WomensWear Vol 18 No.5

Celebrating Season’s

Fashion Style

Trends

BE INDI

Ethnic styles for desi girl

VERO MODA

MADAME

109°F

MONTE CARLO

PROMOD

B:KIND

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Brand Watch

Parineeti Chopra is Speedo India’s new fitness ambassador

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Brand Retail

Madame opens store in New Delhi

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Trends Analysis

Womenswear SS 19

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Western Wear

International competition shaping domestic brand business

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Denim Wear

Denim storms the ladies wear segment

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Fusion Wear

Western silhouetts in Indian strikes a chord among new age women

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Ethnic Wear

Ethnic wear: Still the prima donna of women’s wear

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Women’s Innerwear

Keeping abreast with changing trends, Innerwear riding high

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Trends and Styles

It’s a variet on offer to indulge the tastes of new women

DFU PUBLICATIONS Editor-in Chief & Publisher & CEO - Sanjay Chawla

Advisor

Director - Salil Chawla

Customer Relations - Sanchita Banerjee Team Bipasha Bhattacharya Aarti Sinha

Mangaging Editor - Sujata Dutta Sachdeva VP-Corporate Communications - Shraboni Mukherjee Assistant General Manager - Saqib Meer Editorial - Narayan Subramaniam Shubhangi Bidwe Editorial Asst. - Ranjit Kaur Correspondent - Ajay Kumar Goswami Prerna Sharma Sales Team

- Upasana Chhabra

- T. K. Sengupta

Production & Admn. - Dhansukh Rathod Dinesh Poojary Sumit Masand Special Contribution - Ajanta Gangurly Graphic’s Team - Manohar Gurav Sanjeev D. Sonavane Atul Hirijagner Dilip Vishwakarma Subhash Gade Ram Sharma Ashwin G. Salvi

MUMBAI OFFICE: 38/314, Unnat Nagar 4, Off M. G. Road, MHADA Colony, Goregaon (W), Mumbai - 400 062.

Ph: 022 2875 5181, 2877 2282, 3001 4700 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 All reproductions rights reserved. Owned & published by: Sanjay Chawla and printed by him at DFU printing division.

Published and Edited by Sanjay Chawla at: 38/314, Unnat Nagar 4, Off M. G. Road, MHADA Colony, Goregaon (W), Mumbai 400 062.

KURTIS I SHORT KURTAS I DRESSES I TUNICS SKIRTS I PALAZZOS I PANTS

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Taanz Fashion India Pvt Ltd .

662, Phase V, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, Haryana-122016 Ph: 0124-4308599

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AVAILABLE AT OVER 100 COUNTERS ACROSS 50 CITIES For Trade / Franchise Equiries Email: info@beindifashions.com Call us: +91 9711119971 EBOs: Good Earth City Center, Sector 50, Gurugram | Sector 17, Kurukshetra | Padma City Mall, Kaithal | Sangwan Chock, Sirsa | Goal Choraha, Mandsaur | Opp. Ambedkar Park, Latur.

KURTIS I SHORT KURTAS I DRESSES I TUNICS SKIRTS I PALAZZOS I PANTS

Follow us on:

Online:

Taanz Fashion India Pvt Ltd .

662, Phase V, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, Haryana-122016 Ph: 0124-4308599

www.beindifashions.com

AVAILABLE AT OVER 100 COUNTERS ACROSS 50 CITIES For Trade / Franchise Equiries Email: info@beindifashions.com Call us: +91 9711119971 EBOs: Good Earth City Center, Sector 50, Gurugram | Sector 17, Kurukshetra | Padma City Mall, Kaithal | Sangwan Chock, Sirsa | Goal Choraha, Mandsaur | Opp. Ambedkar Park, Latur.

12 BRAND WATCH Parineeti Chopra is Speedo India’s new fitness ambassador

Leading swimwear brand Speedo has signed up Bollywood actress and fitness enthusiast Parineeti Chopra as their new fitness ambassador. As the new face for Speedo India, Parineeti will be joining an esteemed roster of Olympians, athletes and trainers from around the globe.

Speedo as a brand, is synonymous with performance swimwear, and via

Future Style Lab launches women’s apparel brand Ancestry

it’s global campaign GetSpeedoFit, it has been working to elevate the status of swimming for fitness and reinforce that water workouts are the next big trend to get fit and achieve a total body workout.

Speedo India chief strategy officer Shamir Genomal stated that with a fitness enthusiast like Parineeti on board, it hopes to reach a lot more consumers. Besides being innovators of swimming, Speedo has an overarching mission to be the swimwear of choice for all, from the recreational swimmer to the Olympic champion.

Speedo currently has 25 outlets across the country and also sells through e-commerce platforms in the country.

The brand is planning to double its store count to 50 by 2020.

retail through Future’s current network.

So far the brand has opened two EBOs. The plan is to roll out many branded stores and build strong alternate channels.

Jockey to raise share of women’s apparels in its product basket

Future Style Lab has launched an Indian lifestyle and fashion brand that will offer women apparel, home and gifting products.

Ancestry is a mix of organic, heritage and handcrafted products. The collection comprises exquisite contemporary Indian outfits from kurtas to long dresses, petite short dresses, tunic tops, and many more in pastel and breezy colors. Ancestry will offer Indian lifestyle and clothes re-imagined based on key international trends. The aim is to provide a fresh lifestyle solution for the modern Indian. The collection is Indian textile fashion that has been revisited and reimagined. It amalgamates Indian heritage with craft techniques. Taking a hint from sustainable cotton, the contemporary designs of Ancestry have been created.

The target audience is a woman who represents the evolving face of contemporary India. She is curious about the world and finds new paths to discover it.

Despite everything she remains rooted and innately Indian. She is driven by her cultural capital to appreciate design and aesthetics.

Future Style Lab, a subsidiary of the Future Group, is known to continuously innovate and reinvent. It was designed to develop brands for both freestanding stores and to

International till December 2040. Page is the best performer for Jockey among the 45 licensees it has across the world.

Shree to expand operations

The ethnic wear brand Shree – The Indian

Avatar plans to expand its operations by taking its store count to 200 within the next two years.

It will also double its current store count to 56 this fiscal year, concentrating on smaller cities. The brand will focus on the smaller cities in the current year by opening over 20 stores in Tier II and Tier III cities and towns.

The size of these stores will be 1,500 sq ft each Shree – The Indian Avatar was launched two years ago and currently has 28 exclusive business outlets across India.

The brand has 2,500 points of sale and is present in 150 multi-brand outlets as well as retailing from its dedicated e-commerce store.

Specialising in ethnic wear, the brand retails an array of kurtas, dupattas, and patialas among others and produces an average of 120 new styles a month.

Boom Clothing to expand operations

About 70 per cent of Jockey’s innerwear products are for men and the remaining 30 per cent are for women. At some point, Jockey aims this to equalise. The brand’s penetration in the women’s garment segment today is around 6.5 per cent of the potential, whereas it is 18 per cent in the menswear segment.

However, Jockey is still the largest national player in women’s innerwear. Jockey expects the share of e-commerce in the business mix to reach 10 to 12 per cent over the next five years.

The target is 1,000 exclusive brand outlets by 2021. Right now it has 500 brand outlets. It sells online, on Myntra, Amazon and Flipkart, among others.

However, the brick and mortar space is where it rakes in maximum growth.

The brand is present in 130 countries but is the strongest in India.

Meanwhile, Page Industries extended its license agreement with Jockey

Mumbai-based women’s garment exporter, Boom Clothing, has started a new denim factory with a capacity of 20,000 pieces per month. The company, which works with reputed brands like Rapsodia and Argentina, is geared up for 200 per cent increase in the capacity in the next three years.

The company also plans to add new buyers from the US and Europe, with its team visiting the countries very often. The company is getting good response for its value-added ladies jeans as it works a lot on various levels, like washes, hand embroidery etc.

Though the company is closely associated with quality jobworkers whom it works with on priority basis, its buyers motivated it to start a fully equipped factory with skilled operators.

BRAND RETAIL Madame opens store in New Delhi

Women’s clothing brand Madame has opened a store in New Delhi. With this Madame has 25 stores in Delhi NCR alone.

Spread over 1,000 sq ft on one floor, the store has a clean, modern feel and offers a curated selection of apparel, shoes, jewelry, and handbags for women. The design concept revolves around Madame’s commitment to sustainability. A standout attraction of the new store is the display table made of wood and metal placed at the entrance that drives customer’s attraction.

Madame has 150 stores across the country, 75 shop in shops, 62 large

Soul Space launches new offline store in Pune

format stores and 2000 MBOs. It is retailed through online marketplaces including M y n t r a , Jabong and A m a z o n .

Additionally, the brand will have its own online store to help cater to customers from anywhere by simply visiting its website.

Madame provides western wear clothing at affordable prices. It caters to women with a range of summer tops, dresses and winter clothes. The brand keeps track of trends in fabrics, design development and silhouettes. Madame aims to double its sales with a growth rate of 22 per cent by 2018 fiscal on the back of new stores, a presence in large format stores, innovative product offerings and increase in online sales in different market places.

The fashion label produces cotton clothes which are environment-friendly and pocket-friendly at the same time for both men and women. Soul Space creates experiences of organic or sustainable fashion. The vogue brand has an extraordinary collection which is categorized into three basic styles essentials, studio and athleisure. All the categories have their own tagline which communicates their agenda.

Neeru’s expands retail presence in Hyderabad Soul Space, India’s first ever organic and Fairtrade certified fashion brand originally from Kolkata launched its first showroom in Pune. The fashion brand also has its eyes on Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad to expand operations, and is planning to launch 20 more stores in the current financial year.

The brand is a subsidiary of B L Kashyap one of the top four companies in private sector construction industry. It has a powerful e-commerce presence on various renowned websites such as Myntra, Jabong and Amazon as well as its own website another interesting part is that the brand is also open to the franchise model to expand nationally.

Indian ethnic wear brand Neeru’s has expanded its physical retail presence by opening first store in Hyderabad. This takes up the tally of physical stores to 50 in the country. The brand’s latest ethnic wear collections, kids’ range, Little

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Neeru’s, have all been stocked in the new store. The newly inaugurated store will serve as a shop-in-shop for our subbrands too.

Neeru’s is currently looking to increase its footprint in Tier II and III cities while also expanding in the Middle East and the US. The brand also plans to expand its presence in other fashion hubs of South India, later covering pan-India at a gradual pace. Neeru’s is as one of the first few retail organisations to focus on retail of premier international brands through exclusive brand-outlets.

Neeru’s has created a discrete position for itself since its launch in 1971, and retailed its products through around 50 exclusive stores and almost 30 multi brand outlets in more than 25 cities across India and one in Dubai.

Nysaa retail to invest Rs 200 cr to open 100 more stores

Nysaa Retail, which operates a retail chain under the brand name ‘1-India Family Mart’, plans to open 100 stores in the next two financial years. The New Delhi-based company will invest about Rs 200 crore for the proposed expansion. At present, Nysaa Retail has 56 mid-sized retail stores in TierII, III cities across Eastern and Northern India.

Jay Prakash Shukla, Founder and CEO, 1-India Family Mart says the plan is to expand and accumulate about 12 lakh sq ft of retail space by 2020 from the present 4.25 lakh sq ft. It expects to record net revenue of about Rs 750 crore in 2019, which will further increase to Rs 900 crore by 2020. For fiscal 2018, the company recorded net sales of Rs 235 crore compared to Rs 147.5 crore in the previous year.

The company is also looking for strategic acquisitions, for which it already has approvals in place, and is scouting for firms with a “right fit”. 1-India Family Mart also uses Big Data to analyse customers’ buying habits and trends. So far, data from 35 stores are being used to predict customer behaviors, and now the retail firm intends to use data from its other stores too.

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28 WESTERN WEAR

International competition shaping domestic brand business Growing demand for western wear has spawned many new domestic brands offering trendy fashion at competitive prices. The market for western wear will see bigger traction with more international brands foraying in India and most traditional Indian brands extending their portfolio to add western wear, write Ajanta Ganguly and Ajay Goswami

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hile global fashion brands may have introduced Indian woman to westernwear, now domestic brands that earlier offered only ethnicwear are now expanding product basket to include western wear. In fact, western-wear has been across the country and being worn across occasions, from casuals and activewear to formal and ceremonial wear. With competition becoming intense every season with new entries both in premium and value fashion categories entering this space, women’s western wear is on a winning wicket now.

Women’s wear is a vast market in waiting to explode. Experts say women’s wear market will grow to 48 per cent of all readymade western wear in 2019, from a 35 per cent in 2014. The pace of growth is expected to be a steady moderate, with the market currently valued at approximately Rs 20,000 crores and still growing at 1215 per cent per annum. This is mainly due

• International brands are helping western wear market grow • Most Indian brand have now started adding western wear to their basket • Demand is coming both from metros and Tier II, III cities • Ecommerce has given a huge boost to western wear market in India • Fits are still a major bug bear in western wear as it changes from region to region • Domestic brands are improving quality and offering latest trends to woo customers to the fact that Indian women are following fashion trends online like never before and are extremely focused on getting freshoff-the-ramp fashion at better pricing than what is available abroad. Leading domestic brands are fighting off global competition by maintaining quality, more affordable price points and fashion forecasting in metros as well as in Tier II, III cities.

“Madame plays a significant role by providing western wear at affordable prices.

Ankit Sood Head-Fashion Trend Forecasting & Planning, Madame “The Indian e-commerce market is growing rapidly as it was estimated at $17.6 billion in 2014 and is expected to grow at the CAGR of 40 per cent to touch $136 billion by 2020.

The penetration of online retail in total retail market is expected to rise from 0.5 per cent in 2014 to 3 per cent by 2020”

WESTERN WEAR Indeed, the arrival of international brands changed the scenario as we have to give same trends to our consumers like other brands offer. Also we need to keep track on trends from fabrics to design development to silhouettes,’’ opines Ankit Sood, Head of Fashion Trend Forecasting & Planning at Madame, a leading domestic women’s wear brand. “Indian e-commerce market is growing rapidly as it was estimated at $17.6 billion in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 40 per cent to touch $136 billion by 2020. Penetration of online retail in the total retail market is expected to rise from 0.5 per cent in 2014 to 3 per cent by 2020.Increase in internet enabled devices - mobile phones/ smart phones internet users are likely to grow 2.5 times by 2019,” adds Sood.

Growth challenges in women’s wear Till a few years ago, even if women wore western clothes, they still preferred an Indian touch to the styling to create an Indo-western look. However, trend has changed with regards shape, colour and cut with no major difference in the design style of an Indian or international brand. At the same time a woman’s wear brand has to constantly innovate with styles, prints and cuts every season as compared to men’s wear, which is far less challenging. One big challenge in women’s wear is to stick to the brand identity than be swayed by temporary market forces.

Another is to produce a wide number of options and SKUs that are needed as sometimes designers have to produce hundreds of options for just a few to get chosen. Another big hindrance is fit, that must be understood and translated into a product which is again suited to a particular

region. A fit ideal for a Delhi customer may not work in Chennai. Finding the right retail partner and location and justify the price differential with unorganized players whose prices are much lower are also major challenges of this segment.

“Competition is certainly intense but as of now, international brands seem to hold the edge. However, I have always respected Indian consumer for her astuteness in sensing an overpriced product when she sees one – and a well-priced product.

Hence I see Indian brands making a come-back in a couple of years, once the novelty of international brands wears off and consumers realize the value for money in Indian brands,” explains Rahul Mehta, Managing Director, 109° F, a leading domestic high street women’s brand.

Mehta says, women’s wear segment is divided into two broad categories of international and Indian brands. Those preferring international brands are more brand-conscious, and willing to pay a premium for it. However, consumers who are not enamored by international brands and less loyal to any particular brand, will buy a product mostly for its fit, fashion content, price, etc. “There is therefore a greater movement between brands amongst these consumers,” he opines. The brand’s summer collection will reflect the prominent colours of the season. Prints will stage a come-back, though styling will be cleaner.

Olive appears to be a strong colour. “We will have a much stronger winter wear line this season,” he adds.

Domestic players offer women consumers a range of fashion options at competitive prices. Top Indian brands are now taking on competition by improving their product

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Rahul Mehta Managing Director, 109° F “Women’s wear segment is divided into two broad categories of international and Indian brands. Those preferring international brands are more brandconscious, and willing to pay a premium for it. However, consumers who are not enamored by international brands and are less loyal to any particular brands, will buy a product mostly for its fit, its fashion and price.

Therefore, there is greater movement between brands amongst these consumers.”

quality, matching price points as per customer expectations and forecasting fashion trends. In fact, most domestic brands now include a western wear portfolio.

Smaller domestic brands are now jumping the western wear bandwagon to explore the market in a rapidly evolving India. Following international fashion trends and incorporating it into the product design has increased the acceptability rate in both metros and smaller cities. Most brands have a 360 degree foresight in their western wear portfolio while creating their own little niche. While metros bring in significant profits, especially in the corporate wear segment, Tier II, III cities are also displaying strategic business penetration. The current sales figure shows a balanced ratio at both market segments.

“With the influx of global high-street brands into the country, consumers today consistently have a variety of options to choose from. This exposure has significantly contributed to the western wear category

30 WESTERN WEAR

Rajeev Sinha Founder & CEO, The Vanca “Global brands are not a threat for domestic brands.

They help us in a way that the consumer becomes more knowledgeable about trends. Our biggest market is Tier I, II, III cities, where we are booming because of exposure to fashion trend along with focus on online shopping which works in our favour.”

evolving into a lucrative market in India,” ’says a spokesperson from Vero Moda, Denmark-based women’s brand with stores spread across India. The Vero Moda woman craves fashion that is classy and chic while being affordable. They look at style that is effortless and allows them to transition from a busy work day to a relaxing night out.

“Over the last few years, there has been a paradigm shift in consumers shopping patterns. With the entry and expansion of international and domestic apparel brands, the ready to wear segment has outpaced tailor-made apparel market. Fast fashion is an important and growing category in Indian retail sector. We will continue to do exciting campaigns to ensure brand relevance to our target consumer. On distribution front, Vero Moda continues to focus on increasing shop

fronts to improve customer accessibility.

Partnership with major online players further plays up to reach customers in remote areas. We are constantly looking for new market opportunities and purposefully growing our retail space,” adds the Vero Moda spokesperson.

The casual wear segment is most profitable in women’s western wear as it is most frequently worn across all segments of society. Casual wear is now accepted in offices besides almost all informal settings. Fusion wear however, remains a vague area, as the Indo-western look is essentially an individual one. Two types of Indian consumers are into fusion wear.

While one is the woman moving from ethnic wear to western wear and looks at it as a stepping stone, the other is comfortable with

WESTERN WEAR

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New concepts such sales on weekends, holidays and festivals are attracting a lot of new customers and building customer loyalty,” says Sood.

Innovative collections keep women cool this summer

western wear but also proud of her Indian identity. Indian brands have an edge over international ones in this segment as they understand their women psyche better.

Ready-made ethnic wear like a long kurta teamed with leggings or tight trousers is the next step for a woman wearing traditional salwar kameez or saris.

E-commerce brings a paradigm shift in sales Over the years, fashion sensibilities have undergone a drastic evolution, and western wear has increasingly become more acceptable; consumers no longer compartmentalizing or differentiating between ethnic and western wear.

Contemporary Indian fashion now cuts across varied product categories and western wear clearly enjoys exponential growth. This transition can be clearly observed with brands shifting or expanding their portfolio to western-wear fashion. The onset of online shopping with bonuses such as easy availability, cheaper prices along with many design options and brands have encouraged consumers to move away from the traditional brick and mortar stores.

“Growing exposure to social media and e-commerce sites, increased brand awareness and disposable incomes are some of the key growth drivers in the western wear segments. Fashion at ONLY can be distinguished from other western wear fashion brands because of the attention to detail, versatile runway styles, perfect cuts

and eloquent prints that are tailored to cater to the tastes and preferences of Indian consumers. ONLY has innovative collections that are the perfect mélange of pop culture and global fashion such as ONLYxDonald Collection, ONLYxGarfield and Grunge on the Prairie collection that the brand launched this year. We are continuously looking for new markets in tier II, III cities for sustained growth of our brands,’’ says a spokesperson from ONLY, a Danish fashion brand which has 300 stores in Europe and the Middle East and launched in India in 2010.

The development of the e-commerce and e-tailing industry has a growing influence on the buying patterns of consumers. Online customers are offered extremely competitive pricing and a huge portfolio without having to step into a store. 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.

