The Hindu Business Line : S Kumars to launch foreign luxury brands

S Kumars, which recently launched the economy brand Belmonte to cater to garment and fabric market, is to introduce two foreign luxury brands in early 2007 to target the high net worth segment, a top company official said.

The luxury brands, Escada and Dunhill, will be available in India through two outlets to be set up as franchisees in Delhi and Mumbai in January-February 2007. More than half-a-dozen new outlets would be opened subsequently in the next two years or so, Mr Tarun Joshi, Chief Executive Officer of Brandhouse Retail — a 100 per cent wholly owned unit of S Kumars Nationwide Ltd (SKNL) — told Business Line.

Belmonte venture

The company is also likely to make Bollywood star Akshay Kumar its brand ambassador for the Belmonte range, another company official said. The company has earmarked an advertising budget of Rs 15 crore for the purpose.

Belmonte, claimed to be the first and only brand in economic segment to cater to garment and fabric market, is targeting a Rs 100-crore revenue in the first year by targeting the youth. The company also plans to set up 60 exclusive stores and to be present in 1,000 multi-brand outlets within a year.

Half of these stores will be company-owned and maintained, and the other half will be based on a franchisee model.

The Belmonte products will be manufactured in four facilities and would also be outsourced. It would offer total wardrobe solutions such as t-shirts, blazers, suits, shirts, trousers and neck-ties at affordable price. Belmonte has three categories — Timeless Classics for shirts; Updated Formals for formal wear and Relaxed Essential for casual wear.

Earlier, Carmichael House, the home textile division of SKNL, had launched its collection of home textile, in the Indian markets offering home furnishing products, targeted towards the upper and mid-price segment households. Its offering included home textiles such as upholstery, curtains, sofa covers, table mats, rugs, bed sheets, pillow covers, bed covers, kitchen linen, towels, rugs, shower curtains etc. The company is expanding its Ankleshwar facility in Bharuch district of Gujarat for the purpose.

More Stories on : Strategy | Retailing | Readymade Garments | Brands

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Wedding industry buzzing with bridal, lifestyle expos

China's Chery eyeing Indian compact car market

NTPC plans power auctions from four new `merchant plants'

CyberMedia acquires 49% stake in US content provider

S Kumars to launch foreign luxury brands

Fossil in 50:50 joint venture with Rajesh Exports

Meet on marketing methods

Book in advance and fly for less

No hurdles seen in way of Bharti, Wal-Mart retail plan

`Indian retail industry likely to emerge the largest'

`Consumers, suppliers should gain from retail sector policy'

National workshop on retail

Sleepins Apparels plans to launch Bia

Epson unveils multimedia projectors