 EBOs and over 100 MBOs. The exclusive stores are a mix of company owned and franchisees. The average size of an EBO in Tier II and III cities is 600 sq. ft. to 800 sq. ft. while in metros the size varies from 1,000 sq. ft. to 1,500 sq. ft. The brand is in Reliance Trends, Central, Pantaloons, Brand Factory, More, Hypercity, Metro. Half of its business comes from AP, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka. It has a strong penetration in Tier I and II cities across the country like Nanded, Solapur, Dhule, Nashik, Aurangabad, Rajmundry, Warangal, Tirupati. Indigo Nation is present in international markets like Oman and Dubai.

Brand Communication

Retail Details EBOs: 104 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: 100 Large Format: 7

In keeping with the low attention span of the young and restless, the hipsters of new age India, the brand believes its means and modes of communication too need an omnichannel approach. Considering its audience is most occupied on the digital platform, either browsing or networking on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Indigo Nation believes its presence and engagement via these tools are vital. Also there is a lot of BTL activities with its core audience, be it at pubs or colleges.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

75

• The brand was launched in 2005 • It caters only to women • Women aged 25 years are its target • It is present in 24 EBOs • Best known for denim fits • Tries to stay ahead of the curve • Works on short lead times

p owe r b rand

Jealous 21 Denim with the right fits

Women’s denim is definitely growing. Over the years, women’s fashion has evolved. Women are able to access global fashion. And as they enter the workforce, the need to dress appropriately has increased. There is a transition from ethnic wear to comfortable denim wear. Women at work wear a fusion of ethnic kurtis with denims. Denim is daylong wear. It can be paired with something else to create a different look for occasions. It is a mix of convenience and trends that has made denim an approved category for women in India People Behind the Scenes Rahul Gupta Vice President, Future Lifestyle Fashions Ltd.

76 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Retail Details EBOs: 24 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: NA. Large Format: 350

The Brand

Jealous 21, which opened in 2005, is aimed at women and offers denim, dresses and tops.

The target group of the brand is 21 year olds but the general age group it caters to is 18 to 25 year old. Majority of its customers are students exploring fashion denim. Earlier Indian women had to compromise on using men’s denim fitted to women’s sizes, but in 2009 the brand came up with the revolutionary idea of three hip fits.

These not only address the curves of Indian women but also offers them the right the fits to help them flaunt their denims.

Style Trends

Tops and dresses reflect global trends. With denim the brand tries to stay ahead of the curve

and work on innovative fabrics. Since much of denim is about fabrics, Jealous 21 collaborates with mills on R&D especially for fabrics. As for changing fashion, changes in denim happen methodically. The change is more in terms of the fashion component. The fit and fabric remain almost the same. Every 45 to 60 days, Jealous 21 brings in new fashion component. It does this at a short cycle lead time. That’s how it keeps abreast with changing fashion. This mix helps the consumer.

Retail Strategy

The brand is present in 350 large formats across India and 24 EBOs. The EBOs are mainly in the South and West. It is also available online and may plan to enter MBOs in future.

• The brand was founded in 1999 • It doesn’t have end of season sales • Its products can be used in multiple ways • It offers women’s wear range under the brand Mohey • Core product is men’s ethnic wear • Will hike capacity to six million pieces a year

p owe r b rand

Manyavar A strong customer connect The Brand

Manyavar, which was introduced to the market in 1999, is a men’s ethnic wear brand.

It offers sherwanis, Indo westerns, bandhgalas, jackets, kurtas, children’s ethnic and fusion wear. Its accessories include dupattas, pocket squares, safas, jutis, malas, kilangis, brooches, kamarbandh, scarves, bajubandh and lowers.

Its plan is to have a production capacity of six million pieces per annum from a facility of 600,000 sq ft of warehouse and office space.

Mohey offers celebration and wedding wear for women. It includes lehengas, saris, gowns, blouses, sari gowns and suits, bags, clutches, dupattas, ponchos and jewellery like rings, ear rings, neck pieces, mang tika and belly belts.

Every Mohey garment is handpicked for its concept, attention to detail, fabric, hue, cut, embellishment and finishing.

New Range

The latest collection includes kurtas in different cuts such as angrakhas, bandhgalas and pathanis. Among lowers there are printed patialas and dhotis. Since men are experimenting with shoes, there are jutis inspired by the loafer style. They are available in various colors, materials and embroidery. Pastel and light shades such as aqua blue, sea green, peach etc are used in garments, metallic buttons on kurtas and sherwanis, loafer style jutis etc.

Retail Strategy

The brand is present across 170 locations in India, US, Bangladesh, UAE and Nepal. It has over 480 stores, which includes 100 flagship and

12 international stores. While the brand journey began with multi brand outlets, currently exclusive brand outlets across India are the focus. Most of the brand’s EBOs are franchiseeowned with a few core company-owned stores.

Stores range between 1,500 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft on an average. The goal for 2020 is to have a million sq ft of retail space for Manyavar and 500,000 sq ft for Mohey, 600 exclusive stores including 100 flagship and 50 global stores at 300 cities across India and abroad.

E-tailing is the future of shopping. Constant connectivity and exposure to e-commerce have opened up a lot more variety for shoppers. Not only are consumers opinionated and connected but are also sure of their needs and wants owing to the availability and free flow of information.

Being connected and well informed in the digital realm will continue to have a huge influence on customer behavior in India now and as well as in the future People Behind the Scenes Shilpi Modi Director

Brand Communication

Manyavar has been able to build a strong customer connect owing to the 360 degree integration of all communication platforms viz. TVC, multiplex, outdoor, print and digital. Manyavar boasts of having the highest advertising budget in the industry. It’s one of the most visible brands at multiplexes covering over 1,400 screens across the country. It recently also participated with leading Indian telesoaps for brand integration.

USP

Factors like dead stock lower than 4 per cent, unique merchandise ownership, no end of season sales contribute to a high conversion rate and in turn a high stock turnover. The brand’s strengths lie in single order deliveries.

Its products are designed keeping in mind the vast variety of festivals and occasions in the country.

Manyavar provides clothes for every occasion. Most of its products can be worn in more styles than one. A kurta can be worn on a patiala for a casual look or on a churidaar with a dupatta or jacket if the occasion is more festive.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

77

• The brand caters to westernwear for women • It has 150 EBOs • Aims to double sales by 2018 • Is in 2,000 MBOs • Uses a wide range of fabrics

p owe r b rand

Madame Western wear innovations for women The Brand

Madame offers western wear to women at an affordable price. The brand offers a range of summer tops, dresses and winter clothes. Fabrics used are lace, chiffon, tulle, satin, velvet, lame, wool felt, satin, nylon, wool felt, ribbed knit, herringbone, suede, mohair, shearling, tweed, lurex, organza, chambray, felted wool, raw denim, wool herringbone jersey, twill, washed cotton and fleece.

The style statement for coming season is military outerwear, eyelets elements detailing, color blocking, embroidery, color and prints so it’s possible to stand out even if wearing an allblack or a neutral outfit. Innovations will be in silhouettes, bell sleeves, exposed buttons and zippers. For the new season there will be bomber jackets for women. The brand keeps track of trends in fabrics, design development and silhouettes.

Retail Strategy

The brand is sold through 150 EBOs, 75 shop in shops, 62 large format stores and 2,000 MBOs. The Indian e-commerce industry in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 40 per cent by 2020. The penetration of online retail in total retail market is expected to rise from 0.5 percent in 2014 to three per cent by 2020. Use of mobile phones, smart phones is likely to grow by 2.5 times by 2019.

Future Plans

Madame aims to double its sales with a growth rate of 22 per cent by 2018 on the back of new stores, a presence in large format stores, innovative product offerings and increase in online sales in different market places.

Women’s wear will grow to 48 per cent of all readymade western wear in 2019, from 35 per cent in 2014. From a CAGR of 15 per cent between 2009 to 2014 it’s expected to grow 10 to 12 per cent between 2014 to 2019. The western wear category is getting accepted in conjunction with ethnic wear People Behind the Scenes Bipan Jain CMD

Retail Details EBOs: 150 Shop in shops: 75 MBOs: 2,000 Large Format: 62

78 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

• The brand was incepted in 1984 • The brand offers both summer and winter wear range • It is best known for its winter wear • Offers stylish finish and modern looks • Targets men, women and tweens • Its tag line is part of TV folklore

p owe r b rand

Monte Carlo Knitwear brand for the fashion savvy The Brand

Oswal Woollen Mills, the flagship company of the Rs 5,000 crore Nahar Group, launched operations in 1949. Nahar is a conglomerate whose activities cover spinning, knitting, hosiery garments and knitwear, fabric processing, infrastructure development and IT. Oswal Woollen Mills, with 50 per cent share of the premium woolen knitwear market, launched Monte Carlo in 1984. The brand saw amazing success within a short period and in the first year of operations clocked in turnover of Rs 2.50 crores.

The knitwear brand offers clothing for all seasons and age groups. Though it started as a winter wear brand, its collection now consists of summer (shirts, light casuals and trousers)

and sportswear as well. Monte Carlo’s range of knitwear consists of over 500 designs for men, women and tweens. Among its offerings are T-shirts, trousers, jackets, socks, tracksuits, sweaters, cardigans, coats, sweatshirts and polo necks. In 2006, the brand introduced bold, energetic Alpha Female range in its women’s collection. Apart from this, the brand delivers premium styling to tweens (8 to 14) under the Tweens Monte Carlo brand.