“More than 50 per cent orders from e-commerce retail giants are generated via mobile apps. Potentially 40 million shoppers in the age group of 19-24 years are expected to spend time and money online. Also more business is coming from small towns with E-commerce increasingly attracting customers from Tier II and III cities, where people have limited access to brands but have high aspirations. These cities have seen a 30 to 50 per cent rise in transactions.

A good balance between affordable pricing and quick moving fast-fashion seasonal collections is the key for most domestic and international brands. The Spring/Summer collection at Vero Moda and ONLY is all about always being effortlessly ready.

Glorifying a simple look with statement cuts, sleeves, accessories have been the complete game changer at Vero Moda. Chic, modern and European, the brand is about rebooting your wardrobe with fresh basics and classic tailoring. The collection at ONLY comprises of high fashion western wear and houses an enviable mix of denims, knitwear, leisure and party wear this season.

The brand aims at adding sartorial magic to a woman’s wardrobe through its contrasting graphics, embroidered designs and quirky cuts. For both the brands, there will be more options across each category this summer and monsoon season..

“We have a strong online presence and its contribution to our business would be around 90 per cent approximately. Our current product portfolio includes tops and dresses which is designed according to current trends. Our theme is ‘the new chic girl in town’. Fast fashion is our specialty and we engage in an incessant demand specific production and designing. We adhere to fast fashion, slightly premium and not in volume.

Branding is what comes into picture here.

If your marketing and branding is running smooth, you shall have no problem in visibility,” observes Rajeev Sinha, Founder and CEO of The Vanca brand, a well-known domestic women’s wear brand.

“Global brands are not a threat for domestic brands. They help us in a way that the consumer becomes more knowledgeable about trends. Our biggest market is Tier I, II, III cities, where we are booming because of exposure to fashion trend along with focus on online shopping which works in our favour,” he adds.

It was only a matter of time before Indian women became a part of the global usage of western-styled apparel for all occasions and that time is now. Once an expensive choice, the current premium international high street brands as well as affordable domestic high-street brands have leveraged many channels to get a small share of the enormously big pie, keeping in mind the small share might not be that small once put in perspective. With a strong focus on online shopping as well the rapid urbanization in Tier II, III towns, the women’s western brands are shaping up the apparel market in their own unique way.

32 IF EXCLUSIVE

Vero Moda to spread retail, foray into newer markets

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estern wear over the years has become an essential part of Indian woman’s wardrobe.

With the influx of global high-street brands, women have a variety of options. This exposure has significantly contributed to the growth of western wear category in India.

The Vero Moda woman craves fashion that is classy and chic while being affordable.

They look at style that is effortless and allows them to transition from a busy work day to a relaxed night out.

“With global brands making a speedy entry into the country and international brands vying to take early mover advantage, there is an immense excitement in the industry.

We at Vero Moda will continue to do exciting

and fashionable must-have items. Its forte is fast fashion, and a vibrant and accessible approach to fashion is the brand’s trademark.

Chic, modern and European, Vero Moda is all about rebooting ones wardrobe with fresh basics and classic tailoring. It offers quality and classic fits for the young woman, mixing basics with trendy styles and can’tlive-without pieces for an ever-changing look. The garments are relaxed, casual and perfectly represent the urban, cosmopolitan and sophisticated attitude of Vero Moda.

Vero Moda has a distinct personality. It appeals to the needs of women who wish to effortlessly incorporate affordable and quality fashion choices into their everyday wardrobe. Vero

campaigns to ensure brand relevance to our target consumer,” says Vero Moda spokesperson.

The brand’s Spring/Summer collection is about always being effortlessly ready.

The collection exudes a cool, strong, structured and sophisticated vibe. Glorifying a simple look with statement cuts, sleeves, accessories have been the complete game changer at Vero Moda. On the distribution front, Vero Moda continues to focus on increasing shop fronts to improve customer accessibility. Partnership with major online players further plays up to reach customers in remote areas. It is constantly looking for new opportunities and growing retail.

Moda offers an eclectic mix of work-wear to casual-wear fashion that enables the Vero Moda woman to seamlessly transition from a formal business day to casual dinner party. Vero Moda is the go to brand for runway styles at affordable prices.

Brand USP Simplicity has always been a part of the brand. Since 1987, Vero Moda has been present in the mind of stylish young women looking for new trends, accessible styles

Capturing horizons Vero Moda’s presence is not limited to urban markets. The brand wants to bring the best of fashion to as many cities and people as possible. Its available to consumers across different formats like Exclusive Brand Outlets, shop-in-shops, Vero Moda official websites and leading e-commerce portals. It currently has 65 EBOs and 206 SISs whereas. The company is

continuously looking for new markets in Tier II, III cities for sustained growth of its brands.

As far as e-tailing is concerned, according to the spokesperson, e-tailing has allowed brands to reach consumers in places where physical stores are not feasible. Vero Moda’s omni-channel strategy is designed to cater to the needs of consumer. The focus is to give consumers the comfort they need to shop anywhere and everywhere with minimum efforts. Vero Moda is one of the biggest partners in women’s western wear segment with partners like Myntra, Jabong, Flipkart, Amazon, etc.

IF EXCLUSIVE

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Madame wows Indian women with its fashionable line up Ankit Sood Head-Fashion Trend Forecasting & Planning, Madame “Metros are significant for us to upraise fashion benchmarking while Tier II, III are huge markets with strategic business penetration”

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ffering western wear at affordable rates, Madame operates through over 150 EBOs. Recently it has opened four international stores in Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, and plans to cover the Asia Pacific region. “We have divided our clients into two categories; MBOs and EBOs,” reveals Ankit Sood, Head-Fashion Trade Forecasting and Planning. “The total share of knitted apparels in our MBOs is around 40 per cent. There are many players who play on great price points and fabrics. So we have to make sure we also follow latest fashion trends. For EBOs, we work on high quality knitted fabrics so to compete with biggest fashion rivals,” he adds. The brand adopts innovative ideas and operating models including partnering with online market place, large format stores like Reliance and Shoppers Stop to expand operations. It is planning to expand in the US and Canada markets.

Striking a balance In India, it has accepted the challenge to explore the Tier II, III cities. “Acceptability rate

in these cities is faster. We have attained a breakthrough in market segment as well as market shift from unbranded players,” notes Sood. While exploring these markets, Sood does not overlook the importance of metros.

In fact the brand plans to maintain a balance between the two. “Metros are significant for us to upraise fashion benchmarking while Tier II, III are huge markets with strategic business penetration,” he asserts.

In women’s wear, western wear is getting accepted in conjunction with ethnic wear.

“Our aim is to get a small share of the big pie; the small share might not be that small once put in perspective.”

With premium global brands entering India, competition is increasing. Rather than being concerned, Madame is taking the development in its stride, “Customers would have a wide ranges of cutting edge fashion and better pricing. Quality of merchandises is the major concern for Indian customers and key Indian brands are equipped to counter competition by maintaining quality, matching price points and fashion forecasting in metros as well as in tier I, III cities,” opines Sood.

Growth in e-commerce Sood points out Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow at CAGR of 40 per cent to touch $136 billion by 2020.The penetration of online retail in total retail is expected to rise to 3 per cent by 2020.

“The market is increasingly attracting customers from Tier II, III cities, where people have limited access to brands but have high aspirations. These cities have seen a 30 to 50 per cent rise in transactions.

New concepts such as sales on weekends, holidays and festivals are attracting a lot of new customers and building customer loyalty,” observes Sood.

One of the biggest challenges that the segment faces is educating the consumer. “As the consumer has a certain mindset it can be detrimental to good business. Yet, customer is always right, so learning to balance the fine line is a big important,” he sums up.

34 IF EXCLUSIVE

109° F aims to be among top five women’s wear brand

Rahul Mehta Managing Director, 109°F “We as a brand focusing on continuous fashion updation, sharp pricing, and upgrading of quality, along with brand communication and loyalty building

109° F’s new collection reflects the prominent colors of the season. It revives the trend of printed garments and styling too will be cleaner. “The color olive will dominate the season’s collection,” reveals Rahul Mehta, Managing Director, 109°F. “The brand, which aims to grow at 10 to 15 per cent, focuses on continuous fashion updation, sharp pricing, and upgrading of quality, along with brand communication and loyalty building. We aim to be amongst the top five brands in this category.”

Steady growth The women’s wear market is growing at 12 to 15 per cent per annum and is expected to reach Rs 20, 000 crore. “The market is divided into two categories, international brands and Indian brands,” notes Mehta.

“Consumers who are brand conscious prefer international brands. They are willing to pay a premium for wearing the brand of their choice. ”

Even though, till a couple of years ago, consumers wore western clothes, they preferred an Indian touch to their style. “Now, however, this trend has changed. Western wear is becoming genuinely western; whether it is in terms of silhouettes, colors or fashion,” states Mehta. “There is no major difference in styling of an international brand and an Indian brand, which was not the case a few seasons ago.”

Revival of Indian ethos As of now, international brands seem to hold the edge. However, Mehta is confident Indian consumers are astute enough to sense an overpriced product when they see one – and a well priced product. “I see Indian brands making a comeback in a couple of years, once the novelty of international brands wears off, and consumers see better value for money in Indian brands, and find these are also catching up on fashion,” he asserts.

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Monte Carlo to expand in the Northeast and South India

Monica Oswal Executive Director, Monte Carlo “Indian apparel industry is highly competitive, and with rapid urbanisation and increase in incomes, ‘price sensitive’ consumers are now open to paying for the quality western wear”

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onte Carlo’s latest collection has a vivid color palette. The collection exhibits modern and fresh styles for fashion conscious, and offers contemporary designs in vibrant colors with a lot of silhouettes. Unconventional necklines, embellishment details, camouflage, floral and microprints are some of the striking features of the collection. Monte Carlo also offers fusion wear in the form of tunics, long dresses and more. “Future trends involve a lot of experimentation with necklines, oversized garments, usage of embroidery and more,” notes Monica Oswal, Executive Director.

Evolution of the market Growing fashion consciousness among Indian women has turned the western wear market into a lucrative and highly evolving one. “Indian apparel industry is highly competitive, and with rapid urbanisation and increase in incomes, ‘price sensitive’ consumers are now open to paying for the quality western wear,” Oswal says.

The arrival of global brands has given consumers multiple options to shop.

Although these brands have caused a stir in the market with their arrival as competition has increased; they can’t be termed as a threat to domestic brands as they have their own set of loyal consumers. “We enjoy brand

penetration of about 50 per cent in India and are expanding further in Northeast and South India,” Oswal informs.

Pricing strategy Women’s wear market incorporates value pricing strategy that falls between budget and luxury pricing. “Today, women are neither willing to sacrifice quality for extremely low

prices, nor are they willing to pay more than the worth of the apparel,” Oswal explains.

They are opting for clothes and accessories that last several years, making durability of materials a prime concern. Thus brands prefer using basic market pricing techniques to set prices for this segment, while not pushing the prices too low or over-inflating them.

Challenges The major challenges faced by western wear market is rising competition with global brands. Consumers today have a wide variety of options, forcing brands to be hyper sensitive to consumers’ needs and wants.

The effects of e-commerce and mobile commerce effect are felt across all areas of retail and fashion. “Retailers are constantly under pressure to offer similar ecommerce and fulfillment services and it’s certainly not an easy feat being able to fulfill while remaining profitable,” concludes Oswal.

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ONLY’s new collections is a mélange of pop culture and global fashion

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rowing exposure to social media and e-commerce sites, increased brand awareness and disposable incomes are some of the key growth drivers in the western wear segments today. Fashion at Only, a Bestseller company brand, can be distinguished from other western wear brands because of the attention to detail, versatile runway styles, perfect cuts and eloquent prints that are tailored to cater to the tastes and preferences of Indian consumers. Only is targeted towards millennial – consumers who are evolved, are constantly online seeking quick fixes for fashion. They look for trendy yet stylish pieces that are globally trending.

Only offers an innovative collection that is the perfect mélange of pop culture and global fashion viz., OnlyxDonald Collection, OnlyxGarfield and Grunge on the Prairie collection that the brand launched this year. Denims is Only’s strongest USP. The brand offers an irresistible range of silhouettes, shades and washes in denim making it a trusted and most sought-after brand. Products with ubiquitous appeal and acceptance form the core collection.

“Only offers an innovative collection that is the perfect mélange of pop culture and global fashion viz., OnlyxDonald Collection, OnlyxGarfield and Grunge on the Prairie collection that the brand launched this year.

Denims is Only’s strongest USP”

Nonchalant jerseys, classy knitwear, divulging chiffon tops, edgy leather jackets & unconventional accessories with urban influence provide the Only customer an exhaustive range.

Factors like easy availability, variety of colours, and host of options to choose from have given consumers enough reasons to shift their preferences to the brand. Also, the onset of online shopping has considerably contributed to the growth of western wear segment.

Brand positioning Only has a unique identity and is known to offer garments that resonate with the self confidence, feminine strength and carefree attitude of the style conscious millennial.

Only collection comprises high fashion western wear featuring an inimitable, modern identity coupled with attractive styles and international class. From an enviable mix of denim, to knit-wear, athleisure and party wear the collection is vast. As per the company spokesperson, it is continuously looking for new markets in Tier II, III cities for sustained growth.

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Promod plans 100 stores in India by 2025

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romod, the French boutique women’s ready-to-wear retailer, says by 2025 they intend to quadruple business in India through increase retail presence and e-commerce. Having entered India in 2006 as a joint venture with Mumbai-based The Major Brands Group, Promod has opened 22 outlets till date.

On her maiden visit to India, after taking over as Promod’s global MD, Nadine Caux pointed out they have identified India as one of their top five priority markets. Talking about their journey so far, she stated, they had a slow-paced journey. But it has been very successful. In the last 10 years, many retailers came to India and things became difficult. But that’s the life of retail. On the other hand, consumers have been educated about global fashion. Options are more now.

Caux feels they need to do more than what they did when they entered the market.

Promod needs to tell the story and work on differentiation.

India is one of the biggest markets in the world, which is maturing and growing fast. One can’t have the same recipesuits-all formula. Every country’s fashion requirements are different and a retailer needs to cater to those demands. As far as Indian market is concerned, Indian women are following the style that is free, cool, relaxed, colourful, fresh and feminine.

India is a market of colours and light fabric.

Promod has its own design team designing every piece of cloth, which is similar to the psyche of Indian women.

Expansion plans India is among the top five markets in terms of priority. Thecompany is not in China, and doesn’t even intend to enter that

market. Caux follows a simple mantra: aim, focus and deliver. The brand is already in 50 countries and is quite aggressive about India. Promod plans to have 100 retail doors by 2025, up from about 20-22 currently. This would include shop-in-shops, stand-alone stores and e-commerce. What matters is a strong network and building a strong bond with customers. More than classic marketing, word-of-mouth, social influencers and social media have always worked for the brand.

So far, it has crossed Rs100 crore in sales in India. Given the way, they have planned retail expansion, it should be four times at least by 2025.

e-commerce strategy Promod is sold through Myntra but it still needs to consolidate the model. Meanwhile, they are starting their own e-commerce portal promod.com. By 2025, e-commerce should be more than 25 per cent of their

business in India. However, the global MD still believes in the power of physical retail because to buy garments, consumers need to touch, see and experiment.

What defines Promod is: affordable, stylish, quality and value fashion. And, the company’s mission is to make Promod the brand that is cool, fresh, colourful, multicultural and affordable. For that, they focus a lot on design and sizing it right. However, with Internet penetration and more exposure to global fashion, women across the world are open to the same dream.

About 20 per cent of the global requirement is made in India. Caux says what they make in India or buy in India, are for the whole world. At present, they source light fabric, cotton, embroidery, embellishments, from India. Some blouses, dresses, and T-shirts are produced here. Over period, India can be a sourcing hub. Besides, they are working on investment plans for India.

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B:Kind creates a niche with its trendy women’s wear

Vidhi Dayal Creative Director, B: Kind “Our overall approach remains to make comfortable, quality, well-priced clothing for women of all sizes and age groups”

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breakthrough assortment, B:Kind A/W’18 collection has completely changed the outlook towards the brand’s product range by portraying it as a lifestyle brand. The collection is divided into segments based on season’s trends. This season, the brand is following the segments 10-11 that is based on a particular theme and suitable for pan India. “Our overall approach remains to make comfortable, quality, well-priced clothing for women of all sizes and age groups,” explains Vidhi Dayal, Creative Director, B: Kind”

Collection for A/W ‘18 A testimony to its name, B:Kind believes in being kind to its garments. A big reason why the company uses only natural fabrics like cotton and linen blends in its garments.

Keeping pace with changing industry, the brand is gradually shifting towards the use of handloom and handmade fabrics.

“The response to these have been quite encouraging,” Vidhi explains.

Vidhi says “India is a huge and diverse country where women follow their own individualistic style of clothing.” There are varied styles of clothes available in the market that following the pure western wear trend is not possible. “As brand owners, we identify these unique trends for India and drive the market accordingly,” she asserts. She says, global fashion is at its peak in India, B:Kind has created its own niche by amalgamating global trends with a

sense of personal style. This has led to the emergence of fusion and boho chic styles that are further expected to grow in the next few years.

Shift tastes in clothing Today’s life being fast paced, people get easily bored of same styles. They want more options in clothing for every occasion be it ready to wear, lounge, sports, nightwear, etc. Vidhi point out, since tailored wear cannot offer these options, consumers are increasingly shifting towards ready-made garments.

“The online space has also opened up access to fashion across the country which makes us grow in almost all parts through both online and offline channels.” Indeed, pricing plays a major role in women’s wear.

“We have to strike a balance by providing the best quality and design at affordable prices,” Vidhi explains. “There are various channels for advertising today that do not need deep pockets. A basic understanding of customer’s requirements while talking to them does the trick.”

Challenges Ahead She says, a big challenge that western wear faces today is the influx of small players in the market with online space having such few entry barriers. In a market like this, where the customer has a plethora of options to choose from, getting a brand’s voice heard is the real challenge. “Being different and individualistic is the way forward by carving out a niche for your brand. In short, being a trend setter,” concludes Vidhi.

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The Vanca, making a splash online

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Rajeev Sinha Founder & CEO, The Vanca “Our theme is ‘the new chic girl in town’. Fast fashion is our specialty and we engage in an incessant demand specific production and designing”

omen’s western wear brand The Vanca adheres to premium fast fashion.

The brand strongly believes in the power of marketing. “If marketing and branding runs smoothly, you shall have no problem in visibility,” states Rajeev Sinha, Founder & CEO of the brand. The brand offers tops and dresses based on latest trends. “Our theme is ‘the new chic girl in town’. Fast fashion is our specialty and we engage in an incessant demand specific production and designing,” he affirms.

from ethnic and fusion wear. “It is slowly emerging and creating a considerable shift,” observes Sinha. The brand is launching B2B analytics to overshadow the emerging changes.

The government recently hiked the cost of the raw materials. Sinha says costs have definitely gone up but deems “nothing can be done about it.”He believes that GST will play a big role as overall inputs will be passed on to consumers, hence, products will become economically more viable.

Fusionwear a growing market

V anca curr ent ly has an online presence only. “ The cont r ibut ion of our onl i ne bu siness would is 90 per cent approxi mat ely, ” Sinha r eveals.

The brand i s wit nessing m ost gr owt h i n metros as t hey pr ovide m or e t r end and exposure . Addit ionally, people i n metros a r e keener on online shoppi ng w hich wor ks in t he br and’s favour.

Sinha avers the market for fusionwear is stabilising and picking pace. It is in the process of a recovery after the downturn in 2016-17. A multitude of brands have created their own buzz and captured a big chunk of the market. “The new generation is educated by these trends and it is spread all across the world,” Sinha notes. The biggest competition western wear faces today is

Retail presence

40 DENIM WEAR

Denim storms the ladies wear segment A combination of factors is driving growth in women’s denim segment today. While global brands are making inroads, domestic women’s labels are adding denim lines to boost their bottomline. Women consumers too are making the most of the vast choices in terms of colours and fabrics, style and fits and this is giving a huge boost to women’s denim segment, write Ajanta Ganguly and Ajay Goswami • Estimated market for women’s denim in India is Rs 1,800 crore • It’s growing at a CAGR of 18.5 per cent • Expected to reach Rs 3,500 to 3,700 crore by 2025 • Customisation is big trend in denim • Big brands are innovating a lot with designs to survive • Unbranded segment still dominates • Brand play is on the rise across cities and rural markets

Rahul Gupta

• Color palette this season is light to dark shades in emerging bright and pastel colours

VP, Jealous 21 “Denim products with highend finishes and innovative product designs are becoming mainstream and gaining popularity across the globe. Owing to its fit and comfort characteristic, stretch denim has caught up the trend. Colors, structures and patterns are becoming cleaner and more muted. Deep indigo, greys and black denims have taken a center stage.”

