KIT: The ethnic wear market for women

Strategic tools for the practising manager

The women’s ethnic wear market comprising sarees, salwar kameez dupatta and ethnic suits is estimated to be Rs 45,000 crore. Ethnic wear comprises 70 per cent of the total women’s wear market and is likely to grow at 11-12 per cent annually. In spite of growth of western wear, Indian ethnic wear still holds a strong shelf space in a women’s wardrobe. Ethnic wear will continue to be a strong segment since a large number of women in India still prefer it to western wear. With more and more women going to work, salwar kameez/ethnic suits are preferred by them for comfort and ease of wearability.

The ethnic wear segment is largely dominated by unorganised players. While each region has strong local players, there are few brands with a pan-India presence — for instance, Fabindia, W, Biba, Anokhi, Bandhej, and Meena Bazaar. Retailers such as Westside, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Reliance and Big Bazaar have partially filled this gap and helped to evolve ethnic wear from a tailor-stitched to a ready-to-wear category. There is an opportunity in this segment for launching ethnic wear brands with pan-India presence. There is a huge potential in contemporising traditional work from various regions and creating Indo-western apparel specifically targeted at younger working women.