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Divya Trivedi

Mumbai, July 16 Mr Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries is to re-launch its textile brand Vimal, famous for its ‘Only Vimal’ tagline.

It is to set up retail chains in fabric and garments across India starting August-September. Without divulging names, Mr Chetan Desai, Vice-President, Marketing, Vimal Textiles, said that the company has tied up with an English architect with expertise in retail concepts.

“We will provide our customers with surprise designs and prices at our outlets,” he said. Vimal has been inviting Italian designer Mr Maurizio Bonas of ‘Made in Italy’ fame since last year to teach Italian designs for trousers and jackets to Indian tailors. Around 80 tailors participated in the workshop last year.

“Reliance is not a small company and the project was interesting,” said Mr Bonas, adding that he liked the work culture of the company and was in talks for a long-term partnership. Currently, Mr Bonas has his designer labels available in Tokyo and London and hopes to bring them to India by next year through Vimal.

Vimal is introducing garments in a focussed manner and has “an aggressive business plan in place,” according to Mr Desai.

The company will first make available its fabric at the existing Vimal outlets in Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and a flagship store in Ahmedabad and will expand across the country starting from the high streets. The plan is to “first utilise the existing infrastructure and later enter malls,” according to Mr Desai. The company is investing in its back-end business and is working with its fibre division to innovate by introducing antiperspirant, anti-bacterial, quick dry and soil release materials.

Reliance has been hiring key people for designing and plans to make Vimal a ‘complete family brand’ introducing dresses for women and later for children.

More Stories on : Strategy | Brands | Textiles | Reliance Industries Ltd

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