Brand USP

Monte Carlo is renowned for its bright colors, bold patterns, stylish finish and ultramodern looks. The name is synonymous with quality and variety.

While its winter wear has been developed from pure wool such as Australian merino wool (certified with the Woolmark logo), the brand has emerged as the first choice when it comes to purchasing value for money products. Its apparel is known by the fashion savvy populace.

Jackets are water repellent, PU coated, provided with brilliant colors and international styling. The brand’s upper and lower thermal innerwear is prepared from quilted insulated cotton polyester fabric and known for excellent warmth.

Monte Carlo is probably the first brand in India which introduced wholegarment knitwear utilisng the technology of Shima Seiki.

Retail Strategy

Monte Carlo T-shirts are sold through more than 1,200 leading retail outlets spread all over the country. As far as

The branded apparel market is worth around Rs 40 billion. Increasing demand for designer wear along with entry of competitive international brands within the country in the 1990s was testament to the huge potential of the Indian market. Taking advantage of the vast market, many national and international apparel giants have set up their showrooms all over the country and look to be the first choice of the fashion conscious populace People Behind the Scenes Sandeep Jain Executive Director its summer range is concerned, Monte Carlo is focusing on untapped markets in west and south India. The brand has an online store and is on leading e-commerce portals.

Brand Communication

The marketing strategy consists of participation in fashion shows and exclusive product launches. Monte Carlo has been a regular with traditional marketing promotions through advertisements on television, print, etc.

It holds a strong digital presence with its e-commerce store and regularly updated social media pages. The brand’s tag line ‘It’s the way you make me feel’ is part of TV folklore and has been a major factor in its campaigns.

Monte Carlo has been a stepping stone for several leading models and TV personalities to develop their careers in the fashion and entertainment industries. Among them are Arjun Rampal, Aryan Vaid, Meghna Reddy, Himanshu Malik, Mallika Sherawat, Shawar Ali and Nandana Sen. Monte Carlo has also played a leading role as the clothing partner of Bollywood flicks like Barfi, Student of the Year, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mary Kom.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

79

• The brand was launched in 1987 • It targets young, aspirational, fashion conscious and upwardly mobile consumers • Has a strong hold on social media platforms • A zero gravity and a boro inspired collection is its latest range • Its core product is denim • Offers 150 basic styles and 400 fashion styles every season

p owe r b rand

Numero Uno Scoring high with zero gravity denim and boro inspired collections The Brand

Launched in 1987, Numero Uno is one of India’s first indigenously manufactured denim labels. It targets young, aspirational, fashion conscious and upwardly mobile consumers who are self assured, have access to technology and a propensity to spend on lifestyle. The range includes denims, trousers, shirts, T-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters, footwear and accessories.

In 2008, Numero Uno introduced Espana, a collection of premium denims developed in collaboration with Jeanologia from Spain. It incorporates Jeanologia’s special techniques and washing knowhow to create classic vintage denims. The washes range from totally raw unwashed to rugged washes, abrasions and damages. The stitching details are minimalistic but are unique and distinct. Recently, Numero Uno re-launched its men’s footwear category and is planning to launch women’s footwear as well by next year. The brand works on spring/ summer and fall/winter. It offers 150 options of basic styles and 400 options of fashion styles every season for both men and women.

E-tailing has changed the way we see retailing. There are numerous aspects of the retail market which have been changing because of technology. The development of e-tailing has played a major role in the change. Today, people value online markets because they provide better accessibility.

Internet-based marketing has brought forth a change in consumer and market preferences too. The e-commerce industry has been growing by leaps and bounds People Behind the Scenes Narinder Singh Dhingra Chairman, Managing Director

Latest Collections

The brand has a zero gravity and a boro inspired collection. The zero gravity range includes breezy light denims and shirts that’s light and comfortable all day. Boro is inspired from a Japanese mending technique that involves articulate patch work that looks sleek and trendy.

communication weaved around the youth. This includes college tie-ups. The campaign follows a 360 degree approach that includes ATL, BTL and digital. Numero Uno is strong on social media with over 50,000 fans on Facebook and a good following on Twitter. In Tier I cities and metros, the plan is to do more ATL activities that have the maximum reach.

Retail Footprint

Future Plans

Numero Uno is retailed through 210 EBOs. Of these, 40 are company owned and the remaining are, operated either as direct franchisees or through distributor channels.

Adding more franchise partners is on the cards in states like Karnataka, Kerala, AP, Telangana, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The average size of a store is anywhere between 500 to 700 sq. ft.

Flagship stores are as big as 1,500 sq. ft. The brand is present in over 600 MBOs across India and has shop in shops in 32 Shoppers Stop outlets. The aim is to be present in all metros and Tier I cities in the next two or three years.

The focus is to expand in South India and strengthen the brand’s hold in Western India.

80 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Brand Communication

From a campaign with Lisa Haydon to being the style partner for Bollywood flick Ae Dil Hai Muskhil, Numero Uno’s brand communication has gone up a few levels. Last year a TVC was launched. The latest campaign ‘The Real Denim’ was shot in around Mumbai. The brand

The brand has seen significant growth.

However, the last two years were tough. The idea is to be more aggressive once again to attain faster and stronger growth. In future, the brand will look at fast fashion as this is how the new generation consumes fashion and since it provides more options to consumers in a shorter duration.

Retail Details EBOs: 210 Shop in shops: 32 MBOs: 600

• The brand was launched in 1999 • It is known for its men’s casualwear • It has 16 EBOs, 650 MBOs, 177 large formats • Embraces digital marketing • Has a vacation theme for S/S ’18 collection • Aims to grow by 27 per cent

p owe r b rand

Parx High speed innovation The vision for the brand is to drive sustained innovation with faster time to market in order to stay relevant to the millennial population People Behind the Scenes Pragati Srivastava Brand Head

Retail Details EBOs: 16 MBOs: 650 Large Format: 177

The Brand

Parx, launched in 1999, is a men’s casualwear brand aimed at tech-savvy globally connected youth in the age group of 22 to 26 years. They have a trendy sense of style, are energetic, outgoing and dynamic. The main product categories of the brand include shirts, trousers, denims and knits. It has a revenue growth of 23 per cent year on year and is pitched to grow at 27 per cent in fiscal 2018-’19.

Brand USP

Continuous high speed innovation is Parx hallmark. Its best selling products are shirts and T-shirts. To stay relevant to the younger generation the product mix in the brand has shifted from regular fit blocks in trousers and denim to slim and tapered fits. Regular shirt styles were replaced with contemporary and casual styles.

on Raymondnext, Myntra, Jabong, Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal.

New Styles

The Parx spring/summer collection 2018 takes inspiration from holiday travel, with vacation download as the theme. The fabric is encapsulated with fragrance capsules to make you smell good all throughout the day. Yoga denims have bi stretch fabrics. Chinos have super stretch fabrics. Parx has a reversible range. Feather Touch is characterised by subtle

sheen, greater functionality, strength, better regularity, with less skin friction, offering best of comfort this summer. Jeanos have the look of denim and the comfort of chinos. The collection also contains seersuckers, tropical prints, Tencel, Modal, linen blends, digital graphic interface T-shirts, accessorised trousers and sports jackets.

Brand Communication

To connect with its target group Parx has shunned the traditional way of marketing and embraced digital. New properties such as Parx Hunt in colleges across the country were created as the new high-decibel touch point to talk to tech-savvy millennials. Brand communication for a particular season/collection is dependent upon the respective theme/inspiration.

Retail Strategy

Parx has 16 EBOs, 650 MBOs, 177 is retailed through large formats like Shoppers Stop, Central, Reliance Trends. EBOs are a mix of company owned and franchise stores. Currently 60 per cent EBOs are company owned. The aim is to open 25 to 30 franchise owned stores in fiscal 2018-’19. Popup stores are at high-traffic destinations, including at malls. Parx Express is a new fast fashion supply model. Parx is online

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

81

• The brand was launched in 1995 • It caters to boys in the age group of six months to 16 years • Uses various platforms for brand building • Ruff has 23 EBOs • Has major expansion plans

p owe r b rand

Ruff A futuristic outlook Ruff has constantly reinvented and contemporised itself successfully addressing the needs of customers People Behind the Scenes Sohail Patca Director

Retail Strategy

The Brand

DS Corporation is a partnership firm, owned and managed by the Patca brothers, and engaged in the manufacture of garments for the last 30 years. The group started manufacturing children’s wear in the name of Dearson’s in 1980. Ruff was launched in 1995 with casual wear for boys aged between six months to 16 years. The garments are both fashionable and

Retail Details EBOs: 23 Shop in shops: 10 MBOs: 500 Large Format: 150

82 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

trendy. Among these include designer crew neck tees, Jamaicans, designer denim, cotton pants, designer shirts and leather jackets. The brand has always nurtured a futuristic outlook by maintaining constant innovations. For the first time it has launched leather jackets in different colors, printed T-shirts with biker themes, etc. Also, it has trendy blazers and fancy denim jackets.

Ruff has 23 EBOs, 500 MBOs and presence in 150 large formats. EBOs are a mix of company owned and franchised. The brand is now focusing more on Tier II cities. Abroad, it is expanding in markets like GCC and Africa.

Ruff has major expansion plans in India and overseas. It plans to open more EBOs and spread its reach through more shop-in-shops and MBOs.

Brand communication

The brand is promoted through online contests, print ads, hoardings, events and promotions and various other platforms.

• The brand was launched in 1998 • It caters to youth in the age group of 16-35 years • Capacity to produce 2.5 million pieces a year • Offers complete range of fashion wear • Has 10 shop in shops • Growing at a CAGR of 25 percent

p owe r b rand

Status Quo Complete wardrobe solution for men

Online business has evolved over the years.

