The Hindu Business Line : Packaging the human form

Today, the Indian consumer is forever looking for outstanding attire which comes out of his desire. It may be a child, housewife, corporate manager or a senior citizen - everyone has a special `attire desire.'

If you walk into Shoppers' Stop in Delhi, you get a wide choice of garments with different brand names and styles. The store is flooded with people willing to splurge money on good, good-looking and smart clothing.

Marks & Spencer at Mumbai is full of international designs of clothing which the salesgirl patiently explains as being the same collection sold at Oxford Street in London or Orchard Road in Singapore.

At Lifestyle or Globus or Pantaloons or Westside or Wills Lifestyle, the entire range of attire for the young and old is in line with the latest trends with brands national and international vying for the consumer's attention.

What has suddenly happened to the Indian consumer? He or she always wanted to be well dressed, but the quantum and frequency, range and spread that is bought, worn/used and discarded has increased in intensity to a very large extent.

The main reason, according to me, is that every individual wants to be a human brand. To succeed, not only is content important, but also the packaging. What do you wear? Is it appropriate? How do you carry the clothes you wear? Is ethnic better than foreign, for a particular occasion? Which brand of shirt should I be wearing to the office presentation? Arrow or Allen Solly or some other? Which ladies' outfit should I be wearing to the evening party, a Ritu's or something else? All this is important for today's Indian consumer because he or she is no longer just an Indian consumer but is a proud Indian consumer as well as a world-class consumer.

Just like a product or a service, a human being also needs to be packaged in a manner which reflects his or her personality. Right from head to toe, the appropriate packaging of the human firm in terms of his/her attire is becoming more and more significant in the Indian market.

Whether it is a cap or a hat or a turban, the appropriate and relevant material and the choice of colours make a big difference. As you move forward the right pair of sunglasses, whether Ray Ban or a pair of spectacles, which are branded, reflect the outlook and vision of the consumers. It is important to note that consumers, whether male or female, children or adults, teenagers or senior citizens, are all very conscious about their looks. With exposure on television and greater travel within India and abroad, brand-conscious consumers are accentuating their looks and outlooks.

In the case of shirts and trousers, the brand of Arrow shirts has made major strides in the category and has increased its market share as well as its image in the minds and hearts of consumers. Starting off as corporate attire it has now moved forward in the areas of casual attire also. Other shirt brands which do extremely well are Allen Solly, Louis Philippe, Provogue and many other home-grown ones which meet different needs. Gone are the days when the tailor ruled the category. Today the readymade garments industry is worth over Rs 10,000 crore and a major chunk of that is contributed by shirts.

Readymade trousers with an excellent fit as well as jeans, be they Dockers, Wranglers or Levi's, are what Indian consumers aspire to. Not only does the Indian consumer want to wear a brand of trousers which is a cut above the rest but wants to make sure that he has a wide range both in terms of colours and shapes.

Today's modern Indian woman also indulges in buying and using the best attire, whether it's Western clothing or ethnic wear. Right from brands of sarees such as Nalli's from the South to Kala Niketan in the West, the Indian women want to look good and feel good. Whether it's Ritu Kumar's designer wear from the East or branded attire from the North, Indian girls and women are choosing a good blend of Western attire and ethnic wear for different locations and different occasions.

Jewellery is an extremely vital part of the Indian attire and brands like Nakshatra, Gili, Agni and D'damas offer a wide choice and range. This definitely helps in enhancing the packaging of the human form. Not to be left behind, footwear also brings a spring to every step of the Indian consumer.

Indians have understood the value of packaging the human form and their desire for good attire is at its peak. Brand managers, look out - the Indian consumers have changed their outlook.

(The author is managing director of Samsika Marketing Consultancy.)

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