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Apparel 23/08/23

Bombay Shirt Company: A revolution in custom shirt making

23 August 2023, Mumbai

The FitSmart Technology

The brand's primary focus was on crafting the right technology to facilitate online customization of shirts in preferred sizes and styles.

Their inventive FitSmart sizing model allowed customers to personalize their attire by answering just five questions. Remarkably, 94% of customers found their fits accurate from the outset. Those needing adjustments could benefit from the brand's doorstep pickup and delivery alteration service.

The Stores

In 2014, Bombay Shirt Company opened its first store in Mumbai's Kala Ghoda. Here, customers could engage with in-store stylists to curate fabrics and customizations. The brand has since expanded to 16 outlets across India, reaching cities such as Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Ahmedabad.

The Customizations

The brand offers a wide variety of customization options, including collars, cuffs, buttons, plackets, pockets, sleeve lengths, fabric accents, contrasts, and monogrammed initials on cuffs. This allows customers to create a truly personalized shirt that reflects their unique style.

The Expansion

In response to customer requests, Bombay Shirt Company has expanded its repertoire beyond shirts. They now offer jeans, chinos, dress pants, stretch pants, and t-shirts.

The brand is constantly innovating and looking for new ways to meet the needs of its customers.

The Customer Experience

Customer feedback is essential to Bombay Shirt Company. A dedicated customer experience team is available to answer questions and address concerns promptly. This commitment to customer satisfaction is one of the things that sets the brand apart.

The Made-to-Order Approach

Bombay Shirt Company is committed to environmental responsibility. They adopt a made-to-order approach, which means that each piece is manufactured upon purchase. This helps to reduce excess inventory and waste.

The Philosophy

The Bombay Shirt Company's philosophy is simple: create attire that conforms to the wearer, not the other way around. This reflects a shift from the conventional paradigm, where clothing is often mass-produced and standardized.

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Apparel 23/08/23

Hosiery industry in Ludhiana faces downturn

22 August 2023, Mumbai

Absence of Buyers: The hosiery and garment industry in Ludhiana is facing a significant downturn due to the absence of buyers. Wholesale purchasers from Jammu & Kashmir and the Tibetan markets are still undecided about procuring goods from Ludhiana this year.

Backlog of Unsold Inventory: The situation is further compounded by a backlog of unsold inventory and delayed payments. Buyers are showing limited interest in acquiring new stock, as they still possess remnants from the previous year.

Delayed Payments:

These buyers have yet to settle outstanding payments and have communicated that payment will be made after clearing the existing stock.

Buyers are not particularly inclined to acquire new stock since they still possess remnants from last year. The uncertain status of these payments has put us in a holding pattern."

Dynamics

Moderate orders were dispatched to Jammu and Kashmir due to unresolved payments from the previous season. Manufacturers are awaiting substantial payments from J&K buyers, totalling several lakh rupees."

The scarcity of buyers has led to severe setbacks in production and sales across the hosiery sector. We are banking on a prosperous winter season to facilitate our financial recovery.

The industry is hopeful that a good winter season will help to revive business and improve payments.

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Apparel 22/08/23

18 of 92 Khadi units operational

17 August 2023, Mumbai

CAG audit finds

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has raised concerns about the operational status of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), indicating that only 18 out of the 92 departmental trading units are currently active.

The audit focused on evaluating the performance of the 18 active units and their supply chain management during the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21. It also conducted a comprehensive review of 25 non-operational departmental trading units to ascertain the underlying reasons for their closure and the subsequent impacts.

Nuances

The report highlighted that the KVIC has not conducted any analysis to identify the factors contributing to the closure of these units. It also noted that more proactive efforts by the KVIC could have potentially averted the shutdown of these units.

The report also noted that two departmental trading units were identified as having the potential for generating revenue through unauthorized sales of Khadi products by private entities.

'Vocal for Local'

This indicated a potential avenue for revenue generation through these departmental trading units.

The findings of the CAG audit come at a significant juncture when the government has been actively promoting indigenous products through initiatives like 'Vocal for Local', 'Khadi for Nation', and 'Khadi for Fashion'.

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Apparel 17/08/23

R&B unveils 11th store in Ahmedabad's Palladium Mall

09 August 2023, Mumbai

Rare and Basics (R&B), a retail fashion brand under Apparel Group, inaugurated its newest store at Palladium Mall, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, marking its 11th outlet in India.

The brand's 10th store was launched at Calicut's HiLite Mall. R&B, introduced in 2012 at Oman's Muscat Grand Mall, operates across seven countries, managing around 70 stores.

Array

The name R&B signifies a blend of "Rare" for fast fashion and "Basics" for timeless products.

R&B stores encompass sections for kids, women, men, lingerie, footwear, accessories, and impulse purchases. India locations include Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Telangana.