Today’s youth is more tech savvy and enjoys being busy with e-gadgets.

E-commerce definitely has a great future. We are developing strategies for effectively promoting our brand digitally and will continue to work for our customers’ needs in this changing digital world People Behind the Scenes Bobby Arora Director 2.5 million pieces per annum. There are two collections a year, spring/summer and autumn/ winter, with themes like travel, music, animal, love etc. The current collection comprises the themes of sports, camouflage, Game of Thrones and RCB lifestyle collection. The brand has been steadily growing at a CAGR of 25 per cent for the past five years. Status Quo plans to be a complete wardrobe solution brand by 2020.

Brand USP

Offering a complete range of fashion wear, the youth-oriented brand is appealing in its dynamism, style and outlook. Complimenting customers’ beliefs with modish designs, the brand helps them stand out with its unique and exciting designs along with consistent quality.

Classic styling with continuous innovation gives it an added advantage over others.

Retail Strategy

The Brand

Retail Details Shop in shops: 10 MBOs: 1,200 Large Format: 160

84 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Status Quo opened in 1998. Its product portfolio includes shirts, waist coats, shrugs, blazers, T-shirts, shorts, joggers, trousers, denims, sweat shirts, sweaters and jackets.

The brand’s target consumers are men in the age group of 6 to 35 years and people who are young at heart. It has an installed capacity of

The brand is available through 10 shop in shops, 1,200 multibrand stores and 160 touch points at large format stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Lulu and Central. Status Quo also retails through Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong, Snapdeal, Tata Cliq, Paytm and also through its own website. Status Quo is looking at 75 shop in shops by the end of this year.

New markets which it is exploring are: Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The brand is steadily increasing its reach in the Middle East.

• Launched in 1993 in Kolkata • Men’s wear brand • Is a strong brand in East India • Has 100 EBOs • Does two collections a year • Plans to become stronger in the East • Uses ATL and BTL

p owe r b rand

Turtle A men’s lifestyle brand The brand

Kolkata-based Turtle opened in 1993 and does the complete range of men’s wear except innerwear. It caters to men 21 to 50 years. Turtle does two collections a year, spring/summer and festive/winter. It is now a lifestyle brand.

Brand USP

The vision is to provide the best in fashion and quality at affordable prices. With trendsetting fashion and redefining styles, its two iconic brands, Turtle and London Bridge, have become favorites among men who wish to stand out and make a statement.

Retail Details EBOs: 100 Shop in shops: NA MBOs: 1,200 Large Format: NA

Retail Strategy

The brand has 100 exclusive stores and 1,200 multi-brand outlets across the country. EBOs are both company owned and franchisees. In large formats, it’s with Shoppers Stop, Central, Reliance Trendz, Pantaloons and Brand Factory. Turtle plans to grow in Tier II and III cities. The plan is to have a strong presence in the east and be available at all leading stores in east India.

Brand Communication

Turtle has a direct approach to brand communication. It plans to showcase its products more rather than campaigns and make consumers aware of its offerings. The brand uses both ATL and BTL and digital strategies for brand communication.

From a company primarily into men’s readymade shirts, to a leading brand in menswear fashion, Turtle has come a long way. What started with a production capacity of just 20 shirts a day, today we have an exhaustive in-house retail unit People Behind the Scenes Shitanshu Jhunjhunwalla Director

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

85

• Opened in 2002 • Caters only to women • Has 250 EBOs • Adapts western styles • Offers kurtas with a twist • Has six sizes for every women’s fit

p owe r b rand

W The mix n match pioneer The Brand

Founded in 2002, W takes inspiration from latest fashion trends and forecasts from the West and transforms them into silhouettes and styles acceptable to the modern Indian woman.

It offers kurtas, palazzos, cropped pants, culottes, printed skirts or pant robes. Aftre doing a study on the sizing of Indian women, W introduced six sizes to fit every woman.

Brand USP

The brand pioneered the idea of kurtas being worn as dresses. W brought the iconic knit churidars and gave them a whole new space in a working woman’s wardrobe. The silhouette structuring includes darts and tucks, mix and match of prints and fabrics while at all times providing a great fit. The core values of integrity, result orientation, speed, innovation and camaraderie reflect across the organization. The work culture at W is all about inclusion, collaboration, high performance and opportunity. It also ensures all its actions are in service of its vision, mission and values.

Retail Strategy

W is in 250 EBOs. Out of these, 40 per cent are in the North, 20 per cent in the West, 30 per cent in South and 10 per cent in the East. The average store size is 2,500 sq. ft. The metro vs non-metro split is 65:35. The brand is in large formats like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Central, Reliance, Max, Pantaloons etc. Online it’s with Jabong, Amazon, Snapdeal, Flipkart and Myntra. The brand has stores in Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well.

86 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

We provide fashion in a modern retail environment to the Indian woman. A new identity has been created for our stores, which now boast of better designs, visual merchandising elements and new counters.

W understands the mindscape of contemporary urban Indian woman – a sensible confluence of Indian and western sensibilities. It is a pioneer in introducing the concept of mix n match in retail People Behind the Scenes Anant Daga Managing Director

• A Fabric brand from the Aditya Birla Group • Recently launched the LAPF studio in Tirupur

in gre die nt in gre b rand die nt b rand

Liva The new age soft fluid, eco-friendly fabric

L

iva is a new age fabric from the Aditya Birla Group. Unlike other fabrics, that are boxy or synthetic, Liva is a soft, fluid fabric which falls and drapes well. The new-age naturally sourced fibre made into fabric in pure or blended form, transforms not just the garment but also the person wearing it. It is comfortable, soft, natural, and eco-friendly.

Brand USP

These fabrics are made with 100 per cent modal, 100 per cent viscose and viscose blends as an alternative to traditional fabric for New Age Indian women who deserve high position as well as comfort in her apparels.

Retail Strategy

These fabrics are available in retail points across the country in a range of colors, textures and prints.

This will enable not just the retail consumer but also boutique owners, designers, small retailers to access Liva’s fluid fabric to create their own fluid designs.

Brand Communication

Liva, recently launched a state-of-the art LAPF Studio in Tirupur. This is the third such studio after Noida and New York.

LAPF Studios act as a one-stop customer experience centre for innovation, technical, product and marketing solutions.

The Tirupur studio has a collection of more than 2,000 fabric innovations of viscose, modal and excel. Technical specifications, uniqueness of the fabric and marketing stories are available in a wide variety of fabrics including woven, knitted, flat knitted etc.

Liva’s seasonal collection, specially designed by the in-house designers, will be on display in the studio to align global buyers to the cluster.

The new age naturally sourced fibre made into fabric in pure or blended form, transforms not just the garment but also the person wearing it People Behind the Scenes Dilip Gaur, Business Director, Pulp and Fibre Business Aditya Birla Group and Managing Director, Grasim Industries

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

87

• The brand was launched by Reliance Industries • It offers a range of innovative fabrics • Its polyester delivers high value • It offers functionality, aesthetics and sustainability • Expected to be a pioneer • Has a high level of acceptance from brands

i n gre die nt b rand

R Elan Innovative fabric range for better functionality The Brand

R Elan is a range of innovative fabrics from Reliance. It is a blend of art and smart, fabrics with several attributes such as enhanced performance, aesthetics, and sustainability.

The brand serves growing consumer demands for better functionality, aesthetics and sustainability, while ensuring each level of the value chain is also benefited.

R Elan encompasses a wide range of fabrics providing superior aesthetics, functionality and sustainability. The large superior product range can serve multiple brands across applications. The brand is experiencing a high level of acceptance from brands across different applications such as active wear, denim, formal wear and women’s wear.

R Elan Fabric 2.0 powered by Kooltex is a specially engineered with inherent moisture management mechanism. The permanent three-stage wicking mechanism ensures sweat is transported to the garment’s outer surface faster, spread over a larger area and evaporates quickly. Enhanced breathability and comfort are the hallmarks of Kooltex fabric.

R Elan Fabric 2.0 powered by Feelfresh is a high performance fabric that limits odor in garments even after extended use in demanding conditions. It has a unique silver nanoparticle technology that limits the growth of microbes and bacteria, giving it lasting anti-odor properties.

R Elan Fabric 2.0 powered by Supersoft is made from one of the finest fibers in the world.

This feather-touch fabric creates a luxurious aesthetic and enhanced drape in high-end formal shirting. R Elan Fabric 2.0 powered by Free Flow is a fluid fabric that creates exquisite, flowy ethnic and western wear for women. It helps accentuate the figure and beauty of the wearer through phenomenal drape and fall.

R Elan Fabric 2.0 powered by Super Black is a rich black fabric that fits the occasion, be it a business meeting or a social event. The inherent black shade lasts for the life of the garment, irrespective of repeated laundry cycles.

R Elan Fabric 2.0 powered by Green Gold is a fabric with unmatched eco-credentials. It is made from recycling post-consumer PET bottles through renewable energy sources. Green Gold fabric can be made from pre-colored fibers which remove the need for downstream dyeing, achieving massive savings in water, energy and chemicals. Fiber-to-garment traceability can also be provided for the discerning consumer.

88 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Polyester

Of all the fibers for textiles, polyester has high growth expectations, both in India and the world. India ranks behind China in manmade fiber production. Polyester delivers high value as compared to natural fibers due to economics, possible functionalities and consistent supply.

There is a shift towards manmade fibers as consumer demand increases for performance apparel.

