The Hindu Business Line : Royal Classic to foray into formal trouser line by Sept

Pune, July 31 The Tirupur-based Royal Classic Mills Pvt Ltd, known for the Classic Polo brand of menswear, would be introducing into the domestic market a formal line of trousers, said Mr M.S. Vasant, Head (Retail), Classic Fashion (domestic apparel division of the Royal Classic Mills).

Currently, the company’s offerings are more in the semi-formal or Friday dressing category.

Talking to Business Line, Mr Vasant said the formal trouser line, being imported from China, would be available only in the exclusive outlets of Classic Polo. The range would be in place before September this year, he said.

Accessories plan

Mr Vasant said the company was also looking at adding on to the accessories division. Currently, it has on offer handkerchiefs and socks and would be bringing in belts and wallets.

The accessories line would be outsourced, he added.

The company has also recently made its entry into the jeans segment, with the basic jeans at its core product, and including silk and fashion denim, Mr Vasant said.

He, however, noted that it would not be diluting its focus by bringing in more varieties of jeans.

Outlet plans

As part of the expansion plans, the company would be increasing the number of outlets in the country. Currently, it has 60 outlets, of which about 50 are in the South and the rest are scattered in the regions of West, North and East. It would be touching 100 outlets by this fiscal and of this, about 30 will be in the western region. Classic Polo marked its presence in the western market by setting up shop in Kolhapur and Nashik before entering Pune, making it the third outlet.

The next outlet would be in Kalyan in Mumbai. Pune would have about six stores in various locations within the next six months.

The investment for the expansion is Rs 20 lakh per store, Mr Vasant said.

Reaching abroad

With a fairly large domestic presence, Royal Classic is now expanding its reach to the overseas market with the setting up of the first outlet in Singapore at Little India, where there is a concentration of Indians, Mr Vasant said.

It was planning to open up a total of four stores in various locations in Singapore.

These would be exclusive outlets and would not follow the shop-in-shop concept. Plans are also on for opening stores in West Asia, but this would take time, he added.

Turnover target

The group had recorded Rs 325 crore as turnover for fiscal 2007-08. This year, the turnover target is Rs 425 crore. Of the Rs 325 crore, about Rs 140 crore had come in from the apparel exports to the US and the UK, Rs 50 crore from the domestic market and Rs 135 crore was from yarn sales.

This year, the domestic market would touch Rs 100 crore (additional Rs 50 crore) and another Rs 50 crore from the export market, Mr Vasant said.

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