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Apparel 9/08/23

India’s sportswear apparel segment up and running ahead

21 August 2023, Mumbai

With a concept of a fit and healthy body being the best fashion statement for everybody, the sportswear apparel segment that combines athletic wear with contemporary fashion trends has come into its own.

Even before the pandemic, the sports fashion segment in India was already on a growth trajectory being driven forward with the rise of fitness awareness through gyms and online platforms, increased sports participation across age groups along with major sporting events like the FIFA, Pro Kabaddi Indian Premier League (IPL) Pro Kabaddi and international sports tournaments being advertised like never before.

Sports apparel market to grow at 16.2% from 2022-29

As per Maximize Market Research (MMR), -a Pune-based syndicate and custom-made business and market research company- India’s sports apparel market is valued at $579.47 million in 2021projected to reach $2238.13 million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 16.2 percent during the forecast period from 2022 to 2029.

Unlike other apparel segments, both 2021 and 2022 saw overall strong growth that has equaled pre-pandemic levels, as the Covid period has brought extreme focus on health and wellness.

DTCBoth global and homegrown brands are now offering a different choice of athletic apparel and high-tech design clothing.

Wearable

Sports apparel now has wearable technology advances such as temperature-regulating textiles and clothing, fitness tracking sensors, and interactive apparel innovations that boost athletes' performance and give a more tailored fitting.

The demand for eco-friendly and sustainable sports gear is rising and some brands have created a fusion of the Indian USP of traditional patterns, prints, and cultural elements into modern designs, which is a current rage.

Study

A recent ‘The India Sports Apparel Market Report’ which offers an in-depth examination of the current and future landscape of the market has pointed out that the growing preference for online shopping and convenience is fuelling demand along with a strong influence of social media and digital ecosystem.

Changing fitness consciousness, especially with the emergence of domestic brands offering to change market preferences and competitive pricing has given a boost to the market.

Men’s sportswear holds the largest share, closely followed by the market for women, and the children's sector accounts for a little fraction. Increased women's participation in sports such as marathons, badminton, cricket, and other fitness activities has made this segment the fastest-growing segment.

Brands focus on upcoming festive sales

Premium brands such as Puma are now focusing on festive season sales, as in India consumers spend a lot of money during this time, regardless of apparel segmentation. Puma made over Rs 2,000 crore in revenue in 2021, and thus unprecedented demand in the sports category and the brand is expected to continue.

“The buoyancy is very high for offline and retailers are back. Brands like ours are expanding and opening more stores. Online sales have still grown. Certain platforms are growing more than 50 percent versus last year in our category.

You have a lot of data to work on online and brands that work very closely with these platforms can build a lot of efficiencies in terms of assortments or pricing which gets organic growth. We have built our shopping app in India,” points out Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director, Puma India and Southeast Asia.

DTC

The role of technology and D2C models are now being used by brands to improve consumer relationships, acquire insightful data and give more affordable pricing.

Online brands need to focus more virtual trail of apparel by customers of sports gear and accessories using Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality to make it a more interactive experience along with all social media platforms continuing to play a crucial role in sports fashion retail.

Physical stores will need to do more special events, workshops, and interactive experiences to boost brand loyalty and an enhanced shopping experience. The sportswear apparel segment is up and running and if handled right by the leading brands, everyone will be a winner on the stands in the near future.

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Apparel 21/08/23

India’s sportswear apparel segment up and running ahead

Exclusivity and sustainability steers the Indian luxury apparels market

14 August 2023, Mumbai

The luxury apparel segment has managed to keep its head above troubled waters as the global premium markets slowly bounce back after two troublesome pandemic years.

While brands strive at retaining their original brand values and authenticity to keep customer loyalty, the New Age consumers are making purchases that reflect well on them along with new expectations that the Covid years have brought about.

Insights

A recent Market Research Future report has highlighted the market will achieve $139.2 billion in 2030 at a 3.23 percent CAGR by 2023-30.

The increased use of e-commerce has given a boost to sales with luxury clothing brands working with renowned designers to create small exclusive collections that are not readily available to the general public.

The apparel segment among all others will lead the global luxury market while the Gen X consumer group and women as per gender will spearhead the market over the forecast period. By distribution channel, offline will once again command the market as newer and bigger stores with a feel-good experience sprout up in major metros.

It’s a very long road from top luxe brands

With Louis Vuitton being the first international premium luxury brand to arrive way back in 2002, hundreds of global fashion players have now entered making it the fastest-growing market in the global luxury segment.

Datapoints; As per Euromonitor International estimates, the Indian market will be worth $8.5 billion in 2023, having increased by an impressive $2.5 billion in 2021, although this complex premium market requires a deep knowledge of local culture to navigate choppy waters. India’s luxury consumption, actually surged during 2020 and 2021 due to the closure of international travel, forcing rich Indians to buy locally.

