The Hindu Business Line : Madura Garments to revamp Planet Fashion, Trouser Town

What the plans entail
Trouser Town to stand for the category it stands for - trousers.
Planet Fashion stores will be bigger, have better display of merchandise.
The company mulls entering kidswear segment through Allen Solly

Bangalore , July 20

Madura Garments' retail chains, Planet Fashion and Trouser Town, will see a major overhaul soon with the company set to invest between Rs 150 crore and Rs 170 crore into expanding its manufacturing capacities and retail business.

The garment maker will also introduce its range of suits tailored in Italy. The `made in Italy' suit under the Louis Philippe brand, will cost as much as Rs 45,000.

Madura Garments is also planning a slew of brand extensions for Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England.

"We expect to sustain the 25-30 per cent growth rate during the next few years," Mr Vikram Rao, Director, Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd (Madura Garments is a division of Aditya Birla Nuvo), told Business Line. During 2005-06, Madura Garments' turnover was around Rs 530 crore, posting a growth of between 25 per cent and 30 per cent.

Separate team set up

Mr Rao said a separate team has been set up to overhaul its Trouser Town retail chain. "We will be reauditing Trouser Town ... we will stick to the category it stands for - i.e. trousers," he said.

The Planet Fashion stores will be bigger, there will be better display of merchandise, and the retail chain will be extended to towns as well. The `made in Italy' range of suits has been designed by Italians as well as tailored in Italy. "We are giving a value proposition in terms of style and fit. Louis Philippe as a brand has a connect which we want to build upon," said Mr Rao. These suits will be sold in all Louis Philippe stores.

Sub-brand

Madura Garments is also planning to introduce a sub-brand `V.' (V Dot) under the Van Heusen label. This brand, with its range of party and casual wear shirts in the price range of Rs 1,500-3,000, will be marketed under the `fashion forward' category.

The company is studying the possibility of entering the kidswear segment through the Allen Solly brand and launching a premium range of Peter England shirts, which are currently positioned in the `economy' segment.

Mr Rao said that the export arm of the company was expected to double its revenues during the next year. During 2005-06, its revenues were around Rs 95 crore. It has also recently set up a new factory at a cost of Rs 50 crore.

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