Globally, out of 80 million metric tons of fibers, manmade fibers account for 55 metric tons and this share is growing year on year.

India still is a pro-cotton country but there is a marked shift towards manmade fibers.

Polyester delivers high value to a large section of consumers, since natural fibers, like cotton, are quite expensive. With various polyester innovations that can serve consumer demands, there is a shift towards poly-based apparel.

Natural fibers have several issues such as land availability, cost economics, etc. Manmade fibers can provide consistent quality supply and can be modified to produce high specialty fibers.

China is the largest producer of manmade fibers in the world. However the approach we are following, B2B2C, has hardly been used in the polyester world. We expect this to be a pioneer in increasing acceptance of specially engineered polyesters People Behind the Scenes Gunjan Sharma, CMO, Reliance Polyester

Snapshots Here we profile brands both Indian and international that hav e cap tured t he mark e t's att ention for various reasons—their product mix, ability to respond to tastes and trends, their fashion sensibilities and styles, or above all knowing how to please the consumer, give her satisfaction and leave her wanting for more. Brands that are different from the rest.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

87

s n ap shot s

US Polo Assn

In the spirit of the game

Ralph Lauren

Aspirational lifestyle brand

The Brand

US Polo Assn celebrates the tradition and lifestyle of polo by capturing authenticity, camaraderie, passion and competitiveness of the sport while embracing the genuine spirit known throughout the world as Classic American Style. US Polo Assn products are officially sanctioned by the United States Polo Association, the governing body for polo in the United States since 1890.

US Polo Assn Kids is one of the fastest growing brands in junior wear in India.

Arvind Lifestyle Brands a subsidiary of Arvind retails the brand in India.

Ralph Lauren is a global leader in design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products, including apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and other licensed product categories. It combines consumer insights with its design, marketing, and imaging skills to offer, along with its licensing alliances, broad lifestyle product collections with a unified vision.

Retail Strategy

Brand USP

The brand’s products are sold through a licensing program in over 135 countries at independent retail stores, department stores and US Polo Assn brand stores.

Calvin Klein

World’ leading fashion studio The Company

PVH, one of the world’s largest apparel companies owns and markets Calvin Klein brand worldwide. It is the world’s largest shirt and neckwear company and markets a variety of goods under its own brands, Van Heusen, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, IZOD, Arrow and Speedo USA, and its licensed brands, including Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, BCBG Max Azria, BCBG Attitude, MICHAEL Michael Kors, Sean John, Chaps, Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, JOE Joseph Abboud and Perry Ellis Portfolio.

90 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

The Brand

For five decades, the brand’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands, sales channels, and international markets. Its global reach, breadth of product offerings, and multichannel distribution are unique among luxury and apparel companies. Reflecting a distinctive American perspective, Ralph Lauren has been an innovator in aspirational lifestyle branding and has had a considerable influence on the way people dress and fashion is advertised and celebrated throughout the world.

The Brand

Calvin Klein a leading fashion design and marketing studio that designs and markets women’s and men’s designer collection apparel and a range of other products manufactured and marketed through an extensive network of licensing agreements and other arrangements worldwide. The brands include: Calvin Klein Collection, Calvin Klein Platinum Label, Calvin Klein Jeans, Calvin Klein Underwear & Calvin Klein Performance. Product lines under the various Calvin Klein brands include women’s dresses and suits, men’s dress furnishings and tailored clothing, men’s and women’s sportswear and bridge and collection apparel, golf apparel, jeans wear, underwear, fragrances, eyewear, women’s performance apparel, hosiery, socks, footwear, swimwear, jewelry, watches, outerwear, handbags, small leather goods, and home furnishings (including furniture).

sn ap shot s

Louis Philippe

Purveyor of fine clothing

The Brand

Louis Philippe, which opened in 1989, is a men’s apparel brand. It offers a range of formals, semi-formals, custom-made clothing and accessories including suits, shirts, blazers, trousers, T-shirts and accessories. Defining class, elegance and status, Louis Philippe is a purveyor of fine clothing for the discerning gentleman. In pursuit of excellence, Louis Philippe stands for precision in craftsmanship that translates into clothing that is classic, contemporary, and perfect for the quintessential man.

LP by Louis Philippe is focused on the globetrotting businessman and caters to men with panache and attitude with a collection of shirts, suits, jackets, formal trousers, casual pants, T-shirts and accessories. Luxure by Louis Philippe has a luxurious range that boasts of suits, shirts, formal shoes, cufflinks, silk ties and accessories.

Luxure also offers a made-to-measure service, in select stores across the country. Louis Philippe also has a range of timepieces under the sub brand Time by Louis Philippe.

Brand USP

Louis Philippe’s blazers are made from the finest of fabrics sourced from world-class mills and define sophisticated elegance and finesse.

With smart denims being the new chinos, the range of Louis Philippe jeans defines a quasiformal look.

Retail Strategy

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail has India’s largest fashion network with over 8,000 points of sale in over 700 cities and towns, which include more than 2,000 exclusive Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail brand outlets. Louis Philippe has a presence across international markets such as UAE, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Sri Lanka. An EBO has just opened in Nepal.

Allen Solly

New Age work wear The Brand

A pioneer in ‘Friday Dressing’ concept, Allen Solly is an understated yet upbeat work wear brand. Termed as work casuals the collection ranges from shirts, T-shirts, chinos, trousers, jeans and jackets for men; for women the plethora of styles ranges from dresses, skirts, blouses to pants and tunics. With work cultures becoming more relaxed and ditching norms, the New Age workforce can now dress fashionably smart and express their individual style with Allen Solly’s range of clothing.

An Allen Solly blazer can be partnered with a casual shirt, chinos and brogues for a smart yet effortlessly nonchalant look. A pioneer of western wear for women in India, Allen Solly caters to the young woman professional.

With women’s wear becoming more experimental with bright colors, innovative fabrics and stylized silhouettes, Allen Solly captures this transition with a range that includes dresses, tops, tunics, trousers,

skirts, shirts, shorts, suits and blazers.

Allen Solly’s sub brand Solly Sport offers a collection of sports-inspired clothing.

The fashionable casual wear line includes T-shirts, shirts, shorts, trousers and jackets. Perfect for weekends, an Allen Solly T-shirt can be paired with shorts and loafers which marks a smart yet nonchalant ensemble that is ideal to wear on and off the court.

Retail Network

A brand from Madura Fashion and Lifestyle’s stable Allen Solly has an exclusive network of 2.000 stores, covering 3.05 million sq ft retail space. It is present in more than 3,800 premium multi-brand stores and 490 departmental stores.

Van Heusen

Modern, minimalist, timeless clothes The Brand

With power-packed details and fine fabrics, Van Heusen has successfully defined the way corporate women and men dress. The collections range from formal wear to party wear, casual wear and ceremonial wear. It includes shirts to suits for men, and dresses and blazers for women. Modern, minimalist, and timeless, the brand’s clothing is noted for being relevant to its time.

V Dot, a sub brand from Van Heusen, specializes in club wear like trousers, shirts and blazers. Blazers are perfect for a night about town or ceremonial evenings. Shirts come with distinct yet bold details, from contrast piping to unique denim washes. Van Heusen Sport is an amalgamation of modernity and the iconic 60s Ivy League look and is made up of shirts, fine knits, laundered chinos and

jackets that channel a nonchalant look. These are styled with sporting details.

Retail Strategy

Van Heusen’s innerwear and athleisure is available across 7,000 outlets, including 150 Van Heusen exclusive stores, 120 Planet Fashion stores and multi-brand outlets. The company has five exclusive innerwear and athleisure stores and plans to open 15 to 20 more, taking the total store count to 20 by March 2018. It also plans to add another 50 to 60 exclusive stores in the next fiscal.

These would be a mix of company-owned and franchisees. Online sales account for about five per cent of its total sales but are likely to grow to 15 per cent in the next couple of years.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS

91

s n ap shot s

Zodiac

For the forwardlooking man The Brand

Zodiac, launched in the ’50s, is known for its range of shirts and ties. The company’s philosophy speaks to the forward-looking consumer who values the rich eloquence of the past. Zodiac has a long and intensive sartorial heritage, developing a keen sense of how fine tailoring works for men. In a bid to cultivate and form deep relationships with the next generation, brand Zod was launched.

Brand USP

The brand articulates a contemporary approach to design by artfully marrying Super 140s and higher fabrics with modern styling in a line of ultra light weight suits and trousers.

Ultra fine pure fibers are used to create lighter fabrics, reinventing classics as feather-weight luxuries.

All Zodiac shirts are crafted with an almost invisible 21 stitches per inch. Each shirt is embellished with genuine mother-of-pearl buttons. Soft two ply fabrics, lightly puckered collars, cuffs and button plackets, coupled with removable collar bones, make these shirts a sheer luxury to wear. Italian handmade silk ties and cufflinks are studded with semi-precious stones.

Retail Strategy

Zodiac has a company owned and company operated model for its chain of 130 stores. The brand is also sold through organized retail chains and more than 1,500 independent retailers. Developed by European designers, Zodiac stores are extensively paneled in South American rosewood and cater to the tastes of connoisseurs. They have the same rich contemporary look, tone, and feel across all locations in the country and internationally. The aim is to create a retail experience, a destination.

92 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Corneliani

Finest Italian tailoring tradition The Brand

Italian menswear brand Corneliani offers a wider range of products including scarves, overcoats, jackets, shoes, trousers. The company has two sites in Italy, with around 1,000 employees, and two international sites where the diffusion lines are manufactured. Corneliani stands out for its values of tradition and quality that – together with its modern brand - make it a world landmark in men’s elegance.

