07 October 2021, Mumbai:

Considered the finest textiles of the world, Khadi represents true Indian luxury, says Prasad Bidapa, Fashion and Textile Curator. However, over the years, the fabric has lost its shine as young Indians are increasingly attracted by machine-made textiles.

To lure youth back to Khadi, Bidapa launched a project called ‘Rajasthan Heritage Week’ in collaboration with the state government, reports The Times of India. The project aimed to make Khadi and handloom fashionable again. It reinvented the fabric with new designs and styles.

Even now, many young Indian designers like Anushe Pirani are engaged in giving the handcraft fabric a contemporary twist. Pirani uses the fabric to make summer suits. Designer Yadvi Aggarwal, Owner, Yavi, uses Khadi to experiment with new dyeing and printing techniques.

Known as the common man’s fabric, Khadi can easily transform into a modern luxury fabric, says Anita Chandramohan, Owner, Madder Much. It can be complimented with new and intricate designs. However, accessing weavers can prove challenging for brands alongwith the challenges faced due to the high cost of sampling and designing.

Lack of awareness amongst youngsters

Another challenge faced by most Khadi brands is the lack of awareness about the fabric among Indian consumers, says Sujata Keshavan, Founder, Varana, a London-based brand catering to high-end global market. She feels brands need to be educated on the relevance and importance of handwoven textiles in general and Khadi in particular.

Meanwhile Khadi is getting a big push institutionally. Being rustic in texture and with a great ability to absorb moisture, the fabric can be used to create formless garments that are gaining popularity these days. Designer Shruti Sancheti credits this to designers responsible for reviving Khadi in the last two decades. Sancheti herself uses a lot of fresh colors and motifs and better thread counts to create modern, agile and youth-friendly garments.

Misuse of Khadi trademark

In India, the Khadi trademark is owned by the Khadi & Village Industries Commision (KVIC). The commission registered the trademark in three more countries-Bhutan, UAE and Mexico in July 2021. It was earlier registered in six countries including Germany, UK, Australia, Russia, China, and EU.

Aggarwal believes, KVIC’s new marketing strategies limit the growth of the fabric. The commission is known to have sued many designers for using the word ‘Khadi’ to describe their collection. The term Khadi is a generic word describing a handwoven or handspun fabric, she adds.

Keshavan too feels, the term is often misused by Indian designers. They describe their collections as being made from ‘PonduruKhadi ‘or ‘Phulia Khadi,’ which makes it difficult to trace their origins. Sancheti advises the industry to introduce regulations n to maintain quality.

Finding favor with luxury consumers

A premium fabric, Khadi can be transformed into a super luxurious premium fabric with effective promotions, says Aggarwal. For this, KVIC needs to hold a consultative session with designers and implement their suggestions.

To elevate its appeal amongst luxury consumers, designs need to be modernized and refined, adds Keshavan. For a more sustainable future, Indian designers need appreciate traditional handweaving techniques. They need to celebrate Khadi as one of India’s finest fabrics, adds Bidapa.

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07 October 2021, Mumbai:

American clothing company Levi’s has launched a new collection in association with its global brand ambassador and Bollywood star Deepika Padukone. To be available at Levi’s retail outlets, Levi.in and select partner e-commerce platforms from October 8, the collection re-imagines Levi’s classics through its range of jeans and denims while introducing Padukone’s signature favorites like athleisure pieces, edgy faux leather pants and oversized shirts.

The range includes varsity jackets, co-ord sweatsuits, crop-tops and bralettes. It also features contemporary interpretations of Levi’s denims—with new on-trend 70’s-inspired high waist jeans and cut and sew wide-leg silhouettes.

The collection also introduces newer fabrics, finishes and fits. The pandemic has swayed consumer fashion in favour of more dressed down clothing—including athleisure apparel and casuals as consumers swapped formal trousers for sweatpants.

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06 October 2021, Mumbai:

According to B. Vanlalvawna, the Indian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, there is a large demand for sustainable garments in Azerbaijan, and Indian apparel exporters need to expand their presence to capture this market.

Because certain Indian items are imported through third nations, India's portion of Azerbaijan's overall clothing imports from throughout the globe isn't a fair representation of the two countries' potential.

He was speaking during a Clothing Export Promotion Council (AEPC)-hosted online B2B meeting between Azerbaijani buyers and Indian apparel exporters, which was co-hosted by the Indian embassy in Baku.

He also provided information on the former Soviet republic's clothing market.

He stated that cotton clothing and sustainable apparel goods are in high demand in the country.

“Some Indian competitors from Bangladesh, China, Turkey, and Italy are more active in the market and have a greater physical presence here. In terms of your contact with potential buyers, it is critical for Indian players to maintain their presence,” he added.

Once the epidemic is over, the Ambassador has asked AEPC Chairman A. Sakthivel leads a team of Indian garment exporters to Baku.

He also proposed that similar events be held in the future to help bridge the gap between the clothing players in the two nations.

A. Sakthivel spoke to the audience about the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) plan, which aims to encourage man-made fiber (MMF) clothing, and how India has surpassed China as the world's second-largest producer of medical textiles.