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enim first appeared in Indian horizon in the 70s as a fashion statement, restricted to a minor, upscale urban community.

Synonymous with accessibility nowadays, denim has established itself as the preferred clothing for Indian women, who appreciate its versatility - from fashion to comfort.

Having come into its own somewhere in the

mid-nineties, the denim industry is currently the most promising segment in the fashion industry. A plethora of factors like India’s growing economy coupled with rising incomes and urbanization have resulted in continued success. With a radical shift of fashion over the last two decades, denims are now by far the garment of choice for women, not only in urban pockets but also across smaller towns.

A plethora of factors such as growing urbanization coupled with rising incomes in a rapidly growing India has resulted in the continued success of women’s denim segment. To leverage its growth in the current market scenario, denim brands are focussing on product innovations, pricing and consumer preferences when curating new collections for their discerning women customers.

DENIM WEAR Industry undergoing a paradigm shift Experts feel in order to survive, every brand, big or small, should have its own USP in its product profile with a different ratio of profitability factor. There is no maturity of the Indian denim market currently, which is good in a way as once any apparel market matures, it starts declining.

“Denim products with high-end finishes and innovative product designs are becoming mainstream and gaining popularity across the globe. Owing to its fit and comfort characteristic, stretch denim has caught up the trend. Colors, structures and patterns are becoming cleaner and more muted.

Deep indigo, greys and black denims have taken a center stage,” opines Rahul Gupta, Vice President, 21 denim brand from Future Lifestyle Fashions. He goes on to say “The estimated market for women’s denim in India is about Rs 1,800 crore growing at 18.5 per cent CAGR and expected to reach Rs 3,500 to 3,700 crore by 2025. The trend towards casualization combined with growing preference of look and comfort among women, drives the women denim market. Women consumers believe wearing denim makes them comfortable in what they wear, yet remains trendy and makes a style statement,” he adds.

Experts point out the future of denim industry will depend on how brands build their omni-channel strategy and its technology through which they can tap additional customers across smaller cities of India. The mid segment is stronger and bigger as it reaches a wider number of aspirational customers across Tier II and III

cities. The rising aspirations of these price and quality conscious consumers has driven phenomenal growth in this segment Organized retailing in India has undergone immense growth in the last decade owing to growing consumer aspirations, favourable demographics and brand consciousness.

Correspondingly, the fashion category has also undergone profound transformation in terms of type and positioning of brands, formats, products and emergence of new players. Urban India has an increased purchasing capacity as well as awareness about fashion trends thereby providing a huge market to denim players. This further indicates preference towards purchasing

premium and quality products. This has led to deeper penetration of foreign brands and the popularity of private labels.

Fashion denim scores over basic Changing fashions make innovations in existing and new products necessary. With international ramp shows heralding in new seasons in a rapidly growing tech-savvy India, the fabric industry is working overtime to be in tune with current trends. Experts say India is capable of a lot of innovation and variety since it has around 12 lakh textile retailers in denim, cotton, linen and other materials spread across the country. There are many types of fabric in the current range of denim which includes knitting denim, chalk denim, structured denim, normal denim, jacquard denim and printed denim.

“With the influx of decorated denim in the last two seasons, it’s no surprise that the trend has made its way from jeans to jackets. Internationally, denim customization

41

Kavindra Mishra Managing Director, Pepe Jeans “With the influx of decorated denim in the last two seasons, it’s no surprise that the trend has made its way from jeans to jackets. Internationally, denim customization has taken hold of every cuff, collar, and back pocket worth its grommet and buttonhole. From monograms to embroidered patches to eye-catching pins, putting your own personal spin on the likes of jeans and jackets is more fashionable than ever.

It’s the type of trend that is unique to the individual – and increasingly popular among social media influencers looking to show off their cool customizations” has taken hold of every cuff, collar, and back pocket worth its grommet and buttonhole.

From monograms to embroidered patches to eye-catching pins, putting your own personal spin on the likes of jeans and jackets is more fashionable than ever.

It’s the type of trend that is unique to the individual – and increasingly popular among social media influencers looking to show off their cool customizations. For a customer, it’s about creativity and personalization – about creating a bespoke piece. For a brand it’s about giving the customer a unique and one-of-its-kind experience. Adding a personal touch makes otherwise ordinary pieces uniquely your own,” observes Kavindra Mishra, Managing Director, Pepe Jeans India.

Pepe Jeans were the first to introduce denim customization service in India back in October, 2015. Pepe Jeans Custom Studio service enables customers to step into the design seat and customize their denim in a

42 DENIM WEAR trends in jeans, skirts, shorts and dungarees constitute the other 60 per cent,” opines Samresh Das, Design Manager- denims, shirts and outerwear, Numero Uno. “The purchase patterns of both are on the same pace as some purchases are functional based while some are fashion based. Basically comfort with fashion sells more. Due to changing lifestyles of our modern consumers and their fast evolving preferences, they look for both creativity, fashion as well as functionality in their purchases. India essentially being a young nation, most of the growth in denim wear segment is driven by youth and their preferences. Emergence of jogging denims and for sports and leisure is currently signifying a cultural shift towards athletic inspired comfort wear clothing that is sporty yet versatile & can be worn socially as well,” he adds.

Brand play and price segments

Samresh Das Design Manager, Numero Uno “The ratio between fashion and basic products in our collection is around 2:1 with a good mix of core and fashion products. The core collection comprising basic denims and jeggings in a variety of washes and colours which is staple in every girls wardrobe comprises 30-40 per cent of our collection. The fashion range comprising stylized detailing, value addition and innovative washes based on latest fashion trends in jeans, skirts, shorts and dungarees constitute the other 60 per cent”

few easy steps. The customization process can be done according to what one wants to create on their denims. “First, pick a laser print to be tattooed on the denim.

Next choose the fastenings – be it buttons, rivets or tacks. Then select the brush of the garment and where exactly you want it. Lastly, choose the colours you want your print to be in,” he explains.

Women’s denim industry has evolved over years as they become more confident wearing denim than ethnic wear in casual settings. With annual growth rate averaging between 13 to 15 per cent, it is among the fastest growing categories in women’s casual segment. This apparel segment also continuously exhibits growth trends due to new technologies, trends and opening of new territories. Consumers from the Tier II and III towns are increasingly opting for denim, as they find it versatile, fashionable and comfortable with a vast choice of fabrics, finishes, looks, fits and colours.

“The ratio between fashion and basic products in our collection is around 2:1 with a good mix of core and fashion products.

The core collection comprising basic denims and jeggings in a variety of washes and colours which is staple in every girls wardrobe comprises 30-40 per cent of our collection. The fashion range comprising stylized detailing, value addition and innovative washes based on latest fashion

In India, the unbranded denim products dominate the market with around 60 per cent share of the market. The share of brands in denim market stands at 40 per cent. Most unbranded players operate at the lower price segment where awareness of quality of fabric, finishing and washes, design and fit is not the main criteria as compared to the price and easy availability. The emergence of semi-urban clusters with more working women has opened many opportunities for regional brands and retailers. A typical denim consumer of the semi-urban cluster demonstrates a blend of the characteristics of urban and rural consumers, reflecting a transition away from ethnic wear such as knit leggings.

“Despite a slowdown in apparel exports and domestic market growth, the denim market in India is clocking a consistent CAGR of 15 to 18 per cent per year. Due to the popularity of denim in India, women’s denim wear market’s future looks promising with rising disposable incomes and westernization trend prevalent in the nation, booming ecommerce, young population demographics with higher spending power.

Women’s denim segment contributes 9 per cent to the market. Since the unbranded segment dominates with 60 per cent market share which defines the reason for having less players in this segment,” opines Sameer Patel, Founder & Chairman of Deal Jeans.

But the women’s category is expected to grow at a higher pace with increasing focus of brands and retailers on this segment.

Branded is not just an acceptance in urban areas but also in rural areas as aspirational consumers seek better quality denim and brand image. With branded tag gaining importance the number of players are expected to grow in India.

In India, the mid and economy denim segments are much stronger than the

DENIM WEAR

43

Sameer Patel Founder & Chairman, Deal Jeans

premium & super-premium segments with former making up 67 per cent of market share value-wise as per industry data. As large part of the population still belongs to rural, Tier II and III cities and these markets are still dominated by unbranded denim products. Unbranded players operate in lower price segment where awareness of quality of fabric, design washes and finishes is relatively low.

Innovative product designs sells best Denim fabric production in India is concentrated in the western and northern parts of the country with more than 45 per cent contribution from Gujarat alone where Ahmedabad is the production hub. From interesting finishes and unconventional cuts to modern, size-inclusive labels, denim segment is in an exciting place right now.

There’s a lot of variety and creativity in the industry. Side stripe jeans are making

their return from the early ages, frayed and uneven hems are adding that perfect amount of edge to the casual pair, AOPembroidery &lazer printing is trending with tearing & grinding effect ruling the denim trends this season “The women consumers believe wearing denim makes them comfortable in what they wear, yet remain trendy and make a style statement of their own. The price point for denims majorly hovers between 1499-1999.

If we see last two to three years, prices have become more sharper aligning to market requirement,’’ points out Gupta.

This season is shelved with embroideries & gel embossing, studs & appliques with ripped embellishments which are giving a unique twist to what is offered in this season. This season’s color palette is lighter to darker shades in emerging bright and pastel colours. Buying behaviour is rapidly changing and forcing retailers to conform to the new age of shopping. Brands need to up

“Despite a slowdown in apparel exports and domestic market growth, the denim market in India is clocking a consistent CAGR of 15 to 18 per cent per year. Due to the popularity of denim in India, women’s denim wear market’s future looks promising with rising disposable incomes and westernization trend prevalent in the nation, booming ecommerce, young population demographics with higher spending power. Women’s denim segment contributes 9 per cent to the market. Since the unbranded segment dominates with 60 per cent market share which defines the reason for having less players in this segment”

their game when it comes to the cluttered market of retailers prying for customer attention and also plan effective retention programs.

Currently the best-seller in women’s western wear bracket, increasing awareness about sustainable fashion provides additional opportunity to promote denim as a product of natural cotton fibre which is perceived as more eco-friendly than synthetics. Product innovations, pricing and consumer preferences will be in the forefront for all brands across all segments when curating new collections that shape up the Indian woman.

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Pepe Jeans makes a mark with jeans customisation

Kavindra Mishra Managing Director, Pepe Jeans “The idea behind setting up of a Custom Studio was to empower customers and give them an opportunity to personalise their denim. This value added service helps the brand retain current customers and acquire new ones. Pepe Jeans conducted three events to celebrate the launch of Custom Studio which enabled key influencers to experience this innovative concept. Since the launch of Custom Studio, the Pepe Jeans has witnessed growth in adults and kids personalising their denim”

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irst to introduce the denim customisation service in India in October 2015, the Pepe Jeans Custom Studio service enables customers to customise their denim in a few easy steps.

Widely appreciated by the brand’s customers, this customisation is done according to what one wants to create on their denims in four easy steps. The first step involves selecting a laser print to be tattooed on the denim, then choosing the fastenings, selecting the brush of the garment and lastly choosing the colours that one wants their print to be in.

Empowering customers The idea behind setting up of a Custom Studio was to empower customers and give them an opportunity to personalise their denim. This value added service

helps the brand retain current customers and acquire new ones. Pepe Jeans conducted three events to celebrate the launch of Custom Studio which enabled key influencers to experience this innovative concept. The first demonstration was held at Delhi’s Connaught Place where top tier lifestyle magazines and the country’s top fashion bloggers had an exclusive -firsthand experience of the process. Here, fashion editorial teams designed their own denims and tweeted and posted pictures of their experience across social media.

Bloggers created much excitement through conversations on their social media platforms through posts and stories on how much they enjoyed participating in this unique concept.

The second demonstration was in Mumbai’s Linking Road, Pepe Jeans store. The third

was in Bengaluru. These events witnessed an astounding social buzz.

Growth in sales Since the launch of Custom Studio, the Pepe Jeans has witnessed growth in adults and kids personalising their denim.

The cost of customisation is around Rs 250 for each service - laser, colour, rip and tear and adding embellishments. From a strategic perspective, the brand aimed to rebuild relationships with consumers by adding a touch of personalization and drive them to the stores. It wanted to reinvent the way denims were being sold. Customers are genuinely excited to choose their own design and personalise their denim; nearly 3 out 10 customers who purchased denim used the Pepe Jeans customisation service.

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Numero Uno creates the right denim fit for Indian women youth. “The new generation is more mobile, open to change and experimentation, so they are opting for trendy and comfortable clothing that suits their dynamic lifestyle. Emergence of jog-denim and athleisure trend is a great example, which signifies a cultural shift towards athletic inspired comfort wear that is sporty yet versatile and can be worn socially as well. In short, customers are demanding both utility as well as fashion all rolled into one,” says Das.

Samresh Das Design Manager, Numero Uno “The current style trend focuses on high waist skinny as well as boyfriend jeans with damages and a bit of ripping off”

Choice between mid segment or premium Rapidly growing urban population and changing lifestyles, increased disposable

incomes, increased mobility and exposure to global fashion have led to an overall increase in demand for women’s denim and casualwear. The most important factor in women’s denim is fit. Indian body types are varied and it’s difficult to get the ideal fit that caters to different body types. “Achieving the perfect fit requires a lot of research, study and technical expertise, which very few brands, like ours, have been able to do.

Numero Uno can boast of having achieved the right denim fit for the Indian women,” asserts Das. In India, the mid and economy denim segments are much stronger than the premium and super-premium segments with

I

ndia’s denim industry has evolved over years. Denim is a high growth casual wear category as consumers find it to versatile, fashionable and comfortable, with vast choices in fabrics, finish, looks, fits, colours and functionality. Talking about Numero Uno’s latest collection, Samresh Das, Design Manager, Numero Uno, highlights, “The current style trend focuses on high waist skinny as well as boyfriend jeans with damages and a bit of ripping off. Real denim has always been our style statement. We have created new fits to flaunt feminine curves.”

Fashion vs basic products For the company, the ratio between fashion and basic lies at 2:1. The Numero Uno, women’s denim collection is a good mix of core and fashion products. Core is essentially basic denims and jeggings in variety of washes and colours and comprises about 30-40 per cent of the company’s collection. The fashion range includes stylised detailing, value addition and innovative washes based on latest fashion trends in jeans, skirts, shorts, dungarees etc constitutes the other 60 per cent.

Das says, comfort with fashion sells more.

With changing lifestyles and fast evolving preferences, consumers look for both creativity/ fashion and functionality in their purchases.

India essentially being a young nation most of the growth in denimwear segment is driven by

former enjoying almost 67 per cent market share. Unbranded players operate in lower price segment where awareness about quality of fabric, washes and finishes is relatively low. On price parity, Das informs, “The combination of competitive price with a truly international level product is the gap.

Our mantra is to find the strength and meet adoption curve.”

Future expanse Numero Uno intends to grow by 5 per cent this year. It has a substantial growth in EBOs and a decent business partnership with MBOs. “Expansion has been a continuous process for us and we keep penetrating different regions and areas of retail business. We need to focus on ELPP and super premium denim,” sums up Das.

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Jealous 21 focusses on stretch denims this season For the brand, mid segment is stronger and bigger as it reaches a wider number of aspirational customers across Tier II and III cities. Rising aspirations of these price and quality conscious consumers has driven phenomenal growth in denim segment.

Currently the unbranded segment dominates with 60 per cent market share and competes primarily on price.

“This balance will shift in future driven by more acceptance of brands in urban areas and an increasing share of brands in rural areas as aspirational consumers seek better quality denim and brand image,” informs Gupta.

Rahul Gupta VP, Future Lifestyle Fashions “We have expanded our denim portfolio beyond jeans to create more lifestyle categories like tops/tunics dresses and other fashion wardrobe essentials”

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ndia’s denim market is undergoing the paradigm shift. Denim products with high-end finishes and innovative product designs are gaining popularity across the globe. Owning to its fit and

comfort characteristic, stretch denim has caught on. Colours, structures and patterns are becoming cleaner and more muted.

Deep indigo, greys and black denims have taken a center stage. For the season, Jealous 21 has taken product innovation to the next level by launching products like Stay Black and Dust Repellant White denims. The collection has a judicious mix of premium stretch fabrics and trendy edgy silhouettes.

The women’s denim market in India is estimated at Rs 1,800 crore, growing at 18.5 per cent CAGR and expected to reach Rs 3500 to 3700 crore by 2025. The trend towards casualisation combined with growing preference of look and comfort among women, drives the women denim market.

Young consumers driving demand Talking about the brand’s target audience, Rahul Gupta, VP, Future Lifestyle Fashions says, “The brand’s core audience is young girls between 18 to 25 years, who are intense, confident, evocative and have a sense of individual style. At the onset of their career, these young fashionistas have multiple wardrobe needs and are well connected with global fashion trends.

Demand gap Gupta says, there is a gap in indigo offering across other categories like top wear, accessory, etc, in the market. “We have expanded our denim portfolio beyond jeans to create more lifestyle categories like tops/tunics dresses and other fashion wardrobe essentials,” informs Gupta.

The company expects to increase brand footprints and achieve double digit growth. It is currently present across 350 doors.

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49

Deal Jeans to open more EBOs, spread retail abroad

Sameer Patel Founder and Chairman “Demand for branded denim primarily comes from the limited number of mega-metros and metros. Hence, midsegment denim segment is still stronger in India”

“D

eal Jeans has always been apart from competitor brands in bringing designer denims to the market every season,” states Sameer Patel, Founder and Chairman.

This collection offers embroideries and gel embossing, studs and appliqués with ripped embellishments which are giving a unique twist to what are offered. The color palette ranges from light to dark shades in bright and pastel colors. The collection is themed to give its customers a chic, trendsetter look whether it is to travel, office or evening soirees. “Basic products in bottom wear contribute only 5 per cent whereas top wear offers only fashion products,” Patel says.

Deal Jeans was the first brand to introduce the concept of designer denims in the Indian market orienting the brand towards international trends in fast fashion space.

Retail footprint Deal initially started selling at a MBO. “Our brand then incorporated modern retail through LFS to channelise further penetration,” discloses Patel. With invention in technology and online shopping being the most preferred by consumers, Deal expanded its unique selling proposition to online shopping portals where there are no geographical boundaries anymore.

“After capturing the market through MBO’s

and LFS, we added another channel of standalone stores to increase market penetration,” Patel informs. Today, the brand has 21 exclusive outlets pan India, one international outlet and, is available at 800+ MBO’s, 200+LFS and all leading online shopping portals. The brand is currently expanding its exclusive outlets in India and internationally. It plans to launch 20 more outlets by the coming FY accounting to 70 per cent growth by next year.

Also, the brand is expanding its online operations as it helps establish much faster across all geographical boundaries. “We will explore the overseas markets by the end of 2019 as we foresee immense potential which could be capitalised,” Patel observes.

Market scenario Patel points out that the unbranded denim segment dominates with 60 per cent market share. “Demand for branded denim primarily comes from the limited number of megametros and metros. Hence, mid-segment denim segment is still stronger in India,” opines Patel. The denim market in India is growing at a consistent CAGR of 15 to 18 per year. The market is also witnessing the fastest growth rate in apparel fabric. Due to the popularity of denim in India, women’s denim wear market’s future looks promising. Women’s denim segment contributes 9 per cent to the

market. The category is expected to grow at a higher pace owing to an increased focus on brands and retailers. “Women who are not at ease with western wear have taken to wearing jeans, pairing them with ethnic wear.

This mix and match style is gradually picking up, particularly in small towns and is likely to fuel growth of the segment. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.5 per cent by 2019,” notes Patel.

Indian consumer behavior is largely driven by pricing. “Economic factors such as increase in income, and job growth play significant roles in the fashion industry and consumer spending,” he adds. Due to their economic constraints, consumers are more vigilant about the prices set on products.