However, even after travel curbs were lifted, the market is showing signs of sustained demand.

Arriving

India’s largest player in the luxury market is Reliance Brands (RBL) which has partnerships with over 60 brands, including Tiffany, Burberry, and Giorgio Armani along with investments in homegrown luxury brands such as Manish Malhotra, Ritu Kumar, and Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla.

In fact, several global luxury companies are now introducing their latest global catwalk collections in the country and special India-only editions. They include big LVMH and Aditya Birla-owned multi-brand outlet, The Collective, among others.

Meanwhile, the lucrative wedding market too has shown significant growth, and luxury fashion houses such as Purple Style Labs founded by Abhishek Agarwal, which operates Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop and Wendell Rodricks, have estimated India’s current luxury industry at Rs 10,000-12,000 crore, where the wedding collection segment is worth Rs 7,000-8,000 crore distributed among almost 1,000 designers and premium brands.

Drivers of the red carpet road ahead

However, for many luxury brands, India has remained only about two-three EBOs located only in major Tier I cities that focus on customer attention locally rather than waiting for Indians to travel abroad to make their exclusive purchases.

Analysts remain in hope that India could well be the next China if this sustainability in the luxury segment continues.

Emerging technologies

Premium consumers need savvy brands that use digitally enhanced retail, digital tech, and AI to create relevance, foster loyalty, and ultimately boost their bottom line as well as cater to the specific needs of each of their valued customers

As global pressure grows to make the fashion industry more circular, premium retailers and brands need to focus on adapting their distribution and retail strategies in post-pandemic years by encouraging repairing, promoting recycling, and facilitating the resale and rentals of products to minimize overfilling of global land-fills and create a greener environment.

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Apparel 16/08/23

KVIC takes steps to strengthen Khadi sector

08 August 2023, Mumbai

The Ministry of MSME is partnering with the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to bolster the Khadi sector.

The government provides financial assistance

Initiatives include endorsing the Khadi Mark and establishing a niche for quality and sustainable Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) products. Financial support is provided for individual and group workshed construction to enhance khadi workers' conditions and fortify weak khadi institutions' infrastructure.

Refurbishes/modernizes CSPs

Raising spinning wages from Rs. 7.50/- to Rs. 10.00 per hank is set to augment artisans' earnings. Collaborating with the Textile Research Association, the KVIC is modernizing CSPs to enhance quality and productivity, lowering moving costs.

These steps aim to elevate production, sales, employment for artisans, and khadi's affordability and sustainability. Furthermore, KVIC's cost management measures encompass utilizing the Price Fluctuation Fund to balance raw material and khadi fabric price hikes.

Sliver/roving costs were held at Rs. 227/Kg until 31.03.2022, then revised to Rs. 385/Kg on 01.04.2022. Cotton costs fell significantly, leading to a corresponding 40% drop in sliver/roving costs to Rs. 265/Kg on 01.04.2023.

KVIC's prompt actions maintained raw material supply to Khadi Institutions, safeguarding uninterrupted production. There are no current plans to waive the 5% GST on cotton sliver, and Khadi institutions remain operational despite lower production levels.

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Apparel 8/08/23

Indian Garage Co. Launches FreeHand

19 August 2023, Mumbai

The Indian Garage Co., a leading Indian D2C fast-fashion brand, has launched FreeHand, an exclusive women's fast fashion brand.

Outreach

FreeHand aims to provide affordable and chic clothing choices to women across India, with a particular focus on tier 2 and 3 cities.

The FreeHand collection encompasses various fast-fashion casual wear, including dresses, tops, skirts, trousers, and accessories. It aims to strike a harmonious equilibrium between quality, affordability, accessibility, and style.

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Apparel 19/08/23

Good Earth launches Titli, silk for everyday

14 August 2023, Mumbai

Good Earth, the renowned brand known for its fashion, homeware, and lifestyle products, has introduced an exclusive in-house women's clothing line named Titli.

Features a ‘Vibrant Palette of Jewel’

This premium label reimagines silk as a versatile and timeless fabric suitable for everyday wear. Titli's inaugural collection showcases an array of jewel-toned silk separates, including tunics, matching sets, and fusion-style ensembles, all boasting a vibrant and rich color palette.

The contemporary designs employ clever use of dual colors, often incorporating checked patterns to introduce a captivating blend of hues.

Tone Silk

The silk textiles are artfully crinkled, adding a subtle yet distinctive texture to the striking color combinations. With the launch of Titli, Good Earth seeks to redefine silk from being exclusively reserved for special occasions to becoming a staple for daily dressing.