The Council gave a presentation on its virtual platform, where foreign buyers may meet with Indian clothing exporters to negotiate business. It also provided information on the Indian clothing sector and the benefits of working with Indian exporters.

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07 October 2021, Mumbai:

Spykar has launched a Chaplin-themed collection to influence the young and restless to take a cue from this classic personality and be motivated and positive even in these tough times of pandemic. Spykar has licensed Charlie’s name and image, as the Little Tramp.

This collection includes Chaplin-themed merchandise such as Charlie’s own sketch and signature printed on t-shirts, Charlie’s quotes and much more. The collection will be available on Flipkart during the Big Billion Day Festive Sale and is available on the Spykar website.

Spykar is India’s leading jeanswear brand for the youth. The brand is synonymous with the ‘Young & Restless’ generation of today. Established in 1992, Spykar has defined the rules of the fashion arena.

Starting as solely a men’s denim brand sold at multi-brand outlets, Spykar has expanded its portfolio to become a one-stop-shop for casual wear ensemble for both men and women available pan India across 230 exclusive outlets, 900+ multi-brand outlets, all key large format stores, and e-commerce portals.

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7th October 2021, Mumbai|

The newly formed Confederation of Indian E-Commerce (CIE) will provide a neutral voice to the industry by bringing the government, industry, policymakers and consumers on one platform. A trust and not-for-profit organization, CIE will be based out of New Delhi. The organization will provide a dedicated platform for the retail and e-commerce companies to take up economic or policy issues with the government and other relevant agencies, support to MSMEs and traditional retail, promotion of exports and access to export markets, and easing regulatory compliances for export and returns by encouraging exports.

The initiative has been built by a team of industry veterans including Amitabh Singhal, Former CEO and Founder, National Internet Exchange of India and Past President, Internet Service Providers Association of India and Ajay Sharma, who has around two decades of experience at India's apex business associations.

The organization will also build a state-level agenda by working with the state governments to support the needs of e-commerce companies and MSMEs locally. It will work closely with the state governments for integrating the MSMEs in the states with digital retail by facilitating them with the domestic and international market

The Confederation also aims to assist and build the ecosystem for the agriculture sector and promote technologies to empower the farming community. The organization will also undertake evidence-based, scientific policy research and advocacy, including consumer research, capacity building, thought leadership, new membership drive, and representing members' concerns and issues to the government, among others.

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4th October 2021, Mumbai:

Suditi Industries has announced plans to set up a garment unit at Vapi in Gujarat. As per an Equity Bulls report, the company also plans to shift its registered office from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai.

Established as a processing plant in 1991, Suditi has now burgeoned into a comprehensive ecosystem covering knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and garments. The company focuses on products of consistent and standardized quality certified according to ISO 9001: 2000, GOTS, and OEKO TEX S-100 standards.

It operates several brands including YouWeCan, Nush, IndianInk, and licensed sports brands NBA, FC Barcelona, and Manchester City F.C. These are available in 72 cities in 300+ points of sales pan India.

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07 October 2021, Mumbai:

For the first time, Designer Arpita Mehta launched a complete bridal wear line on October 6 at the Fashion Design Council of India x Lakme Fashion Week’s second edition with a future-facing take on the traditional bride’s wardrobe.

Arpita Mehta’s new bridal wear line was designed specifically for intimate nuptials for post-pandemic brides-to-be, the brand announced in a press release. Garments including sleeved boleros with mirror work, lehengas, cholis, and dupattas featuring delicate embellishments and could be worn long after the big day.

The collection has a color palette of classic reds and delicate pastels, hues of dust pink, mint, fuchsia, and scarlet. Textiles include organzas and the mix of traditional craft techniques and minimalism creates a modern take on bridal wear.

Mehta presented the collection in an opulent villa to evoke the feeling of an intimate yet decadent wedding. The presentation and the collection itself both reflect the return of celebrations with a new focus on smaller gatherings with close friends and family

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06 October 2021, Mumbai:

Activist-entrepreneur Kunal Avanti has partnered with actor investor Sunny Leone to launch a new organic athleisure label ‘I Am Animal’.

As per Fashion Network, the label has launched its first collection in collaboration with students from the internationally renowned design school Istituto Marangoni titled ‘Collection Zero’ that consists of t-shirts, hoodies, tanks, and joggers.”

I Am Animal claims that it uses 100 percent Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic fabrics for its clothing line and plans to support around 16,000 farmers through its certified fair-trade production tie-ups.

Collection Zero by I Is Animal is priced between Rs 975 ($13) to 2499 and is currently available on their website. It will soon be launched on other leading e-commerce websites like Myntra and others next month.

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2nd October 2021, Mumbai:

Flipkart plans to onboard 10,000 branded retail stores on its marketplace by the end of the year. It aims to have a total of 4.2 lakh sellers on its platform by December 2021.

Ahead of the upcoming festive season sale, e-commerce major Flipkart has onboarded over 5,000 offline branded retail stores from more than 300 cities in India. With the addition of the retail stores, Flipkart expects strong sales across sectors during its Big Billion Days sale event and expects to move to benefit sellers amid the COVID disruptions.