50 FUSION WEAR

Western silhouettes in Indian styles strikes a chord among New Age women More and more modern woman are seeking clothes that are a perfect combination of ethnic and western wear. While domestic brands understand Indian sensibilities, global brands too are pitching in with their own lines. With increased brand play the fusion wear segment is poised for bigger growth ahead, write Ajay Goswami & Ajanta Ganguly  Fusion wear is unique to India  Domestic brands dominate this segment as they understand the pulse

Radhesh Kagzi

 Global brands are taking local players in a mix-n-match apparel segment

President, Fusion Beats

 Innovative products, clever marketing and distribution helping global brands

“Global brands are penetrating the western market at a rapid pace.

Their target group is more metro centric, whereas Indian brands have penetration in the Tier II, III cities. The key factor that will differentiate and make Indian brands stand out is the design style”

 Ecommerce to has given a huge boost to this segment  New players are entering this space  Innovation is a key differentiator

W

hile the contemporary Indian woman continues to experiment with her dressing style, fusion wear which is unique to Indian catwalks, is quickly taking over as an innovative solution to changing fashion sensibilities. As an amalgamation of ethnic

and western style, this genre of Indo-western fusion wear is unique to our country. Global brands are now taking on local players in a mix-n-match apparel segment whose main influencing points are material, silhouettes, cuts and current style trends. Flattering, chic yet comfortable and easily wearable garments are given priority by Indian urban women and this has led to the popularity of fusion wear across metros and small towns.

Mix and match fusion wear evolving rapidly The cluttered fusion wear segment is perceived to be highly progressive. Though the western casual apparel market is growing rapidly, traditional ethnic-wear continues to hold strong especially during festivals and other occasions. Moreover, women’s ethnic-fusion wear is grabbing many retailers’ attention as women prefer to wear these traditional wear to work, thus increasing demand in the market. Ethnic wear was initially a category restricted to the more mature woman in her 30’s and 40’s but is now finding acceptance even among younger women.

“Global brands are penetrating the western market at a rapid pace. Their target group is more metro centric, whereas Indian brands have penetration in the Tier II, III cities. The key factor that will differentiate and make Indian brands stand out is the design style.

The contemporary woman prefers western wear with Indian sensibilities, which is well

FUSION WEAR

Rakesh Morvadiya Director, Divyanshi Fashion “Innovation and styling has always ruled the fashion industry. And it’s very important to bring new innovation and styling yet keeping it minimalistic and basic at the same time.

It should relate to every niche market we target.

Our style statement for coming festive season is lot of flared cuts paired with gold embellished fabric embroidered palazzos, dhotis and pencil fit pants” perceived by Indian brands. Therefore, fusion fashion fairs well in smaller cities.

Price point is also one major factor to be kept in mind which may be a concern while buying international brands,” points out Radhesh Kagzi, President, Fusion Beats, a popular Indian brand. It has a strong retail network spread across 24 EBOs, 154 LFS and 5 MBO’s with an online presence on Jabong, Landmark Shops, Paytm, Shoppers Stop, Myntra and Tatacliq.

Fusion Beats’ business growth has been decent for the previous year and its expecting to grow at 10 per cent this year and adding new doors. “Our A/W ’18 season is going to be dominated by the looks that involve linen, canvas floral prints, shimmer, glitter gold embroidered, drop shoulders, kalidar kurtas and layered kurtas. Our collection is focused around innovative embroideries and placements. The key fabrics are slubs, sequence fabric and nets. The color pallet will be a spread of blush, sage green, lavender and mustards,” he adds.

Recently, there has been a tremendous growth of homegrown brands who have understood the pulse of Indian women and

are gaining strong grounds in women’s segment. Brands like Biba, W, Trendy Divva, Anokhi, Fabindia, Cotton Curio and many more have invested in research and development on the changing trends and designs to stay ahead. An innovative product portfolio matched with clever marketing and distribution strategy is helping them stay ahead of western casual segment which is their close contender. E-commerce and online retail is rapidly catching on with urban women who are looking for variety in their dressing style. Brands are focusing on technology that allows one to zoom-in the garment, share details on the product, design, artwork, quality, fabric and even its background story that allows one to get indepth information of the product they like.

Uniquely Indian product portfolio The industry has also evolved quickly in the past few years with a modern twist to ethnic wear that wears well with women across all age groups. The name of the game is to target the mature woman and the young college going and working women in their 20’s by making fusion wear trendy and cool. Besides the standard long and short kurtis and tunics, the product range now includes leggings, dresses, tops, shrugs, jackets and skirts creating a new apparel segment of ethnic-fusion wear. Fusion wear gives a unique twist to basic staple of the ethnic wear product market dominated by sari, blouses, salwar kameez, kurta/kurti, and lehenga cholis among others.

“Innovation and styling has always ruled the fashion industry. And it’s very important to bring new innovation and styling yet keeping it minimalistic and basic at the same time. It should relate to every niche market we target. Our style statement for coming festive season is lot of flared cuts paired with gold embellished fabric embroidered palazzos, dhotis and pencil fit pants. We have included exclusive wear which offers the high end kurtas in combination with palazzos and dhotis particularly for festive season and this style can rule upcoming season with fresh colors combinations like mustard, tomato red, earthy fresh shades. Natural textures are the

51

calling as well as voile and cotton variation of fabrics,’’ points out Rakesh Morvadiya, Director, 18 Fire, the brand from Divyanshi Fashion. The fusion wear segment has witnessed unparalleled growth, prompting new brands debuting in the category. Each of these brands has been growing in their own space by offering unique propositions.

With prints merging into each other in a riot of colors, fusion wear is a perfect unison of mixing fabrics with silhouettes and cuts. Traditional Indian wear has merged with western wear with the introduction of fashion bottoms and tops stylized to not look totally traditional. With women becoming far more brand conscious, the fusion wear market is evolving rapidly with all the players expanding their product base and incorporating new technology.

Style trends this season There is a lot of innovation happening on the fabric front which includes cotton, viscose, Lycra, polyster, wool and linen. The spring/summer collection of most brands is all about colour, vibrancy, life and florals.

Bigger players are now planning out their autumn/winter collection where they are

Anant Daga Managing Director, TCNS Clothing (Brand W) “W by TCNS Clothing, a premium fusion wear brand, merges Indian and western sensibilities with an emphasis on distinctive design and styling launched a new collection in spring/summer ’18 ‘The Inseparables’, a new seamless, unified, fluid fashion that assimilates same colours and tones, similar prints and selfstyled coordinates to create a look of perfection”

52 FUSION WEAR Kirti Shah Director, Zola “Zola’s aspiration is to be the best casual fashion brand with an outstanding price-value proposition.

Our target group is women living in Tier II, III cities. Our kurtis give an interesting twist to the routine salwar kameez style that has gained prominence over the last decade. With an Indo-western approach to traditional wear, we boast of a wide range of designer kurtis with latest cuts and fabrics” dressing two kinds of customers - one for autumn and second for winter – as India has a large temperature difference across different states.

“W by TCNS Clothing, a premium fusion wear brand, which merges Indian and western sensibilities with an emphasis on distinctive design and styling launched a new collection in spring/summer ’18 ‘The Inseparables’, a new seamless, unified, fluid fashion that assimilates same colours and tones, similar prints and self-styled coordinates to create a look of perfection,” says Anant Daga, Managing Director, W. “Our summer inspired modernist range has quirky patterns, prints and finishes

and new-age styles which is elevated by vibrant colours. The exciting new collection is going to be spectacular from over-thetop drama to an understated finesse.” This season, W stood up to a new challenge of re-defining mix-n-match and re-thinking contrast as the basis of coordinated looks.

The brand combined its core products into one -- the bottom wear is constructed solely to complete the look of the top wear, in a way that they become two halves of a whole. These parts have been combined to make for a single infinite look that epitomizes perfection in The Inseparables,” he explains.

Designers focus on creating western silhouettes with Indian motifs and vice versa with a variety of colours and textures that have lots of jewel tones and is high on contrast. Prints, delicate embroidery, lots of beading and nature motifs such as flowers, vines, elephants, peacocks, paisley are hugely popular. The drapes tend to be a little loose and made for comfort in a variety of innovative styles. Fusion wear is the ideal choice when a woman wants to stand out in a crowd or make heads turn. Just about anything can be paired with anything, that looks good and feels comfortable. To be in vogue is to go Indo-western- that is the new mantra. Young women want current style trends and old-world feminine charm to blend in this apparel segment. Some fusion styles making the rounds in the fashion industry are draping sari with an offshoulder blouse, pairing a flared palazzo or dhoti pants with an embellished crop top, lehenga in a jacket style and wearing a kurti as a dress or a gown sari.

“Zola’s aspiration is to be the best casual fashion brand with an outstanding price-value proposition. Our target group is women living in Tier II, III cities. Our kurtis give an interesting twist to the routine salwar kameez style that has gained prominence over the last decade. With an Indo-western approach to traditional wear, we boast of a wide range of designer kurtis with latest cuts, fabric mesh and kaarigari also. We also have a designer product portfolio of bottom wear comprising of denims, leggings, Patialla pants, plazzos, skirts, jeggings and a lot more designer products,” says Kirti Shah, Director, Zola, a leading ethnic wear brand. The modern Indian woman seeks garments which are a perfect combination of ethnic and western wear.

It also needs to be stylish and comfortable while hiding her flaws and showing off her best. That is a tall order indeed and fusion wear with its many permutations and combinations fit the bill best.

The way ahead looks promising While the domestic front looks highly promising, fusion wear segment is also gaining popularity overseas. Brands are already exploring Dubai, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which has the same fashion

sensibilities as India. The overseas market for fusion wear is expanding in a phased manner but there is a steady growth in customer base.

Indian women are now opting for modern retail format boosting sales for branded clothing. Women’s wear is getting faster and much larger acceptance owing to an increase in disposable income and more working women. Although there were a number of un-organised names and players earlier, now the market is getting more organized most leading domestic ethnic brands are now keeping fusion wear as a part of their portfolio.

Big brands like Biba and Fabindia are offering smart tops and western wear with a touch of an Indian ethnic touch in fabric, designing or embellishments. Going by the dynamics of fashion as seen today, fusion wear has made deep inroads even in men’s wardrobes. Men are wearing jeans with an ethnic kurta and mojris in summers or sporting a scarf with an Indian motif or a jacket with an Indian touch in the winters.

E-commerce portals and online sales are rapidly catching on. Jabong, Lime Roads, Paytm, Shoppers stop, Myntra and Tatacliq are some of the popular online portals.

E-commerce portals focus on tracking customers through their sites while gaining a better understanding of what they buy and why they buy it. The discounting system on these portals plays a major role which boosts the sales in this segment. Marriage season and festival season like Diwali or Eid are the times when customers splurge on the premium products and make the cash registers go ringing. Most brands focus on the basic and mid-segment product portfolio for daily wear while the niche premium and super premium products are left to the bigger players.

The modern Indian woman is welltravelled and well-exposed to the current style trends in India and around the world. She understands the different connotations of fashion specific terms like ethnic wear, western wear and Indo-western wear. With only a handful of branded players in the fusion wear segment, stakeholders see a huge potential ahead. This segment is seen as fashionable and bold but yet not too western, which matches the sensibilities of Indian women. While the domestic front looks highly promising, the fusion wear segment is also gaining popularity overseas. While yet not taking over the fashion ramps by storm, fusion wear from Incredible India is making promising inroads into the global markets. It will also slowly but surely push its way forward in continual growth as India keeps up its urbanization across its cities and towns over the next decade or so.

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53

Anita Dongre: Setting high standards for Indian fashion globally

A

nita Dongre is well known for breaking gender prejudices and stereotypes in Indian fashion industry. She disrupted traditional Indian fashion language to create wearable yet hip apparel. Sunil Sethi, President, Fashion Design Council of India, says she is more focussed on the ‘business’ side of fashion and it’s rare to find people in this fraternity so focused or singleminded in the present and path ahead. Today, AND, one of the five brands under House of Anita Dongre, is a Rs 680 crore company, as per latest FY18 numbers. The others are: Global Desi, bridal couture and prêt (including menswear); Pinkcity, handcrafted jadau jewellery and Grassroot.

Reminiscing olden days she says in the 1980s-90s, people would gawk at her when she used to visit the cloth markets. She was the boutiquewalli. But after 30 years in fashion business, it is these little things that stand out, shaping her both as an individual and an entrepreneur. Her story is inspiring as she started out from her bedroom and balcony in suburban Khar with younger sibling Meena Sehra and just two sewing machines. Soon, she started supplying apparels to Benzer, Roopam and Sheetal, and carried on like this for over a decade. In the late 1990s, she was the best performing store per-sq-ft in the Crossroads Mall, after being refused space there in the first place.

In 2016, she was selected by Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, during her India visit. Her floral tunic became talk of the town. Recently, her ensemble was picked up by Canadian PM’s wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau who wore her

yellow chanderi salwar suit for a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram. These global highlights have lured investors like Kishore Biyani and General Atlantic (GA) to invest in the brand.

The growing reach Dongre and her associates have been able to capture pan-India network of 300 EBOs in 76 cities and over 915 multi-brand large format outlets in 176 cities, employing 2,800.

The company’s net revenue was Rs 680 crore in 2017-18, against merchandising net sales of Rs 590 crore in the previous year.

Profit after tax was Rs20 crore in FY17. And as Jaspreet Chandok, fashion head, IMG Reliance, highlighted an understanding of the Indian consumer and what they want has helped her scale up and tip over into being a

large retail house today. Each of her brands stand out distinctly and have created a niche.

Extending beyond Brand extensions into footwear and accessories such as perfumes will be on the cards. Any geographical expansions to Dubai or London are on hold for the moment.

Sarwate and Dalip Sehgal, independent director on the HOAD board and former managing director of Godrej Consumer Products, part of the GA-led reconstituted board, are helping sharpen the product with brand extensions and become a scaled retailer in a small box format.

Moving ahead, she is trying her hands at e-commerce, big data and the shared economy. Talking about expansion plans, Mukesh Sawlani, Dongre’s brother, a former banker and now HOAD managing director, overseeing operations, HR and finance, briefed that e-commerce is a reality today.

It has changed accessibility of fashion to zip codes that they would have never ever been able to reach. It’s 7 per cent of the brand’s sales today and growing. Bindu Mendonsa, senior vice-president and head of women’s and men’s business, Myntra, stated that AND and Global Desi have been associated their constant partners for over four years now and have been growing exponentially on its platform. With the growth of online fashion, the House of Anita Dongre will be able to cater to women across all corners of the country.

56 IF EXCLUSIVE

W redefines mix and match with its fusion wear concepts

Anant Daga Managing Director, W “W is the only brand in India which offers ‘Indian contemporary’ wear. Our designers take inspiration from latest fashion trends and forecasts from the West and transform them into silhouettes and styles acceptable to the modern Indian woman”

W

the premium fusion wear women’s brand from TCNS Clothing, merges Indian and western sensibilities with an emphasis on distinctive design and styling. The brand’s Spring/Summer 2018 ‘The Inseparables’, is a seamless, unified, fluid range that assimilates

same colors and tones, similar prints and selfstyled coordinates. “We design, manufacture, market and retail a wide portfolio of women’s branded apparel across multiple brands,” says Anant Daga, Managing Director.

Mix and Match redefined This season, the brand re-defined the concept of mix-and-match, re-thinking contrast as the basis of coordinated looks. It has combined its core products into one; the bottom wear is constructed solely to complete the look of the top wear, in a way that they become two halves of a whole. These parts have been combined to make for a single infinite look that epitomises perfection - The Inseparables. The exciting new collection is likely to be spectacular from overthe-top drama to an understated finesse; from a dramatic indulgence to subtle nuances of a fine Spring/Summer.

New offerings Daga say, “W is the only brand in India which offers ‘Indian contemporary’ wear.

Our designers take inspiration from latest fashion trends and forecasts from the West and transform them into silhouettes and styles acceptable to the modern Indian woman.” Pioneering the evolution in fashion, W introduced fashion bottoms like palazzo, cropped pants, culottes, printed skirts or pant robes teaming them with kurtas to create a comfortable and glamorous look.

Retail footprint ‘W’ has 258 exclusive brand outlets and 676 large format store outlets located across 148 cities in India and five outlets outside India.

58 COVER STORY: BE INDI

‘Fusion wear is competing with ethnic and women’s western wear’ Taking inspiration from Indian culture, women’s fusion wear brand, Be Indi is making a mark both in metros and smaller cities. Going ahead, the brand plans to broaden its product basket while also spreading its retail footprint.

• Be Indi was started in 2010 • Focuses on fusion Indian designs • Targets working women • Picks up international trends and blends them with Indian silhouettes • Operates through five MBOs, eight EBOs, and four LFSs • Aims for 30 per cent y-o-y growth • Looking at add more variety in its product basket

Deepa Sureka CEO & Promoter, Be Indi “We take pride in being Indian. We admire the beauty and elegance of Indian women and aspire to bring together fashion and grace for today’s women.”

“Brands are focusing on creating more collections of fusion wear, which range from office wear to evening and party wear. There’s no competition from big designers as they are in the premium segment and we don’t have any global competitors.”

I

nspired by Indian culture and believing in the philosophy ‘Be Indian, Look Indian’, brand Be Indi has been dressing and embellishing women across India with its assortment of fusion clothes.

The collection has everything from salwar kameez to tunics, work wear, festive wear, fusion wear skirts, trousers and more. With

its innovative product basket, the brand has managed to make a mark in the highly competitive women’s wear segment.

Owned by Taanz Fashions, Be Indi’s garments division was launched in 2010

by Mauria Udyog. Truly an ethnic fusion women’s wear brand, Be Indi believes in giving its customers the best designs and is recognised as a customer friendly brand

COVER STORY: BE INDI

59

with an unending dedication and excellent quality. As Deepa Sureka, CEO & Promoter Be Indi elaborates, “We take pride to be an Indian. We admire the beauty and elegance of Indian women and aspire to bring together fashion and grace for today’s women.” Be Indi picks up international trends and blends them with Indian silhouettes.

Be Indi is a perfect blend of fashion and style. It has a collection of various fabric bases and silhouettes to suit different occasions. The brand focusses on the limitations of Indian body shapes and has developed fits and cuts to compliment Indian women. Unique prints are exclusively developed in sync with international fashion trends. The company’s head office is based in Gurgaon with design, merchandising team equipped with specialist members for inspection and quality check. There is a strong marketing and sales team with back-end support for achieving the brand’s objectives. Its warehouse is spread over three floors and covers 8,000 sq. ft. area, with a dedicated team for logistics and quality check and refinishing work.

Unique product spread Be Indi’s products are unique. The brand focuses on affordability and its prices go up to Rs 6,000. Every season, Be Indi launches a new collection with innovative concepts in a variety of fabrics, cuts and colours. Be Indi has smartly analysed its target audience and offered potential customers more style.

It offers the same products in numerous variations and silhouettes. These include kurtis, tops, tunics, dresses, skirts, palazzos,

60 COVER STORY: BE INDI “As far as competition goes, fusion wear is competing with ethnic and women’s western wear categories.

The move is towards positive growth of fusion wear as today’s women want contemporary styles with vintage charm.”

and pants. The collection is segregated in categories like: casual, pre-festive, festive with themes such as folk floral; Mughal gharana; gold baroque; metal applique.

Style statement Be Indi’s style statement is Indian fusion wear with playful cuts and silhouettes in different fabrics. The categories are: • Folk Floral: A combination of handcrafted floral motifs with a colour palette that goes from pastel to festive colours in comfortable fabrics with innovative cuts and embroidery.

• Mughal Gharana: Motifs inspired from walls of forts and garden, fresh and festive colours are used with a variety of fabric and prints, which makes the garments stylish and royal.

• Gold Baroque: Inspired from artistic heritage beauties of European colonies, gold inlay intertwined with baroque motifs, created in prints and embroideries on textured fabrics.

• Metal Applique: The theme is inspired from Indian heritage (gota patti). It has bright festive colours that have been used with highlighted applique work of gota patti.

Asymmetric hemlines, layered silhouettes,

sombre effects with embroidery, flared/ panelled bottoms and cancan skirts are some of the innovations incorporated by the brand. The colour palette ranges from soft pastel tones to brighter festive colours with highlights of gold. Be Indi’s collection is layered with asymmetrical silhouettes, tint of modern fusion wear, incorporated with details like ruffles, gatherings, variations in sleeves. Be Indi plans to add more variety to its offering by adding fashion dupattas, and fashion bottom wear to its range.

and our own website is under process.”