Brand USP

Corneliani’s philosophy and work can be summed up by the image of a needle and a computer. The continuation of the finest tailoring tradition, the preservation of hand sewing and finishing operations complete each other and are further boosted by the most sophisticated technology available. The ongoing training of skilled staff is a guarantee of manual skills, capability, accuracy, efficiency at every stage of the manufacturing process. The perfect tailoring, assisted by computer technology, the creation of interlinings, the assembly of the sleeves, the bust and the collar, the finishing touches, which are completed by a cutting-edge ironing and finishing

system, can only be carried out by thoroughly trained staff.

Style Trends

Overcoats are finished with a generous knitted shawl collar or a fur biker jacket. There are choices from knotted wool with a three-dimensional or carded finish and graduated grey mink – needled with exclusive yarn wefts – to cashmere designs with leather details. Short jackets are embellished with fur trimming or generous peak lapels. Instead of ties, there are small neck scarves. Pleated trousers are soft over the hips but end in a drainpipe design which brushes the ankles. Traditional designs of shoes come with thicker soles.

Indian Terrain

The choice of a cosmopolitan man The Brand

Indian Terrain caters to the needs of cosmopolitan, mature, upwardly mobile man. The range includes shirts, trousers, T-shirts, shorts, sweaters, jackets, and denims. Launched in 2000, Indian Terrain demerged from Celebrity Fashions, its parent company, in 2010.

To meet the growing demand for smart casual clothing among boys, the company introduced Indian Terrain Boy in 2015. The collection is designed for boys between 4 to 16 years. It consists of garments in interesting prints and patterns, with a few pieces inspired by Indian Terrain’s menswear line. The categories include: shirts, T-shirts, trousers, shorts, winter wear and denims.

To complement the American sportswear style of clothing, the company launched a range of carefully

curated footwear styles under Indian Terrain Footwear in 2016. With understated designs and a muted color palette, the shoes pair well with the brand’s iconic khakis and chinos.

Retail Strategy

With a turnover of over Rs 500 crores, Indian Terrain retails across the country through 800 multi brand outlets, 150 large format stores such as Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, and Central, 100 exclusive brand outlets and key e-commerce platforms. The company will ramp up its distribution network in the North, East and Northeast, where the brand feels it has the opportunity to enhance presence in existing places and explore new cities.

Presently, 40 per cent of Indian Terrain’s revenue comes from South India, 20 per cent from the East and online sales.

E-mail: adinathtraders2011@yahoo.com

s n ap shot s

Lee Cooper

For the young and the youthful The Brand

Lee Cooper is a British denim brand founded in 1908. The brand launched in India over a decade ago and caters to men, women and children. Denim is the main product and it contributes nearly 90 per cent of the business in bottom wear and around 50 per cent in top wear. Lee Cooper considers the young and youthful, who exude attitude and confidence at all times, as its core target customers. They look cool without trying too hard. For the next season, Lee Cooper is planning to launch a complete range of classic fashion, on-trend fashion and high fashion denims. For women, Lee Cooper has introduced more than 10 silhouettes in denim tops.

Brand USP

The brand’s ozone washing technology replaces harmful chemicals with alternative drop-in chemicals, which significantly reduce water and energy consumption making it sustainable for the environment. Lee Cooper’s laser technology too has helped tremendously to replicate the look of traditional denim with minimum effort and time.

Retail Strategy

Lee Cooper has a strong presence in more than 150 cities. Primary markets are: Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi and Chennai. Lee Cooper sells through key retailers including Central, Lifestyle, Reliance Trends etc. with a majority of its business coming from department stores. The brand has a shop in shop presence of more than 1,200 doors.

The brand recently strengthened its presence on various online portals like Jabong, Myntra, Amazon and Flipkart.

Lee Cooper plans to rapidly grow its EBOs across select markets.

94 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

scullers

Orange at the core

The Brand

Scullers was launched in 1999 aimed at men, women and tweens. Scullers offers smart casual wear. For men aged 28 plus it has shirts, trousers, chinos, T-shirts, winter wear, accessories. The brand also caters to women 28 and above with corporate wear like tops, knit tops, bottoms, jackets, cover ups, dresses.

Men’s wear gives the brand 65 per cent of business.

Women’s wear accounts for 25 per cent, children’s wear makes up the rest. The range for tweens -- boys and girls, five to 15 – is also exhaustive. For boys there are shirts, T-shirts, denims, shorts, winter wear and for girls woven tops, dresses, knit tops, denim bottoms, shorts, skirts are a part of the collection.

Scullers’ turnover is Rs 200 crores and in the next three years it aims for Rs 500 crores revenue. Every year it aims at growing 30 to 40 per cent.

Brand USP

Scullers is timeless, embracing the old as well and the new alike. It is stylish without being flashy; elegant without being sombre; sophisticated without being uptight. The color orange is at the core of Scullers persona. And just as orange is a mix of two colors,

Scullers appropriately finds expressions in the coming together of individuals.

Style Trends

Scullers constantly adds new trends to its range so, the consumer gets something new always. It has two or three hits in women’s wear. The visual merchandising in stores is changed time to time.

Retail Strategy

Scullers is present in 150 MBOs, 90 EBOs, 40 large formats for menswear.

And for women’s wear it’s in 10 to 15 MBOs, 25 EBOs and 40 large formats. About 25 of the EBOs have junior wear, 70 MBOs and 40 large formats also retail the brand’s junior wear. The brand is online with Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra.

John Players

Cool fashion for the youth shirts, T-shirts, trousers. The brand has carved a differentiated image and won several awards in the past.

Brand USP

The Brand

ITC’s brand John Players offers complete fashion wardrobe for modern young men. Incorporating contemporary trends with a splash of youthful energy, playful styling and trendy collections, John Players offers vibrant wardrobe essentials spanning across formal wear, casual wear, party wear, jeans and accessories. Work wear includes shirts and trousers, casual wear is shirts, T-shirts, bottoms, party wear has shirts T-shirts, trousers and signature wear is

John Players has everything that appeals to the new generation.

Wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and splashing their attitude on their clothes, the youth knows exactly what they want. With the coolness quotient being an inseparable part of their genes, the young generation strives to wear their attitude and that is reflected in their clothes, and most importantly in the brand they admire. John Players, the leading fashion brand for Indian youth, reflects this attitude – Play It Up!

Retail Strategy

The brand is available across the country through a strong and growing nation-wide retail network.

It has over 1,300 multi-brand outlets and is with leading department stores. The brand has over 400 exclusive John Players stores and over 20 exclusive Johnplayers.jeans stores.

s n ap shot s

Peter England

Oxemberg

Epitome of world-class fashion

Chic, fashion forward apparel formal wear. Perfect for young managers who are making their mark, Peter England Elite comes with a complete array of dapper formal shirts and trousers, sharp suits and blazers, and accessories.

Brand USP

The Brand

Peter England entered India in 1997. The brand was acquired by Aditya Birla in 2000. Peter England is a mid segment brand and offers shirts, trousers, suits, blazers and accessories. With a strong foothold in the formal and causal men’s wear segments, Peter England also offers innovative collections in denims, linen, festive wear, kurtas, accessories, and more. From relaxed office wear and casual wear to its sub brand Peter England Elements the range is immense. The casual wear line is more eclectic with a stylish range of washed cotton shirts, denims, cargoes, jackets, sweaters and accessories. The sub brand Peter England Party offers trendy club wear. Peter England Elite is premium

The brand is known for its standardized fits, superior quality, wide range and fashionable styles. It offers contemporary, chic, fashion forward branded apparel at price points that work with every budget. From upping the ante in the boardroom, turning heads at a favorite club or making a relaxed yet of-the-moment statement during the weekend, Peter England delivers latest national and international trends. The brand was listed among the top five most trusted brands in the apparel category for seven consecutive years.

Retail Strategy

Peter England has 643 stores and over 1600 multi-brand outlets in more than 300 towns and is also available at top online shopping sites.

Cantabil

Florals fused with modern geometrics The Brand

Cantabil which opened in 2000 offers formal wear, party wear, casuals for men and women in the middle to high income group.

New Styles

Silhouettes and prints have been upgraded. In shirts, shapes and cuts have been modified. Various

96 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

The Brand

fiercely competitive clothing domain.

Oxemberg is the flagship brand of Siyaram’s. After changing the face of formal, semi-formal and cool casual, Oxemberg is striding towards newer avenues in styles, fabrics, manufacturing methods and quality standards.

Oxemberg is the epitome of worldclass fashion that truly stands for style and quality with its elegant formals, semi-formals, smart casuals and denims. The formals present a perfect mix of solids, sharp stripes, checks and contemporary hues in line with progressive corporate lifestyle. The casual collections offer the best of international styling and desired comfort, to match the weekend and leisure mood. The smartly designed denims provide a variety of fits which lets one lounge with ease while the T-shirts are inspired by high-street fashion.

Though Oxemberg was conceived out of forward integration, it soon became a household name in a

fits of shirts have been included for e.g. slim and regular fits etc. Fits for trousers and denims have also been upgraded. Women’s wear has latest silhouettes. Contrast plackets, yoke lines, florals and checks break the monotony of prints and patterns. The women’s wear collection has colors like: ivory, charcoal brown, earthy tones, amber shades, gecko green and artificial yellow, sunset hues and red cast tones with a dose of spontaneous and youthful blue.

In men’s wear classic denim and work wear

Brand USP

Oxemberg twists routine and gives an interesting spin to classics.