Flipkart also plans to host its sale event from October 3 which will see participation by over 1 lakh kiranas, and more than 3,75,000 sellers from across India. Headquartered in Bengaluru, and incorporated in Singapore as a private limited company, Flipkart initially focused on online book sales before expanding into other product categories such as consumer electronics, fashion, home essentials, groceries, and lifestyle products.

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4. Maharashtra government honors VIP as 'Best Innerwear Brand' for 2021-22

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07 October 2021, Mumbai:

Designer Tarun Tahiliani launched a new collection ‘The Reunion’ at the second edition of the Fashion Design Council of India and Lakme Fashion Week’s joint showcase on October 5. At FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week, Tahiliani presented a vibrant preview of his men's and women’s wear collection with snippets from his full fashion film.

The preview showed a riotous party, models gracefully wandering around pristine gardens, and a sumptuous banquet. The full version of the fashion film will be shown on day two of the fashion week, October 7, to showcase the full story of the collection.

The Reunion was inspired by heritage Indian craft techniques, motifs, and traditional architecture. With classic traditional silhouettes and opulent embellishments, the collection was a classic rendition of the desi splendour Tahiliani has become known for.

Running till October 10, FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week is broadcasting shows on the FDCI’s website and social media platforms including Facebook. The fashion show’s sponsors include Nexa, Rise Worldwide, Ajio, and Trell, etc. It will feature designers and brands including JJ Valaya, Arpita Mehta, Mohammed Mazhar, and finale designer Gaurav Gupta.

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4. Maharashtra government honors VIP as 'Best Innerwear Brand' for 2021-22

5. Nike strengthens retail presences with new store at DLF Mall of India,Noida

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06 October 2021, Mumbai:

The Futures Expectations Index (FEI) of latest Consumer Confidence Survey turned positive this month as consumers once again stepped out to shop at malls and other stores. This encouraged retail developers to announce new mall projects.

As per Pankaj Renjhen, COO & Jt Managing Director, Anarock Retail, developers have announced around 4.5 million sq ft of new mall projects in 2021.

Most of new malls are likely to come up in Tier I and II cities across India. Tier I cities will house around 85 per cent of upcoming malls and account for 90 per cent of total mall space, adds Renjhen.

Noida to lead retail growth

The Anarock report states, Noida in NCR will have 1.1 million sq ft of new mall space in 2021, spread across three malls. The second biggest mall development will be witnessed in Bengaluru with 1.22 million sq ft space spread across two malls. Growth will be stirred by rising consumption patterns in the city and a boom in IT-ITES companies.

India’s financial and commercial capital, Mumbai will add around 1.1 million sq ft of new mall space next year, spread across three malls. Developers in the city are being cautious while announcing new projects as COVID has badly rampaged the lives and livelihoods of citizens.

Among the Tier II cities, Lucknow and Amravati will collectively add 4.7 lakh sq. ft. mall space in 2021. This will be spread across two malls.

Accelerated growth for organized retail

The organized retail sector in India is witnessing accelerated at 20-25 per cent CAGR per year. The sector is also witnessing a surge in new retail development, with many new projects being launched. For instance, in June 2021, Pheonix Mills announced a project to develop retail-led mixed-use assets in partnership with GIC.

The project will be developed with an investment of $733 million. Similarly, in March 2021, Blackstone acquired the retail and commercial assets of Prestige Group for $1.5 billion while Reliance Retail sold 10.09 per cent stake to investors such as Silver Lake Partners, KKR, ADIA during the pandemic. The sale enabled the company to raise Rs 47,265 crore in equity.

Mall development to double in 2021

Across India mall development is likely to double in 2021 compared to previous year, affirms Renjhen.

Growth will mainly be stirred by receding effects of the pandemic and rapid rate of India’s economic growth in FY22. Overall, Indian retail sector is likely to see good days ahead after being badly ravaged by COVID-19 pandemic last year.

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4. Maharashtra government honors VIP as 'Best Innerwear Brand' for 2021-22

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2nd October 2021, Mumbai:

The Indian online retail market is expected to become the third largest market in the world, eclipsing more mature markets such as the UK and South Korea over the next decade, says management consulting firm RedSeer Consulting.

The market is expected to reach $350 billion by 2030 from $45-50 billion now. The shopper base is expected to increase from 150 million shoppers in CY20 to 600 million shoppers in 2021, adds Abhishek Gupta, Engagement Manager, RedSeer Consulting. Tier-II cities are expected to drive the rapid growth of the engine of ecommerce over the next decade, he adds further

Gupta says, the next wave of growth would see more affordable smartphones reaching a wider set of unpenetrated audience. Research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor Service shows, smartphone shipments from the country grew by 82 per cent YoY to reach over 33 million units in Q2 2021.

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3. Myntra to offer 1 mn styles from about 7,000 brands at the 'Big Fashion Festival'

4. Maharashtra government honors VIP as 'Best Innerwear Brand' for 2021-22

5. Nike strengthens retail presences with new store at DLF Mall of India,Noida

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