Sureka however, explains though not difficult, it is definitely challenging to build a fusion wear brand. “One of the solutions is to continuously offer new and trendy products and collection in a short period of time. As far as competition goes, fusion wear is competing with ethnic and women’s western wear categories. The move is towards positive growth of fusion wear as today’s women want contemporary styles with vintage charm.”

Women’s wear growth triggers

Season’s trends & future growth

Sureka points out with more women joining the workforce, preference for fusion clothing is increasing. Higher disposable income and access to latest fashion trends is dictating fashion statement for women.

The trend is not limited to metros, as it is finding greater acceptance in smaller cities now. “Brands are focusing on creating more collections of fusion wear, which range from office wear to evening and party wear.

There’s no competition from big designers as they are in the premium segment and we don’t have any global competitors.” Talking about e-commerce, Sureka says, “Online retail has given a big boost to this segment.

We are already present on key platforms

Speaking about latest trends Sureka says, different varieties of jacquard fabrics, textured AOP print, jali print, one side boarder print with a touch of gold are in this season. Soft pastel tones with gold highlights and bright festive shades are in demand.

The brand is currently operating through five MBOs, eight EBOs, and four LFSs. The plan is to expand by opening exclusive stores and placing their products in large format stores. Sureka is extremely positive about the upcoming season as autumn/winter is a good time for business compared to spring summer with a number of festivals lined up.

The brand is targeting 30 per cent growth in the coming year.

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Fusion Beats: Creating a niche with a mix of traditional & western wear to be dominated by the looks that involve linen, canvas floral prints, shimmer, glitter gold embroidered, drop shoulders, kalidar kurta and layered kurtas. “Our collection is focussed around innovative embroideries and placements. The key fabrics are slubs, sequence fabric and nets. The colour pallet will be a spread of blush, sage green, lavender and mustard.” The brand’s growth has been decent for previous year but it is gradually expecting to grow at 10 per cent this year. Currently it is not focusing on premium and super premium products.

Radhesh Kagzi President, Fusion Beats “The key factor that will differentiate and make Indian brands stand out is the design style”

Fusion wear an evolving market Kagzi points out over the past few years fusion wear market is evolving tremendously. Brands are expanding their product base and incorporating new technologies. Women have become a lot more brand conscious and are inclined more towards the fusion wear section. “The modern Indian women is well travelled and well connected to the trends available around the world. She understands fashion specific terms like ethnic wear, western wear, Indo-western wear,” says Kagzi. She is exposed to new styles and trends around the globe. Media and the surroundings also have a lot of influence on the fashion styles of Indian women.

Fusion Beats’ retail network is spread across 24 EBOs, 154 LFS and 5 MBOs. Kagzi obseres, “It’s no secret that e-commerce portals spend a lot of time tracking customers

F

usion clothes fill the gap between the western and the traditional, and in India, Fusion Beats has created a niche in this space. Modern women seek for garments, which are a combination of modern and western wear. The main influencing points are silhouettes, cuts and the trends. Easy going and comfortable wear is given priority by contemporary women which has led to the popularity of fusion wear in India. Global brands are penetrating the western market at a rapid pace. Their target group is metro centric, whereas Indian brands are focusing more on Tier II, III cities. “The key factor that will differentiate and make Indian brands stand out is the design style. Contemporary woman prefer western wear with Indian sensibilities, which is well perceived by Indian brands.

Therefore, fusion fashion fairs well in Tier II, III cities. Price point is also one major factor to be kept in mind which may be a concern while buying international brands,” explains Radhesh Kagzi, President, Fusion Beats.

Collections for next season Kagzi says, women are more inclined towards comfort style, therefore the style statement Fusion Beats will be focusing on for the upcoming season is suited accordingly. The A/W18 season is going

through their sites, gaining a better understanding of what they buy and why they buy it. The discounting system plays a major role, which boosts sales in this segment.”

Online business contributes to 6 per cent of the Fusion Beat’s business. It is gradually expanding on e-commerce portals and is currently present on Jabong, Landmark, Paytm, ShopperStop, Myntra and Tatacliq.

58 IF EXCLUSIVE

18 Fire creating unique styles and variety in fusion wear

Rakesh Morvadiya Director, Divyanshi Fashion “Mix & match is the key ingredient in 18 Fire products.

We make our deep strength with our continuously innovative styles & cuts with different colors of fine variety of fabrics. We deliver product that satisfy customers need”

T

he fashion industry has always been ruled by innovation and styling. Fusion wear brand blends innovation and style with the minimalistic and basic as it relates to the niche market that they target. “Mix & match is the key ingredient in 18 Fire products. We make our deep strength with our continuously innovative styles & cuts with different colors of fine variety of fabrics. We deliver product that satisfy customers need,” says Rakesh Morvadiya, Director, Divyanshi Fashion, the company that owns the brands.

Upcoming collection For the upcoming festive season, 18 Fire offers high end kurtis combined with palazzos and dhotis in color combinations like mustard, tomato red, earthy shades. “Our style statement for coming festive season includes flared cuts paired with gold embellished fabric embroidered palazzos, dhotis and pencil fit pants. These garments are made in natural textures and varieties of cotton,” states Morvadiya. Flared cuts, bright colors such as olive green, gold, tomato red, mustard and earthy shades bright tones are in demand in this season. Similarly, embroidered fabric is likely to be in demand in this period.

Expansion plans 18 Fire recently inaugurated 1,000 sq. ft. factory outlet. The brand supplies its products to over 1,600 MBOs across India and plans to expand operations particularly in Gujarat. The brand concentrates on providing 100 per cent product satisfaction to customers and hence, doesn’t give much importance to turnover. Fusion wear provides a variety in styling of a garment. “In today’s era, it fills the gap between ethnic and western clothing,” says Morvadiya.

Today, fusion wear is capturing a large part of the Indian market; be it metros, big or small cities. India has a large market for women’s wear. The advent of international

premium brands has increased exposure to a variety of styles and cuts. It has also increased competition between the brands.

Yet Indian retailers have retained their essence. 18 Fire too remains unfazed. The brand believes competition boosts its energy and encourages it to perform better. “We come up with unique styles and varieties for our customers,” Morvadiya states.

Due to the current political and economical changes in India, lesser people are demanding super premium products. But, 18 Fire caters to both types of customers.

It supplies super premium products under the brand ‘18 Fire’ and economy fashion products under brand ‘Divyanshi’.

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Zola adds women’s ethnic wear to its portfolio “At Zola we capture lates ttrends in color, quality fabrics and shapes. We blend it with intelligent and authentic styling and comfortable fitting to create our treasure chest of garments”

Kirti Shah Director, Zola

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ncepted in Mumbai by Pragati Fashions, Zola recently added a new line of women’s ethnic wear to its product portfolio. The brand, catering to women aged two years onwards, offers a wide array of products for women and kids. “This includes ladies & kid’s ethnic kurtis, western tops, western and formal shirts, denim, and skirts,” states Kirti Shah Director. Zola pays maximum attention to fabric selection, fitting and perfect quality of each of its garments.

The brand’s earthy fashions reflect a positive and caring attitude towards life that celebrates real people and togetherness.

Collections With its wide range of products, Zola caters to varied customers from different socio economic backgrounds. “Our USP is our ‘Price Value Proposition’ that has enabled us to build lasting relationships with customers, “notes Shah. The brand offers a wide range of designer kurtis in the latest

cuts, fabric mesh and kaarigari; gowns that are floor length made from carefully chosen fabrics interwoven with stylish tailoring ; tops in trendy designs and styles; nightwear collection that includes comfortable and fancy night outfits for both women and children; a kids’ collection which has ethnic kurtis, suits, western tops, western and formal shirts, denims, and skirts; bottomwear that comprise denim, leggings, patiallas, palazzos, skirts, jeggings and other designer products. Zola’s aspires is to be the best casual fashion brand. “At Zola we capture lates ttrends in color, quality fabrics and shapes. We blend it with intelligent and authentic styling and comfortable fitting to create our treasure chest of garments,” states Shah. “We believe in responsible

production because it is our motto to offer the best to our customers,” he adds.

Retail presence The brand has an international presence across 15 countries with customer base increasing to 7,500 stores. The brand sells through multi brand stores, family stores, stores that stock only women’s wear, small boutiques and also franchisees. Noting the growth online channel, Zola too sells its products on Jabong, Lime Roads, and other leading online portals.

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No Nasties optimistic about growth of organic clothing in India

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o Nasties today is one of the largest exporters of organic knits.

Speaking about their upcoming collection and its emphasis on organic clothing, Apurva Kothari, Founder, No Nasties, says, “We do not make just T-shirts, we are a full fashion brand now. We only make 100 per cent organic and fair trade clothing and it has not been that difficult for us as we don’t have lofty plans; we are happy being a small niche brand.”

Apurva Kothari Founder “The key factor that will differentiate and make Indian brands stand out is the design style”

Organic a growing segment The organic clothing sector is growing with more consciousness among consumers and many more brands entering the space. Kothari is very optimistic about the growth of organic segment. “Around 80 per cent of our Indian sales are from metros and 20 per cent are from Tier II. As far as consumers’ acceptability towards organic clothing is concerned, they are beginning to understand it more and more as there is

more media coverage and more products on offer for them,” he explains.

Indeed, pricing is a concern but the Indian consumer has enough purchasing power now that this should not be a huge issue for the middle and upper middle classes.

No Nasties sources majority of cotton from Chetna Organic co-op and it only works with cotton.

As for retail, in India, the company has one EBO and three MBOs. Internationally, it has 18 MBOs. “We hope to grow by three times this year. We plan to grow slowly & steadily by offering more products and increasing our online presence,” Kothari sums up.

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Dollar Missy aims at inorganic growth through M&A

Vinod Kumar Gupta Executive-Managing Director “We have raised our bar from routine black and white shades to leggings in over 80 colour shades.

The most preferred leg wear amongst the working women today is leggings and this market will grow at a rapid pace”

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omen’s brand Missy offers capris, kurtas, pants and leggings in trendy designs and textures that gives it a completely new look. “We have raised our bar from routine black and white shades to leggings in over 80 colour shades,” informs Vinod Kumar Gupta, Executive-Managing Director, Dollar Industries, which owns the brand Missy.

“Women today don’t shy way for experimenting with trends. They opt for young peppy colors and trendy patterns,” he explains.

Myriad offerings Available in a wide variety of patterns and over 100 shades, leggings have emerged as a popular trend especially among the young generation. They are available in three categories including ankle length, capri, churidar, jeggings, printed leggings, winter leggings and kurti pants, etc. “The most preferred leg wear amongst the working women today is leggings and this market will grow at a rapid pace,” states Gupta. Missy offers leggings in categories of churidar, ankle length, capris . “These are made from a blend of Lycra, Spandex, nylon, cotton, or polyester blend or stretch fabrics. Cotton Lycra fabric enjoys the best acceptance in women’s leggings. notes Gupta.

Aggressive growth plans Present in over 95,000 MBOs across India, Missy is aggressively looking at inorganic growth through M&A. “To grow further, we are eyeing EBOs, shop in shops and kiosks across major cities,” Gupta opines. The focus is on expansion of Dollar Missy by adding to the product portfolio with bras and athleisure for women.

Growth in e-tailing business With a surge in smart phone penetration, internet is playing an essential tool for business growth and brand recognition,

globally. Online channels have paved way for customers to shop anywhere in the world. This has led Dollar to enter omnichannel retail. “We launched e-commerce retailing three years back. We have increased our presence in e-commerce and among online retailers in the country.

And 2 per cent of our total sales come from e-retailing,” Gupta observes. “In the near future, online retailing will be widespread in innerwear industry. Since e-retailing is experiencing random growth, the future of knitwear will thrive economically and looks promising,” he sums up.

62 ETHNIC WEAR

Ethnic wear: Still the prima donna of women’s wear Despite tough competition, ethnic wear remains a fast growing category especially in women’s segment. Its growing popularity even among younger age groups has attracted quite a few brands into this segment. While unorganised players are dominant players, brands have managed to make a mark especially in the premium segment, write Ajay Goswami & Ajanta Ganguly  Entry of big brands has added more variety to this segment  Ethnic wear market divided into regular and party wear sub-segments  They cater to premium and mass market

Vinay Chatlani CEO & Director, Soch “As far as the organized branded space in women’s ethnic wear segment is concerned, there is around 9 per cent penetration based on external research done. However, this is one segment where the consumer will shop both at pan India established brands and at local players. As they become more brand conscious, there will be a greater shift towards branded purchase”

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thnic wear has come a long way from a completely unorganised category with no brand presence and dominance of local neighbourhood tailors to an extremely hot and happening segment in Indian fashion space. The western wear apparel segment may try its hardest to squeeze in but ethnic wear still holds maximum shelf space in Indian woman’s wardrobe. However, the entry of big brands along with the economic empowerment of women has infused a new life into ethnic wear which was solely dominated by the unorganized segment a couple of decades ago. Ethnic wear is commonly worn in all social settings and in the corporate sector. Keeping in

 Expected to grow at 10 per cent CAGR from 2018-22  Market pegged at Rs 616 million, with the industry growing at 8 to 9 per cent annually  Women’s category make up 80 per cent of the market  Men’ ethnic contributes about 4 to5 per cent; 8 to 10 per cent kid’s category  Ethnic wear popularity growing in corporate set up as well  Innovations key to future growth  Fusion concepts more popular today

mind the religious and cultural diversity of India, where a wide range of occasions are celebrated, it is a primary driver of the women’s apparel segment. Each region has strong players and at the same time few brands have presence across India however, the unorganized segment still plays a major role.

Ethnic wear market is divided into regular and party wear sub-segments catering to premium and mass market and is expected to grow at 10 per cent CAGR from 2018-22.

Experts say, the ethnic segment is pegged at Rs 616 million, with the industry growing at 8 to 9 per cent annually. Around 80 per cent of the market is in women segment.

Men’ ethnic contributes about 4 to5 per cent and 8 to 10 per cent is contributed by kid’s category.

A safe bet for smaller players Ethnic wear is a relatively safe segment for all brands – both big and small -- to invest in because of its universal acceptance

ETHNIC WEAR

Vikas Dhaniwal Director, Asopalav “Premium and super premium products have been trending in the past decade and there is an increase in spending of customers on marriage wear. We have targeted the value for money segment, which is also one of the fastest growing due to demographic changes in India”

across India, unlike Western wear which is still treading on slippery ice in smaller cities. When a woman goes shopping for ethnic wear, she usually has a rough sketch of the product in mind – whether it’s a sari, salwar kameez, lehenga choli, churidar-kurta or something else. She knows what she wants and it is the current trend analysis, innovative designing and excellent fabrication that ultimately helps her zone in on a particular brand. Although Tier I and big cities are trendsetters, small cities across India follow them in terms of fashion whether it is ethnic wear or western wear. Trendy fusion wear which has successfully managed to integrate western trends into traditional ethnic designs, has only helped to expand the reach of ethnic wear.

“Earlier, ethnic wear was restricted largely to a function, festival or a celebration for a modern woman, now one can see her incorporate ethnic garments in her daily fashion portfolio. Whether it is an intricate stole thrown around her neck or a short chanderi tunic with skinny jeans, the modern Indian woman wears a little bit of ‘India’ daily. We recently launched our ‘Week Wear’ collection which is everyday fashion

for all occasions. We have introduced kurts suits with jackets, tunics with embroideries and pin tucks, as well as work appropriate kurtis, which can be paired with fashionable bottoms to carry the look from day wear to evening wear. We are continuing to innovate with new fabrics which are a blend of cotton and polyester, allowing breathability while being easy to maintain. Our fits are relaxed and have functional elements like pockets keeping in mind the requirements of customers,” says Vinay Chatlani, CEO & Director, Soch, a leading ethnic wear brand with a retail network of 115 EBO’s, 15 MBO’s and close to 60 LFS which it plans to double in three years.

“As far as the organized branded space in women’s ethnic wear segment is concerned, there is around 9 per cent penetration based on external research done. However, this is one segment where the consumer will shop both at pan India established brands and at local players. As they become more brand conscious, there will be a greater shift towards branded purchase,” he adds.

There are very few brands in the organized segment that sell solely ethnic wear. E-commerce has also played a major role in the growth of Indian ethnic wear as it is offering new possibilities and options to the technologically advanced customers. Experts feel it is difficult to judge as to what shape the market will take since the situation is unpredictable with strong competition from western wear specially in the metros. The Tier I cities or big cities are trendsetters and small cities follow them in terms of fashion whether it is ethnic wear or western wear, so the maximum profit is from metros.

Fusion wear is most popular With western casual wear rapidly gaining popularity across different age groups and in smaller cities across India, ethnic wear manufacturers are focussing on a variety of innovative fusion lines. Flying off the shelves are: lehenga cholis, lehengas with jacket-styled blouses, anarkalis with modern embellishments, angrakhas with volume and contemporary cuts, jacket suits with culottes or pants , bright pre-pleated saris with unconventional glamorous blouses, long suits with palazzos; tunics with innovative hemlines ranging from asymmetrical, irregular and straight hemlines.

In most product lines of bigger manufacturers, a customer can find the perfect blend of Indian ethnicity with modern fabrication. The traditional touch is being maintained in the garments in the fusion wear segment as that is what sells like hot cakes. Stitched lehenga saris with various designs and motifs, ethnic and stone-studded belts are being worn over saris to give a fusion look. Stoles and

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scarves have come to replace dupattas in many Indian garments. Many Indian manufacturers like Biba, Chhabra 555, Zola, Jashn among others stock a wide range of fusion wear as well as solely ethnic wear in their portfolio.

“Premium and super premium products have been trending in the past decade and the there is an increase in spending of customers on marriage wear. We have targeted the value for money segment, which is also one of the fastest growing due to demographic changes in India.

Our range of ethnic wear is from Rs 795 to 2,500. We manufacture a plethora of men’s wear ranging from formal shirts to kotis. Ethnic wear is sold under the label ‘Be-Premium’.” Vikas Dhaniwal, Director, Asopalav, a leading ethnic wear manufacturer of menswear and women’s wear. Dhaniwal points out one thing the garment industry teaches all brands is ‘Change is the only Constant’. “Due to fierce competition, we strive to provide our customers something new and refreshing with every sample our design team develops. The recent changes have been in accordance with market and demographic demand.’’

“Online retail has been on the rise in the last decades with giants like Walmart now seeing the future growth in this sector. But the ethnic wear industry’s dynamics haven’t changed as online sector has failed to solve the problem of customers on ‘fitting’ issues, which we believe is one of the most important factors. Ethnic wear segment is one of the fastest growing in the garment industry, be it design wise or fabric wise.

Fashion changes almost overnight and hence, the risks remain a constant threat for readymade wear producers. To counter this, we have moved to ‘Just-In-Time’ production, so we keep moving forward with the market,’’ he adds.

The big fat Indian wedding industry and grand cultural and religious occasions that

64 ETHNIC WEAR

crop up every few month is an uniquely Indian phenomenon. From small to big towns, the market is growing fast. The concept of wearing ethnic wear after marriage or by more mature woman has now completely turned on its head and has become popular with young people as well. It is considered trendy and cool for women across all age-groups because of its extreme variety and it suits the hot and humid Indian climate.

Innovations key to market growth Festival and the wedding season keep ethnic wear section on its toes all through the year but more so after July. With Eid just over, the lucrative festive season will soon start in earnest with Ganesha Chaturthi, Dussehra, Onam and Diwali followed by the wedding season in winter. Most brands are confident there will be good demand for ethnic wear in the upcoming season. Due to the convenience and comfort readymade saris will do well. Also layered kurtas with pants are going to make a statement.

Dupattas especially banarsi dupattas will continue to add grace to Indian outfits. Floral embroideries and stone work are going to be big, be it on kurtis or on saris. Sleeve detailing trend will continue whether in the form of cold shoulders, bell, ruffled sleeves

or off shoulders.Shararas will take over from pallazos. Experts feel, both regular and party wear for all sub-segments in terms of premium and mass market will do well this year. The ethnic wear market is a safe one and uniquely Indian and a customer can wear the garments as modern or as traditional as she wants too. It becomes essential for traditional players to keep on upgrading their product offerings to stay afloat in the fluctuating market. Traditionally, ethnic wear is more popular in India with this segment heavily dominated by the sari forming almost 51 per cent of the segment. However, there is a major regional fluctuation in the ratio as women in North India prefer salwar-kameez for everyday wear and opt for saris for select occasions like festivals and family functions, whereas women in South India mostly prefer saris both for regular wear and special occasions.