This refreshing change has been welcomed by consumers, as for the

first time they have been able to strike a balance between corporate codes and a personal style quotient.

Retail Strategy

Oxemberg operates mainly through 2000 multi-brand outlets pan India. It is available at large format outlets like Central, Reliance Trends, Max, Hypercity, More and LuLu’s and at 140 exclusive Siyaram’s shops and 20 exclusive Oxemberg outlets spread across India.

colors combine with vulnerable, sensitive range of tinted neutrals. The palette brings a sense of value to the laidback. Intense blues and chalks combine with a dense color story. Earthy tones are introduced to the palette. In casual items, denims are reinforced by chalk and clay. Along with classic denim, sulphur denim have been introduced for newness to the palette.

Prints including hand painted motifs, florals fused with modern geometrics are a big use. Dizzy prints, night moods, traditional carpet patterns, festive prints, slow futures, tribal prints with bold geometrics are also working well. Mixed geometrics patterns with paisleys and ditsy floral are a great addition for an artisanal look.

In men’s wear, intricate patterns like geometry, floral and ditsy prints are used in shirts. Bengal stripes, micro stripes, micro checks, plaids, ginghams are used for shirts. Contrast floral trims and plain trims are also used to give a contradictory appeal to the garments.

Hackman Enterprises: gurbindersinghvedi@gmail.com

9654760447

s n ap shot s

Stori

Callino

The Brand

The Brand

A new menswear fashion brand

A standout line A classic formal brand, Stori offers men’s shirts, trousers, party wear and club wear. The company is developing one lakh 25,000 sq. ft. office and warehouse. Red Flame is only casuals. This includes smart casual and ultra casual. It’s meant for both Friday and office dressing.

Dagger Fly is a year old and has denim bottoms.

Callino launched in 2014 offers men’s fashion formal wear like shirts, trousers, waistcoats, suits, blazers and accessories. In future, it plans to do more casual wear.

Brand USP

With the use of natural fabrics and an exclusive state-of-the-art in-house production facility, Stori’s products stand out in all aspects be it fabric, styling, or for that matter even advertising.

New Styles

Retail Strategy

Trousers are formal and khaki. Suits are in TR, poly wool, pure wool and linen.

Blazers have tweed, fancy natural blends, wool and linen for winter and summer.

Callino has two seasons: summer and winter.

The company currently has about 5000 multi-brand outlets, but in three years is looking at increasing it to 10,000 stores. Stori prefers Tier II and III since these cities have more disposable income.

John Miller

Tailored for ultra comfort The Brand

John Miller which opened in 2000 is a formal wear brand for men offering shirts, trousers, blazers and waistcoats in half sleeves. John Miller is meant for a young budding executive. Someone who wants to succeed; he is good looking, a rake, street smart with a mischievous glint in his eye. He is on the fast lane and not above a bit of wheeling and dealing.

John Miller Sport is knitwear. This has T-shirts, joggers, tracks. John Miller Hangout is smart wear and has shirts, khaki trousers, denim and T-shirts.

Brand USP

There are features in the product like auto adjust.

Feather lite trousers have stretch and are breathable.

In winter, locations John Miller has formal sweaters, more argyles and stripers and checks.

Style Trends

Since Indian customers want ultra comfort on the waist, the brand customizes for Indian buyers.

98 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Retail Strategy

Callino is working in the B2B format with a presence in MBOs, shop in shops and online stores. It is present in 100 shop in shops all over India with a strong presence in North India. The brand plans retail expansion to more than 200 shop in shops, and EBOs and large format stores within two years.

There are party shirts, casual shirts, lots of blues, whites. Blazers are unlined and flexible. They are light weight, easy to carry and wrinkle free.

Retail Strategy

The brand has 400 touch points. This includes EBOs, MBOs and large formats.

Brand Communication

John Miller is adopting omni channel format.

The aim is to reach out to as many consumers as possible without losing the essence. This is done through ATL, BTL and digital. Digital especially works for Tier II and III. The brand does promotions, events and posts on collections. ATL is for brand building. BTL is to some extent linked to the brand plus the collections featured. Digital is again for the collection plus promotions. The campaign will communicate the brand in 360 degree to each store.

This means the product, the brand essence, visual merchandising, everything.

s nsn apap shot shot s s

FORCE NXT

Cool Colors

Exploring fashion End-to-end garment solution and innovation in innerwear The Brand

The Brand

Force NXT is an ultra premium innerwear brand of Dollar Industries, that was launched two years ago. The collection has briefs, trunks, vests and tees. Its core customers are young and adventurous men who love experimenting with and exploring fashion. Force NXT has three ranges, Finez, Relaxz and Flexz. Denimyte is the newest collection of innerwear from Force NXT. Denimyte men’s underwear is made to look like denim but feels as comfortable as second skin. Flexz is the most vibrant series of Force NXT with colorful tints and styles. The new collection, Phoenix Brief, is 95 per cent combed cotton and five per cent elastane. It comes in attractive cuts, prints, tints and smart waistbands.

Relaxz offers new rib briefs with finely knit super combed cotton and specially treated quick dry fabric which is close to the skin and gives quality comfort.

Brand USP

Every product is unique and innovative in its own way.

It reflects in the bold graphic prints for force designer T-shirts, pop colors, abstract patterns and glow shine waistbands for briefs and trunks.

Retail Strategy

Force NXT is retailed through 1,000 MBOs in 15 states. With Force NXT launch, new retail points are being added.

Developing new sale channels, taking the help of new branding strategies are part of expansion plans. Since this is an ultra premium brand, the primary market is the metros where consumers aspire for brands and are fashionconscious. The brand has recorded good growth in the Northeast. The product is sold on all major e-commerce platforms.

Brand Communication

The company is continuously investing in 360 degree brand building and elevating its distribution channel. It will increase its presence in e-commerce and among online retailers. It is also expanding its presence in multibrand outlets, globally. Along with that, the major factors in driving demand for the company’s products are better brand velocity across channels.

100 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Being a leading player in the men’s garment industry, Bafna Clothing Company has created a significant mark in the last 30 years. Having developed a strong foothold in manufacturing, distribution and retail, Bafna has the expertise and vision needed to create a versatile impact in the fashion industry. It has launched leading brands such as Cool Colors and i-Blues. Bafna Clothing is a complete end-to-end garment solution. With 600 plus retailers and distributors across India, the group has the ability to understand the Indian market and creatively alter global trends to meet the expectations of local consumers.

Retail Strategy

The brand operates across leading stores in India, Singapore and the UAE, with over 1,200 MBOs, five EBOs and two large format stores.

“The shirt market has seen positive growth and increased popularity. With a shift in corporate practices, growth has been tremendous, with smart casuals on the rise. In India, shirts were once viewed as a rite of passage but now they are clearly going across every segment at an impressive rate.” says Praveen Mutha, CMD

Breakbounce

Global street fashion for young men

The Brand

Breakbounce, which opened in 2013, is a street wear brand for men. It offers global street fashion and trends to the youth.

The product range includes T-shirts, shirts, jackets, hoodies, sweatshirts, chinos, denims, shorts, belts, headgear, wallets, bags and footwear. The majority of Breakbounce’s customers are within the age group 18 to 35. However, the core customers are in the age group 22 and 28. The target group is primarily urban metros. The brand seeks to balance high-end product finishing and affordable prices and offers quality products to the brand conscious young buyers.

Brand USP

The brand made history by being an online success and then made inroads into the brick-and-mortar format. In most cases, it’s the other way around.

Retail Strategy

Breakbounce is at large format retail chains like Lifestyle, Splash, Central and across e-commerce leaders like Myntra, Jabong, Flipkart and Snapdeal. With decades of industry expertise in product design and development, retail sales and distribution, marketing and communications, the team at Breakbounce aims at creating a unique and experiential brand reach, nationally as well as internationally.

s nsn apap shot shot s s

Black Panther Bonjour

A sporty core with wearable styles The Brand

Founded in 1984, Black Panther is an active wear brand. In addition to providing sports and fitness apparel for men, women and children. The brand offers a comprehensive range of sports accessories such as sports socks, wristbands, headbands, athletic supporters, knee caps, anklets, caps, bags, ortho belts, gym towels and the like. The brand has grown 25 to 30 per cent over the years.

Black Panther is part of the Juneja Group. Its key strength lies in its strong manufacturing capabilities.

With a vertically integrated manufacturing structure in place, right from in-house production of yarns and elastics to fabric and socks knitting and processing to garmenting and finishing, the company is completely self-reliant. The benefits accruing from complete control of manufacturing processes lends an extra edge toin terms of tighter control over quality, cutting costs as well as adhering to committed timelines.

Brand USP

Global brands are driven by the compulsion to introduce a new collection every season but can’t refill performing styles. Black Panther, with its sporty, core and wearable (as opposed to fashion) styling, retires styles by rotation and hence, makes the buying process simpler. Conversely the option to correct lopsided size/ color ratios for non-moving styles to liquidate them with minimum loss is also not a viable option for vendordependent brands.

Retail Strategy

Black Panther is retailed through a diversified network of apparel stores, fashion boutiques, sports shops, and large formats. While apparel and socks MBOs are handled through two channels of distribution (servicing close to 5,000 retail points), modern retail stores are serviced directly by the company. Among its reputed client base are: Shoppers Stop, Hypercity, AB Retail, Globus, Megamart, Spencers etc. The brand is not focused on EBOs. This gives greater exclusivity to MBOs and ensures market loyalty by not letting dealers become victims of aggressive discounting and promo offers resorted to by EBO-focused brands through their own retail points. Black Panther is present in the Middle East.

