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Boby Kurian

Bangalore , May 10

THE corporate womenswear market is poised to receive a leg up with the largest domestic branded apparel marketer, Madura Garments, foraying into it with the Van Heusen brand.

The Rs 100-crore Van Heusen, pegged as a classy, contemporary brand with a corporate ascent, is readying to tap the new segment as more women enter the corporate world.

Mr Vikram Rao, Director, Madura Garments, said that the company was at the conception stage of extending Van Heusen into womenswear.

"It is likely to take at least nine months or more," he said, indicating that the brand's new foray was expected to happen only in 2006-07.

The Rs 475-crore Madura Garments, part of the AV Birla group, remained focused on the menswear business till it extended the relaxed formal Allen Solly brand into womenswear three years ago.

"The corporate womenswear segment is rather small currently, but is expected to grow faster. We don't want Van Heusen to remain inaccessible to the women customers who are going to be crucial in the future. We reckon that there are not many brands, maybe with exception of Wills Lifestyle Classic, catering to the corporate womenswear segment with singular focus," said Sheetal Mehta, Brand Head, Van Heusen.

The brand, priced upwards of Rs 1,099, started off as corporate shirt brand before enhancing its merchandise portfolio in recent years to provide lifestyle wardrobe.

Van Heusen is expected to report a Rs 130-crore turnover in the current fiscal.

It is among the top three brands in the company stable, which include Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Peter England, Byford and SF Jeans.

Meanwhile, Madura Garments is likely to show 20 per cent growth in revenues to touch Rs 600 crore in the current fiscal.

The company has stated plans to take its topline revenue to Rs 1,000 crore by March 2008, and Van Heusen is expected to emerge with Rs 200 crore turnover by then.

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Van Heusen set to perk up women's corporate wardrobe

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