Fashion shows by upcoming and established designers in malls as well as fashion shows, above-the-line as well as below-the-line activities to increase brand recall as well as increased focus on ecommerce are some of the ways how ethnic wear manufacturers try to stay afloat in this competitive market. The retail landscape is changing like never before and a smart market player needs to adopt e commerce

and tech savvy retailing which is a perfect blend of all the available shopping channels including physical stores, web stores, radio, television and mobile devices.

In digital age, a traditional market player has to become far more tech-savvy to compete along with having a physical presence to stay ahead in this cut throat competitive retail-sphere. There are many internal and external driving factors which include the intersection of two worlds of offline and online, digitalization, globalization, customer’s awareness and social mediatization throughout India The transformation of traditional clothing to modern design represents a fusion of ethnic wear with western wear to associate with young population. The rising female population and increasing female workforce cites a huge opportunity for players in the industry to tap the increasing demand of the ethnic wear in the country. Ethnic wear follows the mantra of ring out the old and ring in the new by creating the fusion wear segment which shows the uniqueness of India without losing its identity. The consumer will shop both at pan India established brands and at regional local players. As consumers get more brand conscious there will be a greater shift towards branded purchase.

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Soch launches week wear collection, focuses on retail expansion to 60 LFS. It plans to double this number in the next three years. Fairly a new entrant in MBOs and LFSs, they see larger growth in touch points in these segments. Chatlani adds, “East and North India are big, lucrative and exciting markets that we have just started exploring. We need to aggressively expand our foothold in these two markets while continuing to grow in the rest of India.

In the next couple of years, Soch would double touch points compared to what we have today.”

Vinay Chatlani CEO & Director, Soch “We are continuing to innovate with new fabrics which are a blend of cotton and polyester, allowing breathability while being easy to maintain”

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omen’s ethnic wear market is growing consistently with the infusion of a variety of new silhouettes and styles that enhance the fashion quotient while being comfortable.

Trendy fusion wear, which has successfully managed to integrate western trends into traditional ethnic designs, has helped to expand the reach of ethnic wear. Earlier, ethnic wear was restricted to a function/ festival or a celebration for a modern woman but now women incorporate ethnic garments into their daily fashion portfolio. From an intricate stole thrown around her neck to short Chanderi tunic with skinny jeans, the modern Indian woman wears a little bit of India daily.

In line with this, Soch is the destination store for ethnic wear for fashion conscious women. It provides unbelievable value for money under a single roof. Soch recently launched its Week Wear collection, which is everyday fashion for all occasions. The range offers kurti suits with jackets, tunics with embroideries and pin tucks, as well as work appropriate kurtis, which can be paired with fashionable bottoms to carry the look from daywear to evening wear. Speaking about the new launch Vinay Chatlani, CEO & Director, Soch, elaborates, “We

Turnover & growth plans

are continuing to innovate with new fabrics which are a blend of cotton and polyester, allowing breathability while being easy to maintain. Our fits are relaxed and have functional elements like pockets keeping in mind the requirements of the customers.”

Style statement for upcoming season Chatlani says they are seeing a shift in the way consumers interact with ethnic wear. Earlier ethnic wear was worn only for festivals or marriages and today it is versatile enough for every occasion – from office to formal functions and casual outings. For the coming season, Soch will be focussing on statement colours like yellows, maroon, earthy green and vibrant fuchsias. The styles will be a blend of traditional embellishments like zari, zardoi, kundan and stone work and trendy, contemporary modern silhouettes.

“More women today are joining the workforce. They want to look professional and contemporary at the same time. Therefore, it is important that our clothes are not only fashionable and office appropriate but also functional and easy to care for. Women are discerning consumers; making it imperative that we are attuned to their evolving requirements and make sure the same is reflected in our stores,” Chatlani says.

Retail spread The brand’s existing retail network comprises of 115 EBOs, 15 MBOs and close

The company ended the year at Rs 378 crores and expects to grow 25-30 per cent this year. It is focussing more on process and back end efficiencies for a larger growth spurt. “We have been forced to increase prices in some cases but being a growing brand, in many cases, economies of scale have kicked in allowing us to reduce costs and hold pricing. With greater backward integration into the supply chain and further store expansion, the benefits of economies of scale should increase. We plan to reduce prices in some sub-categories where we feel consumers are price sensitive,” Chatlani explains.

Soch is confident there will be a good demand for ethnic wear in coming season.

Due to its convenience and comfort, readymade saris will do well. Layered kurtas with pants are going to make a statement.

Dupattas especially Banarsi ones will continue to add grace. Floral embroideries and stone work will be big on kurtis and saris. Sleeve detailing trend will continue be it cold shoulder, bell, ruffled sleeves or off-shoulders. Shararas will takeover from palazos. “With the wedding season around the corner followed by festivals, we look forward to busy months of delighting customers,” he concludes.

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Asopalav: The niche brand that changes styles as per market demand

Vikas Dhaniwal Director, Asopalav “Due to fierce competition, we strive to provide our customers with something new and refreshing with every sample our design team develops”

“D

ue to fierce competition, we strive to provide our customers with something new and refreshing with every sample our design team develops,” says Vikas Dhaniwal, Director, Asopalav. The recent changes that the brand has made in its garments are in accordance with the market and demographic demands. “For example, in formal shirts, we have reduced flex-cotton and polyester-cotton and diverted to 100 per cent pure cotton, linen and denim. With change in fashion trends, we have reduced the concept of ‘other touch ups’ in our range of shirts and diverted to plain base,” he explains.

A diverse product range Asopalav manufactures a plethora of menswear ranging from formal shirts to kotis. “There are several labels under which we manufacture products. Formal shirts are manufactured under the label of ‘Baaamboos’; similarly casual shirts are under the label ‘Be-Positive’; ethnic wear is

under the label ‘Be-Premium’; and big size shirts are under made under the label ‘Big Baaamboos’. In the next five years, we plan to expand our product portfolio in bottom wear segment and T-shirts,” Dhaniwal informs.

Retail network Asopalav’s retail network comprises of an orthodox distribution channel with distributors for each state and finally to retail. The brand has two EBOs in Surat and in the next three years, plans to set up four more in the city. It covers over 1,200 MBOs across India via its distribution channel. Asopalav operates in 18 states and plans to expand its network to remaining 11 states by the end of this financial year. “Even though online retail has been on the rise with the arrival of ecommerce giants like Walmart, ethnic wear industry’s dynamics haven’t really changed as online sector has failed to solve the problem of customers with ‘fitting’ issues,” believes Dhaniwal.

Style statement He says, consumers today demand plain shirts for everyday and party wear. Demand for prints in fabric is expected to remain over the span of next season. Similarly, premium and super premium products are in vogue for the past decade and customers are willing to spend more on marriage/occassion wear. “We have targeted the ecom market, which is also one of the fastest growing due to demographic changes. Our range of ethnic wear is from Rs 795 to Rs 2,500,” states Dhaniwal. He says in past 13 years, they have strived to cut down costs by adopting better management techniques so they don’t pass on the increase in price to end- customer. This has resulted in the brand being a ‘price player’ in their segment with no compromise in quality. Ethnic wear is one of the fastest moving segments in the garment industry. Fashion changes almost over-night and hence, the risk factor remains constant for ethnic readymade producers. To counter this challenge, Asopalav has switched to Just-In-Time production, so it keeps moving forward with the market.

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Sahiba teams up with designers to raise the bar

Yashiki Gumber Director, Sahiba “We are among the only houses, which have collaborated with over 25-30 top notch designers from the industry, other than having an in-house designing team of 50 plus designers. We have also been focusing on setting trends in ethnic fashion for women”

“W

e launch about 30 odd collections every month, across all our products - suits, saris, lehngas, kurtis, embroidered garments, etc,” says Yashiki Gumber, Director, Sahiba. “Currently, we are launching, ready-to-wear fashion collection that includes gowns, party wear, etc.”

Turnkey solutions Sahiba is involved in the entire textile process that a fabric undergoes. This ranges from sourcing the best yarns to dyeing, printing, embroidery, digital printing in one of the world’s biggest digital printing studio. Each process is conducted in-house to provide the best of every technology.

“Having, a team of over 100 designers and fashion consultants, we design each product ourselves, and ensure nothing less than 800-900 designs every month across all product portfolios,” Gumber states.

Over period of time, Sahiba has been collaborating with various designers like Suneet Verma, Maria B, Payal Singhal, etc, to provide affordable luxury in every wardrobe for women in age group of 1865 years. “We are among the only houses, which have collaborated with over 25-30

top notch designers from the industry, other than having an in-house designing team of 50 plus designers. We have also been focusing on setting trends in ethnic fashion for women,” notes Gumber.

Over time, fashion has become more generic and subjective. “In the future, we expect it to focus more on comfort, carrying your personal statement style, and experimenting with all kinds of fabrics, colors, and prints,” he adds.

Dynamics of women’s ethnic wear market Women’s ethnic wear still holds a major chunk of the apparel industry. With a CAGR of about 15 per cent, the industry has a lot to bank on in coming years. Post June, India witnesses the best festivals and weddings.

This is expected to boost demand for festive wear collections in coming months.

With more women joining the workforce, acceptance of ethnic wear as fusion trend among young girls, comfort and ease of wearing, higher disposable income, westernisation of ethnic apparels, increasing organised players in ethnic wear segments, etc, are some market growth drivers. Last few months, the market has seen stagnancy in terms of premium products, attributing to the ease of liquidity. Mid-range price points have worked well and grown. As far as competition is concerned, the industry can still absorbs a lot. “To provide the best

collections at best possible prices, brands have to be on their toes,” Gumber opines.

Future plans Elaborating on the brand’s future plans, Gumber says, “We aren’t really planning to focus on the premium segment. Rather, the reason we tie-up with top designers is to provide a fashion label at affordable prices for women who wish to have a designer label in their wardrobe but cannot due to high prices. That’s the idea of providing affordable fashion.”

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Park Avenue’s collection for New Age women scores high “The brand plays minute attention to minimalistic details of women’s wear such as the inclusion of inner buttons on bust area in shirts which no other women wear brand offers. Similarly, the jeans and trousers offered by the brand are not very revealing”

Spokesman, Park Avenue

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ark Avenue’s latest collection targets the independent, vivacious, millennial Indian woman who makes her style choices through the week.

She can mix and match trends to create a style identity that is exclusive to her. From boardroom to mid-week chic, from the red carpet to an easy Sunday brunch-with Park Avenue by her side, this collection allows a woman to top the style charts everywhere.

The USP of the garments offered by the brand is quality, style and fit. The brand plays minute attention to minimalistic details of women’s wear such as the inclusion of inner buttons on bust area in shirts which no other women wear brand offers. Similarly, the jeans and trousers offered by the brand are not very revealing.

Growth Drivers Globalisation coupled with fast fashion has resulted in awareness on fashion trends and styling. Further, increase in number of working women has fuelled the women’s wear market with major demand drivers being western and fusion wear. The

women’s wear market is driven by innovation and style. With rapidly changing trends, the average number of times each garment is worn has come down and people are adding more garments into their wardrobe.

The key growth drivers of the market include globalisation, advent of international brands to India, increase in the number of working women.

Retail expansion As metros today are saturated, Park Avenue is expanding in Tier II and III cities. People in these cities have greater aspirations and purchasing power which causes these markets to grow at a faster pace. The advent of global brands in Indian market is not a threat to the brand as it delivers quality without compromise.

It believes competition helps the market to grow. However, it feels increasing pressure of aggressive sales, is leading to higher discounting, changing consumer buying patterns.

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Shingora optimistic its new collection will attract fashionable customers

Amit Jain President, Shingora “For summer, we use silk, linen cotton and their blends; for winter we use cashmere, pashmina and their blends with shine to add a luxurious detail”

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nspired by the night garden, the new collection from Shingora celebrates a triumph of blossoms and life under a gloomy and mysterious light. The spirit of the collection is tangible in all aspects from the product to the campaign images.

Mysterious and romantic like a midnight dream, the collection is an urge to embrace empowerment in a more gentle and subtle way. “In future, we plan to design new qualities in fabrics, handfeel and finishing details,” says Amit Jain, President, Shingora.

“For summer, we use silk, linen cotton and their blends; for winter we use cashmere, pashmina and their blends with shine to add a luxurious detail,” he elaborates. The collection involves garden prints which seem romantic at night like a fairy tale. The colors range from tinsel gold to night blues, smoky black and nude pinks.

Festive collection In India, over 80 per cent of people love to shop in festive season. “Our new collection will attract fashionable people. As it’s the time for wedding, so our romantic and sensual combination will be like icing on the cake,” he expounds Shingora recently launched its dupatta collection and has received a good response

for it. “In initial stages, we came up with few designs but when the response was getting better, we worked on more designs with different fabrics and price range to have more variety,” elucidates Jain.

For the upcoming season, Shingora foresees 25 per cent sales growth. The brand is available at around 30 MBO’s; in this season, it will be available at more than 50 MBOs. It has collaborated with around 20 new MBOs for pop-ups across the country.

The brand is focusing on Tier II cities as UP and East Indian territories have got great potential for business.

“We are increasing our presence in these regions so we see great opportunities.

The challenge is that people love to wear fashionable and high end quality products but when the price goes up, they become price conscious. Being educated customers, people should understand that they are paying money for value,” quips Jain.

Online initiatives Shingora has focused on the development of its official website. The brand believes it is the best opportunity to be known for its creativity in a cost effective way. “We are focusing on our mobile app and ways to

make it more easy and effective for our customers. We have also collaborated with other online platforms like Myntra, Jabong, Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Limeroad, Find.com, Tatacliq,” reports Jain. Shingora believes in keeping its online and retail strategies separate as both segments have different customers. “As we believe online sale is the future, we use social media platforms to drive sales in a cost effective manner reaching out to higher number of people across the globe.”

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Da Milano launches sophisticated collection of handbags “The strength of the brand lies in its superlative quality and ability to churn a new range at regular intervals to meet seasonal aspirations of customers and serve them with aplomb in their signature style.”

Spokesman, Da Milano

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unctional yet fashionable, the latest handbag collection from Da Milano embody the sophisticated revelry of brand. These handbags are available in a myriad colors including pastels, white, orange, brown, gold, blue, red, etc. They are adorned with stylish trinkets such as fringes, mat, shiny croco finish leather textures and statement fitting, and buckles, which make them lust-worthy.

Immaculate collection An iconic award-winning premium leather accessories brand, Da Milano is uniquely positioned as a leading international player of the leather fashion accessories market. It is, since its inception in 1989, known for its exquisite craftsmanship and immaculate styling that has provided its customers a sublime and holistic shopping experience with its affable range With its design researched and perfected at an Italian studio, the talented designers of Da Milano have unveiled a new exquisite collection of the finest quality products. The strength of the brand lies in its superlative quality and ability to churn a new range at regular intervals to meet seasonal aspirations of customers and serve them with aplomb in their signature style. Each of the brand’s collection exudes character, originality, style and is in sync with latest global fashion trends.

A product and service entity, Da Milano offers an unparalleled range of products.

The leather that the brand procures is harnessed and finished with features

that are designed on the basis of style aspirations of the day, customer feedback and utility. The artisanship of products, produced at state-of-the art plants, ensures a blend of the orient with west.

The brand launches around five seasonal collections in a year that meet the craving and yearning requirements of an elite customer base. Its products and design ensures such a style that it leaves all its competitors in awe of the brand.

Retail footprint Milano has over 100 exclusive boutiques across India and International markets in premium high-street location and mall facilities. This includes 20 airports where Da Milano showcases its niche range of handbags, travel luggage, computer bags,

wallets, portfolio’s, home leather products and other accessories. Da Milano plans to increase the size of its customer base from 2 million to 20 million, and be close to its discerning clientele by expanding its footprints in international markets including South East Asia, Middle East and United Kingdom, etc..

WOMEN’S INNERWEAR

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Keeping abreast with changing trends, innerwear riding high Innerwear segment has shown a lot of promise with New Age women more willing to experiment and splurge. Even though unbranded segment still holds strong, the entry of international brands has given a strong push to premium segment however it’s the mid premium segment that is showing maximum growth, find out Ajanta Ganguly and Ajay Goswami • Innerwear segment is evolving fast • Currently estimated to be worth Rs 25,034 crores; accounts for 8 per cent of total apparel market in India • Women’s innerwear segment was estimated at Rs 16,259 crores in 2016; and accounts for 5 per cent of total apparel market.

• The category will grow at a CAGR of 14 per cent to reach Rs 31,306 crores by 2021 and Rs 60,277 crores by 2026.

• Bras and panties contribute 85 per cent of total women’s lingerie segment

Jennifer Kapasi Commercial Director, India & Sri Lanka, Triumph “India’s lingerie can be categorized broadly in five segments: super-premium (luxury), premium, masspremium, economy and mass with the majority share being in the economy and mass-premium segments. Until a few years back, the industry was dominated by unbranded regional players (especially in the mass and economy segments) with a few home grown and international players in the premium and super-premium categories. This is slowly changing with the influx of international brands in the premium and superpremium segments.”

• In 2015, this segment was estimated at Rs 14,000 crores and is expected to reach Rs 30,000 crores by 2020.

• Mid premium brand segment is showing maximum growth • Entry of international brands has pushed up demand for premium products

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omen’s innerwear market in India has a unique positioning amongst major markets of the world today. Over the last decade, there has been a sea change in behavior of women lingerie customers in India. Increased purchasing power due to growing number of working women, along increased awareness about better fits, quality, colours and styling has

led to a significant growth in this segment.

Modern Indian woman’s openness to indulge in premium innerwear and her sense of style slowly filtering from outerwear into innerwear has made all the difference. It is no longer enough for the urban woman to make do with basic innerwear as her intimate inner sense of style becomes as important as her outer self which the world sees. The innerwear category is currently estimated to be worth Rs 25,034 crores and accounts for

72 WOMEN’S INNERWEAR 8 per cent of the total apparel market in India.

And, the women’s innerwear segment has grown in recent years and estimated to be worth Rs 16,259 crores in 2016 and accounts for 5 per cent of the total apparel market.

The category will grow at a CAGR of 14 per cent to reach Rs31,306 crores in 2021 and Rs 60,277 crores in 2026. Bras and panties contribute 85 per cent of the total women’s lingerie segment. In 2015, this segment was estimated at Rs 14,000 crores and is expected to reach Rs 30,000 crores by 2020.

Segment in-tune with market realities The Indian innerwear market continues to be underpenetrated but is expected to witness expansion by both domestic and international brands over the next few years.

Given the positive macro and demographic fundamentals, the innerwear market has favorable demand growth outlook over the medium-to-long term.

“With regards to consumer trends, we experience a strong shift from functional or occasion led buying to emotional buying.

Innerwear today makes a big difference to a woman’s wardrobe and we see a trend away from mere functional need-base to a more emotional-need base. Lingerie as a fashion statement and a ‘feel-good factor’ is gaining more and more significance. It is seen as an extension of a woman’s personality and desires. When Triumph had first entered the Indian market, lingerie was still a taboo subject, not discussed and advertised openly. Over the years, this has changed to some extent with far more acceptance of lingerie as a fashion garment,” points out Jennifer Kapasi, Commercial Director, India & Sri Lanka, Triumph.

“The lingerie market in India can be categorized broadly into five segments: super-premium

(luxury), premium, mass-premium, economy and mass with the majority share being in the economy and mass-premium segments. Until a few years back, the industry was dominated by unbranded and unorganized regional players (especially in the mass and economy segments) with a few home grown and international players in the premium and super-premium categories. This is slowly changing with the influx of international brands in the premium and super-premium segments. This is no wonder as the two segments are growing between 20-25 per cent, which is more than the entire lingerie sectors growth of CAGR 15 per cent. With organized retail paving the way and making inroads into untapped geographical markets, this trend will continue,” Kapsi points out.

Mass media and advertisement play an important role in Indian family. There are several peculiarities of the market related to Indian mentality. The wedding season hikes up sales figures as when an Indian woman is going to marry, she purchases expensive

branded underwear whereas in the West, women buy it for just the feel good and look good factor at any point in time.

In India, apart from the obvious ‘end of season’ sales periods, buying is heavily driven by occasions such as weddings, festive celebrations, religious functions, social gatherings, etc. International fashion also plays a more influential role. However, be it western wear or ethnic wear, Indian women are slowly realizing that the right lingerie can make all the difference about feeling confident. Also, although basic everyday wear products sell best, quick unplanned splurge on an expensive luxury lingerie is now rather the rule than the exception.