102 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Changed the way socks are sold in India The Brand

Zonac Knitting Machines is India’s biggest socks, apparel and fashion accessories manufacturer and seller. Bonjour launched in 1988, offers a premium range of socks and knitted garments, leggings, tights, tops, handkerchiefs, bottoms, shorts, capris, track pants, formal dresses, T-shirts and tops. It also has woolen socks, health socks for people with diabetes, socks that emphasise on outlandish designs. The brand launches two ranges a year.

For the next five years, Bonjour aims for a growth rate of 25 per cent and targets becoming Rs 500 crore plus company.

Brand USP

Bonjour is India’s first multinational socks brand. Earlier socks were available only in nylon/cotton with no options of colors, designs, styles, etc. And their use was limited to being an accessory. Bonjour changed the way socks are sold in India. It highlighted the significance of socks based on hygiene and wellness, fitness and comfort, fashion and style.Bonjour socks

Supersox

A wide range of socks for every feet The Brand

Supersox was launched in 2012, the brand offers socks in various range from newborn to, boys, girls, men and women. Supersox was incepted by Super Knit Industries, India’s preeminent manufacturers of premium and

are a perfect definition of fit, hygiene and fashion.

These socks contain anti-microbial protection which is incorporated into the fabric.

Retail Strategy

Across India, the company serves more than 7,000 retailers and 120 distributors. It’s at premium large format stores, MBOs apart from high street markets.

Bonjour is gearing up to service about 30,000 retail points. The brand goes to the UK, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia and European markets as well.

Brand Communication

Bonjour is closely integrating its online and offline sales channels to present customers with a seamless shopping experience. It’s leveraging social media for direct sales. luxury socks since 1999. Super Knit Industries is a socks supplier for popular and renowned international brands in several parts of Europe, Middle East, North and South America. Supersox was established with a strong understanding of the global socks industry and a vision to offer the widest range of the best quality socks to Indian consumers of all ages.

Retail Strategy

Supersox is sold through 10,000 MBOs and 150 large format stores. The brand is expanding its presence in Tier II and III cities and reaching out to more customers.

Future Plans

Supersox aims at building a long-lasting relationship with clients as it strives to ensure the products and services are well above industry standards. To achieve this, the team works on five main aspects: Maximizing efficiency and resource utilization; manufacturing quality products; delivering goods on time; quickly and frequently corresponding with clients; and following sustainable business practices.

s nsn apap shot shot s s

Crusoe

Adventure-inspired designs The Brand

Jagannath Textiles is one of the largest producers of yarn in South India. Crusoe, launched in 2009, is an innerwear and active wear brand for men. The women’s version Crusoe-W offers active wear, lounge wear, sleep wear and lingerie. For the first time ever in innerwear, the brand idea has been extended into product design. Some styles have printed designs inspired from various adventure-related activities like surfing, skateboarding, sky diving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, biking etc. Growth has been steady. The brand is targeting Rs 50 crores this fiscal against Rs 35 crores last year. A lingerie range will be launched this year, and by summer of 2018, junior wear and a teens

A wide collection of thermals for every Indian The Brand

range of products are planned.

Retail Strategy

There are seven Crusoe EBOs across India. The plan is to have 100 exclusive Crusoe outlets across the country by 2020.

The brand has 88 distributors, who handle 95 per cent of the brand’s sales. Crusoe has a strong presence in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Northeast.

zoiro

Eco-friendly innerwear THE BRAND

The first designer innerwear brand for men in India, has a team of Italian designers to produce new cuts that are comfortable and stylish. The brand recently launched its latest collection ‘Zoiro Softs’ made from superfine blend of the world’s finest Supima Cotton and Lenzing Modal, both of which are natural fibers, making it the softest and most comfortable fabric to wear.

Neva is a thermal innerwear brand which began in 1998. The collection has thermal wear, active wear, sweaters, jackets, inner wear and lingerie for men, women and children.

Various fabric and yarns combos have been developed to create a competitive edge and offer a wide collection of styles.

Neva was launched with the aim of providing unique and international quality clothing to every Indian and this thought alone gives it the impetus in going ahead and consistently raising the standards of industrial practices and innovations. The company policy has always been to provide international quality to consumers at Indian prices.

The Collections

Neva Esancia thermal uses a three layered cotton polyfill quilted technology. Neva Mod quilt is India’s first and only modal based thermal and uses CMPS technology where polyfill is sandwiched between two layers of cotton modal. Neva’s new thermal, Velveti, is a product with sueding technology.

Unlike normal thermal brands it uses soft cotton rich fabric and employs extra brushing technique to give a feather like softness to the user. This makes the thermal skin friendly, light weight and stretchable. Neva Sofit is India’s first micro slim thermal.

It is made from special hollow fibers that impart warmth. The main categories or styles in demand are round neck full sleeves supported by lowers for men and sleeveless slip supported by a lower for women.

BRAND USP

An environment-conscious brand, Zoiro uses eco-friendly dyes and 100 per cent recycled water. Other important features of these garments include a four way-stretch, ergonomic pattern, anti creasing and anti-fungal properties. The brand recently launched undergarments in six solid colors

Retail Strategy

and one in white color. These are made from natural fibres and are the softest ever made by the brand.

RETAIL STRATEGY

The products are at an affordable price.

The brand offers products in the price range Rs 145 to Rs 1,299. Their prices are determined on the basis of the category and fabrics used. For the Zoiro Soft collection, the brand is targeting consumers in the age group 22-35 years.

104 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

Neva

Neva is retailed through leading stores like Pantaloon, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Reliance Trends, etc. With more than 300 channel partners the brand has a retail base of over 7,000.

Neva strategically decided to foray into large format stores and multi brand outlets. It is considering showcasing the range in multi brand stores through a special counter. Neva now plans to foray into EBOs in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, J and K, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal and UP. The brand is entering retail showrooms by either self-managed or franchisee model. Stores would be opened on high streets. The goal is to be present in 300 stores. Apart from its own shopping website, Neva is present on portals like Myntra, Flipkart, Jabong, Shop Clues, Lime Rod, Voonik, Home Shop 18, Amazon, Snapdeal.

PE

POSITIVE ENERGY

s nsn apap shot shot s s

B:kind

Bodycare Creations

A blend of influences and themes

Building on quality and pricing The Brand

The Brand

B:kind, established in 2010, caters to working women to meet all their fashion needs.

It offers tunics, tops, bottoms, dresses, outer wear. B:kind was born out of the desire to offer a line of clothing for the young and stylish, contemporary woman of today, created out of eclectic influences, whimsical themes, a riot of colors. The brand’s endeavor is to provide practical everyday clothes with a keen eye on fashion, thus providinag quality with value.

Brand USP

B:kind keeps a strict eye on quality while ensuring only the trendiest designs hit their racks thus bringing to the table a range of women’s wear that is definitive in styles and trends while keeping in mind affordable price points. Its USP is tunics and tops, which are not only fashionable but also comfortable for everyday casual and work wear. Its most popular line is the Indigo collection of tops/ tunics.

New Styles

The color palette of the brand is filled with lush bright hues in a range of materials, textures and cuts. From printed tops to graphic T-shirts to tunics, B: kind offers clothes for the woman with a defined sense of style. The latest collection is inspired by Mughal art and the handloom. The brand offers an amalgamation of current trends, which is the retro look of sleeves in terms of cuts and styles. B:kind offers bright pops to soft pastels in a varied range of silhouettes.

Brand & The Collection Retail Launched in 2006, Positive Energy deals Strategy in lounge wear, daily wear and The

brand

is

sportswear for the age group 5 years present in of 570 to 15 years. TheMBOs main including offeringsLulu of the and Globus. It is

brand include boxers, capris, Uttar cycling in Punjab, Pradesh, Uttarakhand, shorts, tights, T-shirts, joggers, track Rajasthan,

Gujarat,

pants and hoodies in hosieryAssam, knit. The Maharashtra,

Orissa, in Tamil Nadu, collection is available blue, green,

Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra of Rs.200 to Rs.500.

Present panand India, Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir Delhi. Bihar, particularly in states like and Gujarat,

black, yellow, sky blue, etc. in the range

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, the brand plans to 106 DFU’s BRANDS enterPOWER the online format soon.

Bodycare was launched in 1993. It makes men’s and women’s innerwear as well as active wear, from economy to premium, with different verticals to cater to all the segments.

For the last five years, the brand has seen good growth, with new verticals and designs as per market demand. It aims to be the top brand in all verticals across categories.

Brand USP

The USP of the brand is unchallenged quality and aggressive pricing. It is positioned in as a well deserving and highly accepted brand. Bodycare has received appreciation from different organisations and consumers alike.

It adds a lot of styles as per needs. Innovation is its ultimate mantra considering the comfort and style as per modern consumers.

Retail Strategy

The brand caters majorly to MBOs. It is present in Tier II and III cities. The brand will soon open EBOs across. It is already present in the Middle East and some other countries and is planning to explore more.

The brand is active in print and on social media like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter that help create awareness among consumers.

Zola

The best casual fashion brand THE BRAND

Catering to customers two years onwards, Zola provides a wide array of products for women and kids. This includes ethnic kurtis, western tops, formal shirts, denims, and skirts.

The brand pays maximum attention to fabric selection, fitting and perfect quality of each of its garments. Its earthy fashions reflect a positive and caring attitude towards life that celebrates real people and togetherness according to the brand promise. Aspiring to be the best casual fashion brand, it blends intelligent and authentic styling with comfortable fitting to create its treasure chest of garments.

