The Hindu Business Line : Sleepins Apparels plans to launch Bia

The Rs 30,000-crore women's apparel market has been witnessing hectic action with any number of large corporates and medium-level players eyeing space in the urban Indian woman's wardrobe in recent times.

Sleepins Apparels, a player in the sleepwear segment for women, is now all set to enter the women's Western formalwear business and is firming up plans to launch Bia, a label which will be sold through exclusive branded stores and high-footfall destinations.

Moving away from the existing brands for women's Western wear which sports premium price tags, the company will launch a range of separates which will give her value for money and make Western wear accessible to many women professionals, Mr Kisshor Chhabria, Managing Director, Sleepins Apparels, said here.

The company, which already operates 18 exclusive stores across metros and mini-metros for its Sleepins brand, is also in talks with a number of European apparel brands for a joint venture and an announcement to this effect is expected in the next few months, Mr Deepak Nanda, Director, said.

exclusive stores

The company will launch the first few of its exclusive stores in Pune.

The first store is expected to be launched early next week.

Plans are to roll out at least 10-12 stores in cities with a strong population of IT/ITES employees, Mr Anurag Khurana, Vice-President - Marketing and Sales, said.

"By end of fiscal 2007-08 we plan to have at least 40-50 stores across the country and group turnover to touch the Rs 30-crore mark," he added.

The company is also considering going in for an IPO in the next fiscal, he said.

Meanwhile, Sleepins is also simultaneously working on plans to tap the export market for the brand.

It is also working on establishing a trading arm which will import and sell apparel in the country.

Work is also currently under way to finalise suppliers, especially in China and Thailand, who will undertake outsourced manufacturing for the company for its Western wear line, according to Mr Nanda, who said the company would manage to get apparel at least 30 per cent cheaper from China. "The price advantage will make the brand more attractive to the consumer," he pointed out.

more outlets

Sleepins Apparels has its manufacturing facilities at Pune and has outlets in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata among others. The Bia brand will be rolled out through company-owned stores and franchise outlets in high-footfall destinations such as malls. The company is also planning to expand the Western wear line to eventually include party and casual wear.

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