Premium segment looks promising The average woman consumer today is far more open about what she exactly needs for

“The innerwear category in India has broadened from being a basic requirement to designer wear with emphasis on styling and comfort .The women’s innerwear story is no more a hush-hush segment but a more evolved one with women demanding attractive, innovative pieces that enhance their looks and thereby the confidence with which they carry themselves”

Sandra Daniels Vice President-Marketing, Enamor what occasion and how much she is willing to splurge on that -- it’s all about the brand image. While there is growing demand for premium quality lingerie, brands are also building up their basic and niche segments while expanding into Tier II, III cities which are also displaying growing demand for premium lingerie.

Also, growth in organised retail is offering better buying space to consumers and pushing brands to upgrade their retail imagery by increased marketing spends.

Bigger domestic and international brands mainly operate in the mass premium category whereas most of the unorganized players are in the lower priced segment, so they do not have a major impact on each other’s market share.

“Enamor understands that the idea of ‘the right lingerie’ varies from woman to woman. What makes Enamor stand out is the inclusive world it has built over the years by broaching serious and hitherto hush-hush topics and giving them its trademark fabulous spin.

A talented designer team work together to develop styles and categories ranging from high fashion to exquisite everyday styles of lingerie for new, emerging, modern Indian women across segments and social strata.

The Essentials range offers comfortable wardrobe must haves while the Hourglass range offers a range of shape wear and performance sportswear with unmatched support,’’ explains Sandra Daniels, VP Marketing, Enamor.

In fact, Enamor Style Studio a firstof-its-kind initiative in the Indian lingerie market is a result of exclusive fit sessions organised by the brand over the years to educate women about the perfect bra. It brings all the women in the top

WOMEN’S INNERWEAR

Sanjay Dawar Director, Bodycare Creations “Although the women’s wear market is relatively less organized and has lower brand penetration, it is expected to grow, at a CAGR of 10 per cent, over the next five years to reach $38.9 billion in 2023 thus nearly becoming equal to menswear segment.

The faster growth of this segment, as compared to menswear, has attracted the attention of both national and international brands and retailers”

management of the brand (designers, marketers and merchandisers) to the floor, working with fit consultants. The lingerie stylist on the floor identifies the perfect bra for the customer based on two major scales. First, Enamor bust profile scale that helps analyse the customer’s bust shape and apex placement; second, the five checkpoint fitting system that determines the most comfortable fit.

Both basic and fashion products continue to coexist. They serve different needs of the same customer and needs of different customers. Brands need to have a wardrobe approach. Earlier fashion was a small segment but it is growing. Lingerie brands face multiple challenges. Availability of a retail ecosystem is missing as there are not enough good stores with the right ambiance to retail products at the super premium level. Consumers are forced to buy from small shops where there is no proper buying ambience with male sales staff, no trial rooms and lack of guided information and charts for the correct fit. Some key vendors in this space are Gokuldas Intimatewear (GI, Enamor), Jockey International (Jockey), Lovable Lingerie (Lovable), MAS Holdings (Amante), MTC Ecom (PrettySecrets) as well as international players such as Baci Lingerie, Calvin Klein, Chantelle, Cloe, Etam, Hanes Brands, Lindex and Triumph among others. However, e-commerce and online shopping is rapidly caching on this apparel segment too.

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Smita Murarka Head-Marketing & E-commerce, MAS Brands India “Innerwear is still predominantly a basic category, and fashion is limited to premium brands, as consumers are still evolving, and the maximum shift is happening from a mass product to a betterquality product. Women’s innerwear is set to grow at a CAGR of 15-18 per cent and within that the mid premium branded segment is estimated to grow at 22 per cent.”

74 WOMEN’S INNERWEAR Product diversification is key Talking about changing demand for innovative styles, Siddarth Grover, Director, Groversons says, “With the rapidly spreading mall culture, Indian lingerie market will get strong impetus for further growth. With the popularity of lingerie boutiques in shopping malls the stigma of buying and wearing lingerie is now a thing of the past. Times are changing and young women are looking for bright colors and different styles in their lingerie. A lot of overtly feminine tones have taken over the market these days. Companies are constantly bringing out innovative lingerie collections that give

woman a chance to look exotic. Intricate detailing can be seen and decorative seams to bring out her sensuality. Fabrics like Italian silks, satins, chiffons, French and Italian laces are extremely popular these days.”

Most brands have a diverse portfolio of lingerie for different types of outfits and for every stage of a woman’s life.

These range from beginner bras that offer low to medium support for the years between a girl and a woman, to T-shirt bras and comfortable cotton bras for everyday wear, to luxurious lace lingerie for weddings and special occasions. There are also maternity bras designed keeping the comfort of a new mom in mind while nursing. Some brands have bras that offer high support for women in the mature

stages of life, larger cup sizes that go upto a H cup as well as special ‘minimizer bras’ that visually minimize the bust by one size. Other important categories include a variety of panties and shapewear, which includes tummy tuckers, high waist panties and shaping shorts etc.

“The young generation is more inclined to neon colours, bright pastels and pop colors. Our season’s style statement is corresponding to these trends, so we have more colours in solids or prints and have included this in both ladies upper and lower categories. We have always been innovative and were the first to launch stain free panties, Lycra stretch panties and Procian Printed panties in India. For the current season we have included the use of stretchable fabrics, light and comfortable padded bras as well as seamless bra’s or T-shirt bras,” says Sanjay Dawar, Director, Bodycare Creations.

The brand has products in multiple categories which include brassieres, briefs, camisoles, shape-wear and bridal sets.

Dawar explains although the women’s wear market is relatively less organized and has lower brand penetration, it is expected to grow, at a CAGR of 10 per cent, over the next five years to reach $38.9 billion in 2023 thus nearly becoming equal to menswear segment. Faster growth of this segment, as compared to menswear has attracted the attention of both national and international brands.

Triumph has expanded its Triaction Sports bra range with the launch of a new global high-performance collection. Triaction offers the ultimate sportswear solution for modern active women who desire sports bras to not only perform but also offer true comfort with style. It features a Studio and a Cardio collection, which cater to different consumer and workout needs. For Spring Summer ’18, Triaction by Triumph has introduced a brand new concept named Magic Motion which features the highest bounce control, versatile straps and the innovative Magic Wire Air technology. Also part of the launch is the Hybrid Lite and Extreme Litebras in the Cardio range and Free Motion N in the Studio range.

“Innerwear is still predominantly a basic category, and fashion is limited to premium brands, as consumers are still evolving, and the maximum shift is happening from a mass product to a better-quality product,” says Smita Murarka, Head of Marketing & E-commerce of MAS Brands India who promote Amanté lingerie. Everydé

by Amanté caters to this audience who want basics of fashion, with the promise of Amanté and at an affordable price. Murarka observes women’s innerwear is set to grow at a CAGR of 15-18 per cent and within that it’s the

Siddarth Grover Director, Groversons “With the rapidly spreading mall culture, Indian lingerie market will get strong impetus for further growth. With the popularity of lingerie boutiques in shopping malls the stigma of buying and wearing lingerie is now a thing of the past. Times are changing and young women are looking for bright colors and different styles in their lingerie” mid premium segment which will grow at 22 per cent.

Experts point out the influx of domestic and international players into the Indian market has given consumers a lot of variety which has resulted in lower brand loyalty.

Brands will have to create stronger product offerings and be bolder in their advertising and marketing strategies. Online retail works best in innerwear segment as it’s more private, convenient and accessible mainly because of no-questions-asked returns and promotions and discounting. Online portals have become more aggressive and offer steeper discounts, because of which offline stores are struggling. Unlike Western markets, there is still a lack of awareness about quality and fit as well as lack of acceptance of innerwear as the foundation garment of a woman’s outerwear. Inventory management is another challenge faced by brands. However, the Indian innerwear market is rapidly opening up with brands keeping abreast with changing expectations to showcase collections that allow a woman to express her personal style in her own intimate way.

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Triumph striving to be India’s top lingerie brand

Jennifer Kapasi Commercial Director, India & Sri Lanka, Triumph “As for Triumph, our focus this year is to bring internationally loved products such as the globally bestselling ‘Sculpting Sensation’ series featuring Magic Wire innovation and the ‘Airy Sensation’ series featuring breathable Spacer cups”

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riumph a marquee brand has been crafting, innovating and creating high quality lingerie for over a century. All its products are created with love for detail, inspired by respect and dedication and perfectly made to fit the modern women.

Elaborating on its recent collection, Jennifer Kapasi, Commercial Director, India & Sri Lanka, Triumph says, “In our current range, we have lingerie for every occasion, for different types of outfits and every stage of a woman’s life. From beginner bras that offer low to medium support for the years between a girl and a woman, to T-shirt bras and comfortable cotton

bras for everyday wear, to luxurious lace lingerie for weddings and special occasions.” The brand also has maternity bras designed keeping in view the comfort of a new mom. And bras that offer high support for women in mature stages of life and special ‘minimizer bras’ that visually minimise the bust by one size. Triumph is also one of the few brands in India that cater to larger cup sizes with bras that go up-to a H cup! Another important category is shapewear, which includes tummy tuckers, high waist panties and shaping shorts etc.”

Expansion in sports bra range This year, Triumph has expanded its Triaction Sports bra range with the launch of a new global high-performance collection. Triaction offers the ultimate sportswear solution for modern active women who desire sports bras to not only perform but also offer true comfort with style. Boasting the best bounce control levels on the market, offering versatile fits and ensuring superior comfort, Triaction can support women effortlessly throughout the day. It features a Studio and a Cardio collection, which cater to different consumer and workout needs. The Studio collection is ideal for all low to medium intensity activities whereas the Cardio collection offers exceptional support for high intensity activities.

For Spring/Summer ’18, Triaction by Triumph introduced a new concept, Magic Motion Pro. This iconic style features the highest bounce control, versatile straps and the innovative Magic Wire Air technology. Also part of the launch are the Hybrid Lite and Extreme Lite bras in the Cardio range and Free Motion N in

the Studio range. Adds Kapasi, “As for Triumph, our focus this year is to bring internationally loved products such as the globally bestselling ‘Sculpting Sensation’ series featuring Magic Wire innovation and the ‘Airy Sensation’ series featuring breathable Spacer cups. Also launched were new styles in the ‘Beauty-Full’ collection designed for curvy women and its popular ‘True Curves’ and ‘Pure Essence’ collection.

Market share Triumph is amongst the top three lingerie brands named by consumers and brand partners alike and owns almost 35 per cent market share in modern trade at present.

The brand has been awarded the ‘Best Lingerie Brand’ by Shoppers Stop for the third year in a row. Triumph mainly operates in the mass premium category whereas most of the unorganised players are in the lower priced segment, so they do not have a major impact on its market share. However, it does focus on educating the more value conscious customer on the importance of good quality lingerie and benefits they will get from an expertly crafted Triumph product.

Sales vision Triumph’s penetration into the Indian market is extremely strong with presence across all sales channels. Its distribution spans across more than 75 cities (direct supply) with more than 1,000 points of sale. It has a significanct online retail presence with all the major e-commerce platforms. Triumph has been growing at a healthy 30 per cent year on year, which exceeds the industry average as the mass-premium and premium category grown by 25 per cent.

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Amanté eyes the value for money segment with new sub brand Innerwear, a largely unorganised market

Smita Murarka Head-Marketing & Ecommerce “Catering to the discerning fashionistas for the past one decade, Amante provides premium, fashionable intimate wear which constantly innovates itself with international designs”

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manté by MAS Brands launched a new sub brand called ‘Everydé by amanté’ to tap into the aspirational and value conscious segment. The sub brand offers affordable lingerie for everyday use. With this launch, Amante plans to expand its presence in Tier II markets, through the traditional retail channel, and open over 2,000 multi brand outlets.

Premium products “Catering to the discerning fashionistas for the past one decade, Amante provides premium, fashionable intimate wear which constantly innovates itself with international designs,” informs Smita Murarka, HeadMarketing & Ecommerce.

The brand offers a wide range of lingerie, nightwear, activewear and swimwear for women 25 to 35 years. Most consumers belong to the elite class who constantly seek to improve their product choices. MAS Brands aims to be the market leader by launching multiple brands in intimate wear category. “We would continue to focus on strengthening the distribution and reach of these brands, while educating the audience on finding the perfect lingerie suiting their individual needs,” states Murarka.

The lingerie industry is highly fragmented, with too many players in every segment.

The category is still largely unorganised, with organised players just forming one third of the market. “There is an influx of new entrants with international brands and online labels, which have helped increase the share of organised business as it was even lesser a few years back,” observes Muraka.

The market has grown exponentially with evolving choices. They now seek products that work on an everyday basis while

aspiring to own international quality and styling. Majority of consumer’s needs are still for everyday and basic use, however, they are now understanding the importance of lingerie on their confidence.

Muraka feels though Indian consumers are price conscious, they also seek value and are willing to pay a premium for trust and quality that reputed brands offer. There are a lot of consumers who though aspire but genuinely can’t afford buying a premium product and Everydé by amanté caters to this audience and provides quality products at an afforbale price.

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Enamor stays a step ahead with its innovative style studio

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namor’s first flagship store came up in Bengaluru in August 2016.

The store offers the widest range of lingerie in the country. Incepted in 2001 as a joint venture between Gokaldas Images and Barbara of Paris, Enamor designs and presents exclusive lingerie that meet

global standards and keep up with the ever changing consumer tastes.

Since 2003, the brand has offered a range of internationally-styled lingerie in innovative designs. These are finely crafted from select fabrics and trimmings from across the globe. They are available in two ranges;

The Essentials range offers comfortable wardrobe must haves while the Hourglass range offers a range of shapewear and performance sportswear with unmatched support. As Sandra Daniels, Vice PresidentMarketing says, “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.’

It repositioned itself in 2009 to ‘Transform Yourself’ educating its customers about pain points in fits. Today, Enamor is positioned as ‘Fabulous, as I am’, celebrating the uniqueness of every woman.”

The Enamor Style Studio a first-of-itskind initiative in the Indian lingerie market is a result of exclusive fit sessions organised by the brand to educate women about the perfect bra. It brings all women in the top management of the brand (designers, marketers and merchandisers) to the floor.

The lingerie stylist identifies the perfect bra for the customer based on two major scales. Firstly, the Enamor bust profile scale that helps analyse the customer’s bust shape and apex placement, and secondly, the five checkpoint fitting system that determines the most comfortable fit.

Enamor not only helps women find lingerie that fits like a dream but also provides care instructions to build a perfect lingerie wardrobe. The brand constantly reaches out to new consumers with successful native collaborations like ScoopWhoop, PopXo, and YourStory.

A trendsetter Enamor won four gold, one silver and a bronze at the Colors Big Bang Digital awards in 2017. It is also the only lingerie brand to have won the Superbrands award for brand excellence twice in a row – 2015/16 and 2016/17, endorsing consumer approval.

Enamor was 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 mobileenabled it. Enamor’s efforts in the digital space, be it Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook coupled with the smart use of mobile app technology and relevant on-ground associations has seen the brand’s social following grow manifold. Its initiatives across all social pages further its ideology of celebrating the innate specialness of every woman.

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Groversons evolves as a national brand

Siddharth Grover Director, Groversons “Wider choice, secure payment gateways and flexible return policies are luring shoppers to online retail”

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n integral part of Indian woman’s attire for over half a century, Groversons has five popular subbrands viz. Groversons Paris Beauty, Miss-T, Sparsh, Poems and Sunaina.

“These have been a part and parcel of every girl and woman’s wardrobe, and a major contributor to her self-confidence,” states Siddharth Grover. These garments are created using ultra-thin stretchable (UTS) fabric as a thin layer of thermals under a woman’s clothes not only add a dash of style to winter months, but also keeps her warm.

Product basket Each sub-brand has its own entity and product profile.

Paris Beauty: The flagship brand offers 100 per cent cotton and fancy bras. The brand also offers coordinated sets and a hosiery range comprising panties, slips, camisoles and sports bras. Made with the best quality to suit Indian climatic conditions the brand also offers premium quality products under Paris Beauty Premium.

Miss-T: Based on the concept of ‘All new girl power,’ is a superior product designed for teenagers. It offers numerous shades for women who dare to wear revealing clothes.

Along with seamless support, ‘Miss T’ offers an amazing range of colors, designs and sizes.

Poems: This range includes panties, slips, camisoles, sports and beginner bras.

The range of panties are available in various fabrics such as cotton, cotton Lycra, viscose

Lycra, etc, and are available in plain colors and prints.

Sparsh: Is the range of Lycra base and 100 per cent cotton bras, available in ABCD cup sizes to suit Indian consumers.

Sunaina: This brand is targeted at the lower price segment and is a brand for the masses, it also includes fancy bras and sets.

Winta: A new brand this has a range of premium thermals for men, women, and kids. The brand’s premium fabric and international styling gives a snug-fit that ensures complete warmth. The range of thermals are available in specially developed premium CPC layered fabric, with a wide variety of styles, in two colors: Pearl white and charcoal black. All Groversons products are manufactured in house with trims and fabrics sourced from India, Thailand, China, Italy and Turkey. The brand also makes customised bras for flat chest women making double padded bras on order and for odd sized women like size 56F/ 66C.

Retail Network The brand has nearly 15,000 retail counters including MBOs and leading chain stores. It also has 120 shop-in-shops and five EBOs. “Wider choice, secure payment gateways and flexible return policies are luring shoppers to online retail,” says Grover. Lingerie e-tailers like Mylace, Zivame, Cilory, and StrapsAndStrings, have managed to build a strong business model in less than a year. Some have also managed to rope in leading venture capitalist investment.

Online lingerie retail has empowered women from small towns and villages to make an informed choice. Groversons too retails its products through various online portals. The brand has a website which provides information about its operations and products.

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Bodycare Creations expects 35 to 40 per cent growth this fiscal

Sanjay Dawar Director, Bodycare Creations “As the Indian customer has always been looking for trendy, value for money products, we offer best quality products at competitive prices”

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s the younger generation is more inclined towards neon, bright pastels and pop colors, our season’s style statement corresponds with these trends i.e. more colors in solids or prints. We have carried this approach in both women upper and lower categories,” reveals Sanjay Dawar, Director, Bodycare Creations.

The first brand in India to launch stainfree panties, Lycra stretch panties and procian printed panties, Bodycare, in its latest season, has included stretchable fabrics,

light and comfortable padded bras and seamless or T-shirt bras. The brand offers brassieres, briefs, camisoles, shapewears and bridal sets in neon and bright colors.

Market scenario “The women’s wear market in India is relatively less organised and has lower brand penetration,” notes Dawar. “It is expected to grow, at a CAGR of 10 per cent, over the next five years to reach $38.9 billion by 2023, thus nearly becoming equal to menswear segment.” The faster growth of this segment, as compared to the menswear segment, has attracted the attention of both national

and international brands and retailers. Many menswear brands and retailers have also tapped into this opportunity and extended their presence. “We are expecting a growth of 35 to 40 per cent this financial year,” he adds. There has been a vast change in the behavior of lingerie customers in India. This is mainly due to the easy availability of a number of brands and options in multiple categories at the click of a button. “The mobile revolution has made it easy for every class of customer to search and buy what they need,” observes Dawar “As the Indian customer has always been looking for trendy, value for money products, we offer best quality products at competitive prices.”

However, Dawar rules out the possibility of online sales in this segment. “This is a category where a consumer would like to ‘try & buy’ and in my knowledge I don’t see an online retailer offering that option for now. A lingerie customer wants to see the look and feel of the product before buying it,” he points out.

Retail spread Bodycare Creations constantly improves its brand presence in India by penetrating the unexplored market and “We will continue doing so this financial year, with an expected growth of 15-20 per cent in our distribution network,” Dawar informs.

Bodycare is optimistic about the future. The brand continues to work on its pan India presence, by improving brand reach and tapping new markets/consumers with a robust multichannel marketing plan.

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Pretty Secrets to open 60 EBOs this year

The brand, which also sells its products on e-commerce websites of UAE and South East Asia, Souq and Lazada, may also look at an overseas foray this year

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nline fashion lingerie brand Pretty Secrets is planning to open 60 exclusive brand outlets by the end of this year. At present it has 23 exclusive brand outlets. It is also looking at increasing the number of retail counters where the brand’s products are sold to over 600. Pretty Secrets sells through six distributors in about 250 retail counters. The company is looking at appointing seven more distributors.