An array; The debut range encompasses a variety of ethnic essentials like kurtas and kaftans, alongside jackets, skirts, kimonos, and trousers.

The collection further showcases its diversity through an assortment of printed scarves. Titli's collection is now accessible both online and in Good Earth's brick-and-mortar stores, inviting fashion enthusiasts to explore and embrace the allure of silk for all occasions.

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Apparel 14/08/23

Indian western wear market to reach $6B by 2032

Anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 7.6%, the Indian western wear market is poised to surge from $2.5 billion in 2021 to $6.0 billion by 2032.

Growth drivers

Driving this growth are factors like increased disposable income, urbanization, and Western cultural influence. The market is categorized by gender (men and women), style (casual and formal), and distribution (online and offline).

Projections indicate that the online segment will exhibit the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Key market players include Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, Chemistry, H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB, Forever21 Inc., Inditex SA, Mango, Shoppers Stop Ltd., Benetton Group, Vero Moda, and Westside.

Apparel 7/08/23

Indian western wear market to reach $6B by 2032

Samoh: New Indian attire brand from Tata

21 August 2023, Mumbai

Noel Tata's company, Tata Trent, has introduced the traditional Indian attire brand "Samoh," poised to rival Manyavar and Isha Ambani's Reliance Trends.

An affordable collection of premium occasion wear

Samoh embodies classic and contemporary elegance, offering an affordable collection of premium occasion wear. Its inaugural store in Hazratganj, Lucknow, inaugurates the brand's national expansion.

Samoh seamlessly intertwines tradition with modernity exuding a touch of luxury and sophistication for life's significant moments."

A Challenge to Manyavar and Reliance Trends

This initiative, led by Ratan Tata's sibling, will notably challenge the dominion of Manyavar and Reliance Trends in the traditional attire sector. Despite the Tata Group's existing clothing brands, the launch of Samoh showcases an innovative direction.

Tata Trent: A portfolio of retail brands

Established in 1998, Tata Trent boasts Westside, Trent Hypermarket, Landmark Stores, and Zudio within its portfolio.

Samoh: Aspiring to be a leader in the traditional attire market

In a realm dominated by Manyavar and Fabindia for festive and ceremonial attire, Noel Tata envisions Samoh ascending to a paramount position.

Tata Trent's current annual revenue exceeds Rs 2000 crore. Additionally, Reliance's significant investment in luxury designer Manish Malhotra underscores their commitment to fashion.

Samoh is a new player to watch out for in the traditional attire market. With its affordable prices, stylish designs, and commitment to quality, Samoh has the potential to become a significant player in the industry.

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Apparel 19/08/23

Puma ropes in Shanaya to connect with Gen Z

12 August 2023, Mumbai

Puma India has signed up promising young actor Shanaya Kapoor as its new brand ambassador, in a bid to connect with the Gen Z audience in India.

Kapoor is a popular figure on social media with over 1.8 million followers, and is set to make her debut in two major Indian film productions this year.

Great connect

Puma believes that Kapoor's image and personality will resonate well with Gen Z consumers.

As part of the association, Kapoor will front Puma's athleisure and performance wear lines, and will also be featured in a number of marketing campaigns for the brand.

Puma India is hoping that the association with Kapoor will help it to tap into the growing influence of Gen Z consumers in India.

Youthful

Gen Z is a major driver of growth in the Indian retail market, and Puma is looking to position itself as a brand of choice for this important demographic.

Celebs; In addition to Kapoor, Puma India also has a number of other brand ambassadors, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma, and Harmanpreet Kaur.

The brand is known for its association with celebrities and sports stars, and it is hoped that this strategy will continue to resonate with consumers in India.

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Apparel 12/08/23

Ballari Jeans: Facing an ‘Existential Crisis’

07 August 2023, Mumbai

In Old Ballari city's bustling lanes, laborers craft iconic jeans, but the once-thriving industry faces an existential crisis. Formerly India's second-largest jeans manufacturer, Ballari jeans now lag behind Gujarat's due to state support and modern infrastructure.

Lack of government support

Availability dwindles as Gujarat offers extended retailer credit, cementing market advantage. Ballari's plea for aid emphasizes urgent infrastructural enhancement for raw material procurement and product dispatch.

Potential job provider

They seek loans, subsidies, and export platforms. The looming risk of industry demise signifies both local and national losses, given their durable, quality reputation.

With a century-old legacy, Ballari jeans employ 45,000 people, renowned for ruggedness and affordability. Gujarat's recent garment sector strides and superior technology amplify Ballari's struggle.

Timely intervention is critical

Government aid is vital to survival, offering upliftment, financial support, power-loom subsidies, and export platforms. Ballari's jeans fate is uncertain, but timely intervention could reinvigorate this legacy, securing heritage and national pride.

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Apparel 7/08/23