RETAIL STRATEGY

The brand sells through multi chain stores, family stores, stores that stock only women’s wear, small boutiques and also franchisees.

It also has international presence across 15 countries with its customer base increasing to 7,500 stores.

PE

POSITIVE ENERGY

GALA NO. 9, S. K. R. COMPOUND, OPP. GANESH MANDIR, STATION ROAD, MAHIM (E), MUMBAI - 400017 e mail: positiveenergy924@gmail.com website: www.positiveenergy.co.in

sn ap shot s

Amante

Niche intimate wear The Brand

Lingerie brand Amante was launched in India in 2007. Amanté is a part of MAS Brands, a subsidiary of MAS Holdings, South Asia, the largest supplier of niche intimate wear. It has fully integrated supply chain and design offices in New York, London and Hong Kong. Amante offers lingerie, sleepwear, sportswear,

and swimwear for women. The brand caters to sizes starting from 34 C going up to 42 DD, across all the lingerie needs with side slings, minimizers, special fabrics, and elastic with cushion straps that have inbuilt cushioning in the hook and eye area. Features of the products include wider straps with a cushioning effect and supportive wings that provide comfort to minimize pinched skin.

Brand USP

Passionate and uncompromising with its brand experience, Amante provides value to its consumers not only in product and service offerings but also by practicing and promoting sustainable business ethics at all times. Maintaining brand integrity through products, processes, and people, the brand stands to emphasize on a personality that benefits consumers emotionally and connects with their needs.

Retail Strategy

Amante is available in over 1,500 outlets across India. It also has an extensive network of exclusive stores in leading cities. MAS brands is strengthening its EBOs and aims to be in 25 stores by 2018 end.

Groversons

Inner beauty and comfort The Brand

Groversons is a lingerie manufacturer, established in 1953.

The company is one of the largest manufacturers of lingerie and intimate apparels in the country having state of the art facilities. It has a production capacity of about over 25 lakh

pieces a month. Core products of the company include lingerie, bras and panties and sets and thermal wear.

Paris Beauty is the flagship brand of the company. An economy brand that targets the masses, Paris Beauty has a huge variety of products from 100 per cent cotton braziers to knitted

Enamor

For beautiful insides

THE BRAND

Since 2003, Enamor offers a range of internationally-styled lingerie in innovative designs.

These garments are finely crafted from select fabrics and trimmings from across the globe.

They are available in two range; The Essentials, which offers must haves of a comfortable wardrobe; and Hourglass, which offers a range of shapewear and performance sportswear with unmatched support.

BRAND USP

The brand invests heavily in understanding body shapes and sizes of Indian women across different age groups and ethnicities including their habits, usage and attitudes. Enamor was the first lingerie brand to conduct fit sessions across the country propositioned as ‘Beautiful Inside.’

RETAIL STRATEGY

The Enamor Style Studio, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Indian lingerie market is a result of exclusive fit sessions organised by the brand to educate women about the perfect bra. The brand constantly reaches out to new consumers with successful native collaborations like ScoopWhoop, PopXo, and YourStory. Enamor was also the first lingerie brand to launch an e-commerce site. It recently revamped the site to make it more experiential for the user and also mobile-enabled it. and fashion bras, slips, camisoles, panties.

Sparsh caters to plus sizes and with various cup sizes. Poems is an active wear brand and

includes slips, camisoles, sports bras and panties. Super Girl Bras targets the young generation. Miss-T is a premium brand and offers braziers and panties. Winta, a premium brand, offers thermals for men, women and children. Sunaina, a low price brand, focused on providing fashion at affordable prices.

Brand USP

The company continuously adds new innovations and styles to its portfolio, keeping in mind demand. Groversons is not a fashion-focused brand but more of everyday comfort-wear. However, there is a fashion range also since fashion is gaining ground in India with changing consumer needs.

Retail Strategy

Groversons has a strong distribution network across India and has a presence in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and a few more Gulf countries.

108 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

sn ap shot s

Toonz

Touching the right chord among children and parents The Brand

Toonz, which caters to children was incepted in 2010. It’s aimed at children up to 12 years. The range includes apparels, toys, strollers, accessories, party wear, ethnic wear and many other things. There are 600 collections a year. In addition Toonz has its own brands, Wow Mom (for children up to three years) and Super Young (for three to 12 year olds).

Brand Communication

Toonz believes in single point communication to parents and all its strategies are concentrated on communicating to them. The idea is shopping for a child is more of an emotional experience and touching the right cord with the right aspiration is key.

Future Plans

Toonz will focus on product innovation, design, and business process. It would also be focusing on various gaps that exist in the market and to bridge them to provide the best to children. In-house brands Super Young and Wow Mom will have separate identities and be developed and placed in more accessible stores.

New Collection

The new collection is in sync with current fashion trends. The celebration brand Super Young has launched a festive collection, which is fashionable while being in line with tradition.

Retail Footprint

The brand has more than a 100 stores spread across 62 cities and 15 states. The EBOs are a mix of company owned and franchise. The average size of a store is 1200 to 3000 sq ft. The plan is to set up more outlets across India, especially in Tier II and III cities and take up the number of stores to 200 by 2019. Toonz has a presence in 105 MBOs. It is concentrating on Tier II and III cities. Delhi, Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra and Karnataka are its primary markets. Plans are to expand retail presence in these states. In 2016, Toonz launched its first store in GCC, expanding to international market.

It has three stores beyond India. Internationally, Wow Mom and Super Young are available in Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

DFU’s POWER BRANDS 109

s nsn apap shot shot s s

612 lEaGuE

largest children’s wear brand in the country in the next two years. A high fashion range for girls in early teenage years, 612 Fearless, will be launched.

Celebrating a child’s inner star

reTail STraTegy

The Brand

612 League, launched in 2010, focuses on preteens with an offering of casual and party wear. It caters to the age group of six months to 12 years, children from the middle/upper middle income group who aspire for a trendy and contemporary lifestyle and are willing to spend on branded apparel due to its promise of quality, fashion quotient and pan India availability. The product range is developed at the company’s in-house design studio managed by a team of qualified designers and merchandisers, using modern forecasting techniques and global fashion trends.

The brand offers a complete range of trendy, high quality, affordable and comfortable apparels for boys and girls, in knits and wovens, for both spring/ summer and autumn/winter. Product categories like nightwear, accessories, innerwear, shoes etc will be added. The brand has been growing at a CAGR of 35 per cent a year in the last five years. Growth momentum will be maintained over the next three years. The company has set a target of being the

The brand is available at over 550 point of sales across 150 cities including large format stores (lifestyle and value segments), e-commerce platforms, multi brand outlets and exclusive stores.

More than 75 per cent of EBOs are franchise owned and work on a FOFO model. The average size of an EBO is 600 to 700 sq ft. Retail footprint will be expanded to 1,000 doors in the next five years.

The aim is to penetrate every city leading to an increased market share. The brand has adopted a cluster centric approach with respect to its EBOs, which allows them to work towards establishing its presence in a particular geographic cluster. Almost 65 per cent of the business comes from cities and towns outside metros.

Brand CommUniCaTion

The company has taken initial steps to develop an effective communication strategy to reach out to its customers and develop a strong brand recall.

It has evolved its brand expression through photo shoots done each season. It follows a multi-layered communication approach with dedicated campaigns at the national, regional and hyper local levels through use of select offline media like outdoors, print, local activations, etc. It is aiming to start a relationship early with parents of children at six months and retaining them till 16 years, 612 League has started to create a strong presence on the digital and social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and twitter) and developed innovative digital

BOdyCaRE kids

Building on quality and pricing The Brand

Bodycare Kids was launched in 1992 aimed at boys and girls upto 14 and does innerwear, infant wear, thermals, vests, briefs, trunks, panties, bloomers, boxers, T-shirts, lowers, capris, shorts, frocks, skirts etc. The production units covering 3,00,000 sq ft are located at Noida, Dehradun, Delhi and Tripur and the capacity is close to 25 million pieces a year. In future, the plan is to expand in woven garments for girls and boys like shirts, trousers, denims, skirts etc. The brand has been growing at 12 per cent CAGR over the last three years.

Brand USP

Denim with character prints for girls and boys, flashy T-shirts with detailed

110 DFU’s POWER BRANDS

designing. Young and vibrant designs, colors and characters have been used.

Briefs and panties for girls have Lycra waistbands.

reTail STraTegy

The brand is present in 300 cities across India. It has five EBOs, 15,000 MBOs. Bodycare is also present in the Middle East and Russia.

Brand CommUniCaTion

Bodycare Kids is promoted through a mix of retail branding, outdoor publicity and with a strong presence in newspaper and radio. Participating in fairs and exhibitions also helps and creates a lot of buzz in the industry.

properties like 612 mommy moments, 612 icon, 612 genie, etc. to drive continuous engagement and create a loyal community of followers. The efforts are further supported by a strong mobile based customer loyalty program.

4Marketing Collaterals 4Brand Reminders 4Carry Bags 4Product Packaging 4Promotional Items

Specialized Special Effects Printing For Premium Brands

Premium Catalogs, Tags, Bags & More

Hira Print Solutions Pvt. Ltd. M : +91 8879848414 - +91 8291291912 | E : info@hiraprint.in | W : www.hiraprint.in Premium special effects on cover page of this book done at Hira Print using state of the art VSFX technology.

8.90"

PB_Ads_final.indd 7

8/3/2018 4:15:28 PM

PB_Ads_final.indd 8

8/3/2018 4:15:30 PM