Pretty Secrets started with an e-store in 2012 and entered offline retail last year.

The company is looking at raising funds for expansion and is constantly in touch with venture capital/private equity players. It will need capital but is looking at debt options at this point of time.

Pretty Secrets has raised Rs 55 crores so far in multiple rounds of private equity investment from investors such as RB Investments, Orios Venture Partners, Indian Angel Network, India Quotient and Harvard Business School Angels India.

The company is expected to break even by October this year. The brand, which also sells its products on e-commerce websites of UAE and South East Asia, Souq and Lazada, may also look at an overseas foray this year. The brand offers about 1,000 products in the category of lingerie, night wear, swim wear and active wear.

BRAND STORIES

INLOOK

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ETIQUETTE THE BRAND Etiquette was launched in 2014. Based in Indore the brand exclusively deals in women’s office wear kurtis. The target group is women in the ages of 20 to 55 years, fashionable and trendy college girls, working women. Etiquette is theme driven and the theme is depicted through prints on the kurtis.

The production capacity is 1,000 pieces a day. Fabrics used are silk, chanderi, rayon, cotton, linen etc. The raw materials are sourced from all over India majorly Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Benaras and Bengaluru. Etiquette has three EBOs. It retails through Reliance Trend. Etiquette has a pan India presence and is prominent in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra, Kerala, Assam, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and MP.

Ramesh Patel, Partner, RH Enterprises THE BRAND Incepted in 2000, brand Inlook caters to party wear. It offers contemporary ethnic fashion at affordable prices. The products include gowns, kurtis, formals, blazers, shirts for the age group of 20-45 years. These are manufactured using crepes, chiffon, georgette in all colours with irresistible color combinations and patterns. The brand is growing at 20-25 per cent annually.

UPCOMING COLLECTION The winter collection is specifically designed for the festive season. It includes gowns and kurtis. Its manufacturing unit is located at Jogeshwari, Mumbai. The brand expects a good response for its winter collection. The market, which was quite slow earlier, is gradually improving. The brand generally targets business woman and people looking for party and evening wear.

RETAIL PRESENCE Inlook doesn’t have an online presence currently but plans to venture into the online space. The brand is currently sold through leading MBOs such as Carion, Comfort, Suvidha, Paneri, Parichay, etc. It plans to expand into unexplored states such as Assam, UP and Orissa. Currently it operates in Punjab, Jammu Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharastra, Karnataka, Delhi, Kolkata, Chattisgarh, etc.

CHALLENGES The main challenges the brand faces today is providing good products at reasonable prices. The brand cannot overprice its customers. Its products are currently exported to the Gulf countries, Singapore and Sri Lanka. It plans to further expand to other countries.

Jyoti,

Available AT OVER 700 STORES ACROSS 200 CITIES For Business and Trade enquiries: Email: info@etiquetteapparel.com Website: www.etiquetteapparel.com: Phone: 0731-2973575

Partner

@etiquetteapparels @etiquetteattire Follow us on:

@etiquetteattire

NEW COLLECTION The winter collection will have a splash of colors. A new cross weave fabric with pearl finish and rayon has been used for the pat chitra concept. Satin has also been used and a huge collection of Maheshwari will be showcased. The trend is for straight fits but layered and flairs will be experimented with.

The color palette will be a mix of light and bright colors. Bright colours will consist of yellow, pink, green etc. Dark colours will have more of brown, black and deep red.

82 BRAND STORIES MONA LEAVES THE BRAND Women’s wear brand Mona Leaves, launched in 2007 mainly offers woollens. The brand’s forte is kurtis, though it has coats, pants, plazzos, leggings etc. “We are predominantly into woollens ( Daffodils) from Oswal Mills. But we use cotton and rayon fabrics also,” says Ashok Arora, the CEO of the brand.

The brand feels pride in the technique and methods it applies for manufacturing. The brands manufacturing is completely in house along with the printing of the kurtis. “Our products are always fine and quality-oriented. It is simple, elegant but value for money. Our products are popular among office going and middle aged women. The price range is from Rs 690 and goes up to Rs 2190,” Arora opines.

COLLECTION This winter season Mona leaves offers a splash of colours on display. The collection includes kurtis, lowers, jaffas, trousers, plazzos and jeggings. There is also a collection of coats, ponchos and stoles. The colour pallet is vibrant and includes all splashes of colour along with the darker shades. Colours like, parrot green, reddish maroon, pink, orange, shades of grey, bottle green , coffee brown and a mixed mehendi colour has been used in their creation to offer to their customer.

FUTURE PLANS The brand is looking at diversification, expansion and consolidation. “Until now, we have been in mainly the Northern region but we are looking at big expansion in Southern part of the country,” she explains. The plan is to capture every part of the country. “We are constantly strengthening our distributor network, wholesalers and agents. Online marketplace is another area where we wish to grow,” Arora observes. Though the brand is already available through its website and major platforms like Amajon, Trade India etc, they wish to ramp up efforts towards making these channels more growth-oriented.

KINZA THE BRAND

Ravi Patel, Proprietor

The brand, started in 2007, manufactures ladies fusionwear.

The collections include casual tops and tunics. The fabrics used are cotton, hosiery, georgette and chiffon. Tunics are made of mix and match fabrics. The target group is between 20 to 45 years and the price range is Rs. 795 to Rs. 1,600. The USP of the brand is “Value for Money”.

NEW COLLECTION The brand uses fabrics like printed, L, imported print, hosiery striper. On offer are long kurtas, apple cut tops, etc. it uses indigo fabrics and knits. Kurtis, jackets, two piece and one piece dresses are made in indigo fabrics with different washes and hosiery mix and match. For jackets, denim, indigo and imported laces are used. The colour palette includes all running colours like pastel, light and dark tones. There are backless and back open tops among others. The brands emphasis is on beauty of the product and comfort.

RETAIL PRESENCE Kinza has over 500 MBOs pan India. It is present in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Assam, Delhi and West Bengal are doing exceptionally well. The brand may enter online in future. It hopes to generate 10-15 per cent growth in the upcoming season.

Mr. Ashok Arora,

CEO

BRAND STORIES

SILVER SEASON

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SHADES THE BRAND Shades opened in 2006. It does straight cut kurtis for women of all ages. Fabrics are all Indian. A value for money brand Shades has a pan India presence and is strong in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Punjab. Shades caters to nearly 300 to 350 retailers and distributors.

NEW COLLECTION This winter Shades brings in a collection full of newness and color. The collection has digitally printed kurtis in bright colors, handprinted like batik, discharge prints and shaded in different fabrics. The brand has a monopoly on straight fits. The fabrics are all types of viscose, modal, modal satin. Colors are dark like wine, maroon, green and navy blue, all dusty colors.

Sayeed Kafeel/ Asif Gaziyani, Directors THE BRAND Incepted around 18 years ago by Sayeed Kafeel and Asif Gaziyani, Directors of the brand, Silver Season specialises in salwar suits, kurtis and tops for women. The brand has an inhouse manufacturing unit with a huge production line. The fabric used are made of pure cotton, pure silk and pure georgette.

These fabrics are procured from Mumbai and Surat.

COLLECTION The brand offers designer salwar kurta and tops. These are mostly available in straight cuts. The salwar suits are created with motifs and patch work. Muslin has also been used to give the garments an extraordinary look. The color pallet emphasises the use of steel grey, pista, off white and nude. The brand will come up with kids’ section. The price points for kurtis are between Rs 595 to Rs 1, 495, for crop tops it is Rs 1, 495 to Rs, 2,995.

RETAIL PRESENCE The brand not only has a pan India presence but is also present internationally in like Dubai, Ajman, Sharjha, UK, USA, Canada and Australia. The brand has tied up with most portals for online retail.

Dashrath Singh Zala, Proprietor

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It’s a variety on offer to indulge the tastes of New Age women For the upcoming season, every segment in women’s wear is full of innovations in fabrics, cuts, colours, designs and embellishment. While choices have increased for women, brands have upped their ante to be one up over competition and pep up their sales, write Prerna Sharma and Ajay Goswami • Innovation and styling drive women’s wear market • With rapidly changing trends, the average number of wears of each garment has decreased • Flared cuts, bright colour fabric like olive green, gold, tomato red, mustard and earthy shades bright tones, embroidered fabric in demand • High-end finishes and innovative product designs in denim are becoming mainstream

Radhesh Kagzi President, Fusion Beats “We have noticed women are more inclined towards comfort styling therefore, the style statement we are focusing on for the upcoming season is suited accordingly.

The A/W18 season is going to be dominated by looks that involve linen, canvas floral prints, shimmer, glitter gold embroidered, drop shoulders, kalidar and layered kurtas. Our collection is focused around innovative embroideries and placements. The key fabrics are slubs, sequence and nets.

The colour pallet will be a spread of blue, sage green, lavender and mustard”

• In ethnics statement colours and embellishments main stay in festive season • Western wear give out cool, sophisticated vibes

I

nnovation and styling has always ruled the fashion industry. For brands and designers to survive in this highly competitive market it’s important to introduce new innovations and styles while keeping it minimalistic & basic at the same time.

In keeping with this market demand most

women’s brands have worked on their new collections and focused on new cuts, fits, styles, colours et al to indulge the New Age women.

Collections take new hues this festive season Highlighting this, Rakesh Morvadiya, Director, Divyanshi Fashion makers of

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Rahul Gupta VP, Future Lifestyle Fashions “This season, the brand has taken product innovation to the next level by launching stay black and dust repellant white denims. The collection has a judicious mix of premium stretch fabrics and trendy edgy silhouettes.

Price point hovers between Rs 1,499 to Rs 1,999.

Compared to the last twothree prices have become sharper aligning to market requirement” brand 18 Fire, states, “Our style statement for coming festive season has a lot of flared cuts paired with gold embellished fabric embroidered palazzos, dhotis, and pencil fit pants would be the great combination for any festive occasion. We have included exclusive wear, which offers high end kurtis in combination with plazzos and dhotis for the festive season. This style can rule the upcoming season with fresh colour combinations like mustard, tomato red, earthy fresh shades, etc. Natural textures are the calling in voile and cotton fabrics.

With such highly innovative ensemble in place, we are going to see lot of flared cuts, bright coloured fabrics such as olive green, gold, tomato red, mustard and earthy shades bright tones. Besides, embroidered fabric would be the highly demand in this occasion period.”

After the high decibel festive demand, it is time for fashion cleanse with fresh sweep of spring and get back to the basics.

Experience the summer inspired modernist range, with quirky patterns, prints and finishes, with New Age styles, elevated by vibrant colours, for a truly shining season.

This season, W stood up to a new challenge

by re-defining mix-n-match, re-thinking contrast as the basis of coordinated looks.

The brand has combined its core products into one; the bottom wear is constructed solely to complete the look of top wear, in a way that they become two halves of a whole. These parts have been combined to make for a single infinite look that epitomises perfection -- The Inseparables – a new seamless, unified, fluid fashion that assimilates same colours and tones, similar prints and self-styled coordinates to create a look of perfection.

Talking about growing demand, Radhesh Kagzi, President, Fusion Beats explains, “We have noticed women are more inclined towards comfort styling therefore, the style statement we are focusing on for the upcoming season is suited accordingly. The A/W18 season is going to be dominated by looks that involve linen, canvas floral prints, shimmer, glitter gold embroidered, drop shoulders, kalidar and layered kurtas.

Our collection is focused around innovative embroideries and placements. The key fabrics are slubs, sequence and nets. The colour pallet will be a spread of blue, sage green, lavender and mustard.”

Evergreen denim raises the style bar Denim market is undergoing a paradigm shift. Denim products with high-end finishes and innovative product designs are becoming mainstream and gaining popularity across the globe. Owning to its fit and comfort characteristic, stretch denims are in trend. Colours, structures and patterns are becoming cleaner and more muted. Deep indigo, greys and black denims have taken a center stage. Rahul Gupta, VP, Future Lifestyle Fashions, Jealous 21 explains, “This season, the brand has taken product innovation to the next level by launching stay black and dust repellant white denims. The collection has a judicious mix of premium stretch fabrics and trendy edgy silhouettes. Price point hovers between Rs 1,499 to Rs 1,999. Compared to the last two-three prices have become sharper aligning to market requirement.”

With the influx of embellished denim in the last two seasons, it’s no surprise that the trend has made its way from jeans to jackets. Internationally denim customisation has taken hold of every cuff, collar, and back pocket worth its grommet and buttonhole.

From monograms to embroidered patches

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Sameer Patel Founder & Chairman, Deal Jeans “This season is shelved with embroideries and gel embossing, studs and appliques with ripped embellishments which are giving a unique twist to what is offered in this season.

This season’s color palette is lighter to darker shades in emerging bright and pastel colors. The collection is themed on giving that chic, style setter look be it your travel diaries, office wear or making a statement at evening soirees”

to eye-catching pins, putting a personal spin on the likes of jeans and jackets is more fashionable than ever. It’s the type of trend that is unique to individual – and increasingly popular among social media influencers looking to show off their cool customizations. For a customer, it’s about creativity and personalization – about creating a bespoke piece. Offering insights, Kavindra Mishra, MD, Pepe Jeans India explains, “For a brand, it’s about giving the customer a unique and one-of-its-kind experience. Adding a personal touch makes otherwise ordinary pieces uniquely your own. Pepe Jeans Custom Studio service enables customers to step into the design seat and customize their denim in a few easy steps. The idea behind Custom Studio is to empower the customer with the opportunity for personalization; and therein lays a powerful tool that will revolutionize denim fashion in India. Fashion and customization go hand in hand. This value-added service helps in retaining your current customers and also helps in acquiring new customers.”

Similarly, Sameer Patel, Founder & Chairman, Deal Jeans believes, “From interesting finishes and unconventional cuts to modern, size-inclusive labels, denim segment is in an exciting place now. A lot of variety and creativity is happening in the industry.

Side stripe jeans are returning from the early ages, frayed and uneven hems are adding that perfect amount of edge to the casual pair, AOP embroidery and lazer printing is trending with tearing and grinding effect ruling the denim trends this season.” On similar lines Samresh Das, Design Manager-denim, shirt, outerwear at Numero Uno says “the current style focusses on high waist skinny as well as boyfriend jeans with damages and a bit of ripping. The real denim has always been our style statement. We have created new fits to flaunt feminine curves.”

Stylish cuts, statement colours pep up ethnics There is a shift in the way consumers interact with ethnic wear. Earlier, ethnic wear was worn only for festivals or marriages, today it is versatile enough for every occasion – from office, to formal functions and even casual outings. For the coming season, Soch is focusing on statement colours like yellow, maroon, earthy green and vibrant fuchsias. The styles are a blend of traditional embellishments like zari, zardozi, kundan and stone work and trendy, contemporary modern silhouettes. Vinay Chatlani, CEO & Director, Soch explains, “We recently launched our ‘Week Wear’ collection, everyday fashion for all occasions.

We have introduced kurti suits with jackets, tunics with embroideries and pin tucks, as well as work appropriate kurtis, which can be paired with fashionable bottoms to carry the look from daywear to evening wear. We are continuing to innovate with new fabrics, which are a blend of cotton and polyester,

Vinay Chatlani CEO & Director, Soch “We recently launched our ‘Week Wear’ collection, everyday fashion for all occasions. We have introduced kurti suits with jackets, tunics with embroideries and pin tucks, as well as work appropriate kurtis, which can be paired with fashionable bottoms to carry the look from daywear to evening wear. We are continuing to innovate with new fabrics, which are a blend of cotton and polyester, allowing breathability and easy to maintain”

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allowing breathability and easy to maintain.

Our fits are relaxed and have functional elements like pockets keeping in mind the requirements of the customers.”

Trendy westerns for cool urban women Western wear has its place defined as working women like to experiment with formal clothing. The Spring/ Summer collection at Vero Moda and Only was about being effortlessly ready.

The collection at Vero Moda exudes a cool, strong, structured and sophisticated vibe.

Glorifying a simple look with statement cuts, sleeves, accessories have been the complete game changer at Vero Moda.

Both Only and Vero Moda products are aligned to international trends in terms of colours, silhouettes and fabrics. As an Only spokesperson elucidates, “At Only, we embrace the magic of possibilities within everyday life. Only is about you – and Only you. Uniqueness is in our name, in our stores and our collections.

Each item is created with this special Only feeling representing our core identity, which has a mature twist with a focus on feminine strength, self-confidence and style.” The collections feature a unique, real and modern identity and attractive styles with international class.

Park Avenue Woman offers style choices that an independent, vivacious, millennial Indian woman makes through a week.

One can mix and match trends to create a style identity that is exclusively theirs. From boardroom to mid-week chic, from the red carpet to an easy Sunday brunch-with Park Avenue by her side, she is always topping the style charts. Rajeev Sinha, founder & CEO, The Vanca, details, “We indulge in mostly tops and dresses and we thrive according to the trend. Our theme is ‘the new chic girl in town’. Fast fashion is our specialty and we engage in an incessant demand specific production and designing.

Business is stabilizing and picking pace currently and eventually it is in the process of a recovery cycle after the downturn from 2016-2017.”

Innerwear styles in the forefront Intimate wear companies have decoded the power of transformation the right lingerie can bring about in a woman’s life and have started offering the kind of fit and comfort that women desire. In line with this, this year, Triumph has expanded its Triaction Sports bra range with the launch of a new global high-performance collection.

Triaction offers the ultimate sportswear solution for modern active women who desire sports bras to not only perform but also offer true comfort with style. Boasting of the best bounce control levels in the market, offering versatile fits and ensuring superior comfort, Triaction can support women effortlessly throughout the day. It features a Studio and a Cardio collection, which cater to different consumer and workout needs.

The Studio collection is ideal for all low to medium intensity activities whereas the Cardio collection offers exceptional support for high intensity activities. Jennifer Kapasi, Commercial Director, India & Sri Lanka, Triumph, elaborates, “For Spring/Summer ’18, Triaction by Triumph introduced a new concept, Magic Motion Pro. This iconic style features the highest bounce control, versatile straps and the innovative Magic Wire Air technology. Also a part of the launch

Amit Jain President, Shingora “Shingora’s new collection is inspired by the night garden.

It’s a celebration of flowers under the moonlight. We wanted the spirit of the collection to be tangible in all aspects seamlessly, from the product all the way to the campaign images. The colour palette is quite mysterious and romantic like a midnight dream”

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Anant Daga Managing Director, TCNS Clothing “W is the only brand in the Indian retail space which offers ‘Indian contemporary’ wear and stays a step ahead of the fashion curve. Our designers take inspiration from the latest fashion trends & forecasts from the west and transform them into silhouettes and styles acceptable to the modern Indian woman. W woman is thus able to be fashionable, without ruffling too many local norms”

is the Hybrid Lite and Extreme Litebras in the Cardio range and Free Motion N in the Studio range.”

The Essentials range from Enamor offers comfortable wardrobe must haves while the Hourglass range offers a range of shapewear and performance sportswear with unmatched support. As Sandra Daniels, VP Marketing, Enamor explains, “The Enamor Style Studio, first-of-its-kind initiative in Indian lingerie market, is a result of exclusive fit sessions organised

by Enamor over the years to educate women about the perfect bra. Enamor not only helps women find lingerie that fits like a dream but also provides care instructions to build a perfect lingerie wardrobe.” Giving insights into Bodycare’s new collection, Sanjay Dawar, Director,

Bodycare Creations, highlights, “Young generation is more inclined to neons, bright pastels and pop colours. Our season’s style statement is corresponding to these trends i.e. more of colours in solids or prints and we have carried this approach in both ladies upper and ladies lower categories.”

Talking about the growing expanse of intimate wear, Siddharth Grover, Director, Groversons, says customised lingerie has huge potential for post surgery bras.

Besides, considering the rising knowledge & aspirations of the customers today, it is expected that designer lingerie is a future potential segment. Women of today want to experiment with their garments & look forward to having personalised & inspiring shopping experience. Till now the trend has been of consumer spending on designer

outfits from India rather than designer innerwear, which they prefer picking up from abroad. As stated by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, “The supply of designer lingerie is low as the demand for the same is low. India being an emerging market, there is space for designer lingerie to blossom. With passage of time & increased awareness among customers, people are becoming more experimental & less conservative. This is definitely an area which can grow in future.

With so many varieties to choose from, women are as always spoilt for choices to look their best in every ensemble they opt for and for every occasion and companies are also readying themselves to serve to the growing demands from their evolved clientele. It’s a win-win situation for both.