Cashing in on the retail boom, a good number of Lucknow-based brands dealing exclusively in women’s wear are doing well.
Lucknow, which is famous for its dress styles and manners, has a significant presence of local apparel brands which have carved a niche for themselves.
Some of the prominent players in the market include Sanskriti, Jashn, Rasaa, and Saree Bhawan, to name a few.
“We specialise in cotton handloom sarees. If one asks for best-quality cotton stuff, he needs to come to us only,” a salesman from Sanskriti told Business Standard.
Sanskriti was opened in 1992 in Lucknow and is a favourite with women who prefer cotton sarees and suits.
“People come to us from various cities. We have always maintained a good sales record, and sales increase during festivals,” he added.
While Sanskriti satisfies the demand for traditional designs and look, people looking for more contemporary and designer wear have an option at Jashn, operating in the city since 2006. Jashn, an exclusive showroom of Lucknow-based Rahul Jashnani, offers a wide range of sarees and suits in silk, chiffon, cotton, crape, etc.
The price for sarees ranges from Rs 399 to Rs 45,000, whereas suit pieces starting from Rs 399 go up to Rs 15,000.
“People in Lucknow have a sharp understanding of dress. We give customers a saree that has a trendy look,” said Jashnani. Jashn, with 18 showrooms in the country, has plans to increase it to 35 by the end of this financial year.
But does the presence of other branded showrooms like Biba, Meena Bazaar and Satya Paul hamper the business of these local players?
“There is a market for everybody. We have a range and variety to suit all,” Jashnani said.
“It depends on what the customer is looking for. We have experienced people may not be able to afford such big brands due to high prices,” said Anjali from Rasaa, the retail chain of Raj Ratan group from Kanpur.
