The complete man gets a makeover

Raymond is reworking the depiction of its popular trope to connect better with the metrosexual man

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

We have seen how the 'complete man' fulfills his societal and familial roles almost to a fault. But after decades of depicting its fabric as the choice of such men, Raymond is changing tack. It is shining the spotlight on the metrosexual man and exploring the theme about what he does for himself that makes him complete.

At a time when the men's grooming market is booming even for well-entrenched FMCG players such as manufacturers of fairness creams and skincare, Raymond's 'complete man' is now being shown as sparing a thought for himself.

Harish Bijoor Consuts CEO Harish Bijoor says, "Raymond got stuck with the 'complete man' imagery and changing the image is a big step as it is geared to connect better with the modern man and how he has changed."

NEED FOR CHANGE

• Raymond came up with 'The Complete Man' in the 1990s. Its agency, Nexus Equity, coined the term
• It was tailored to reflect a real man, rather than a larger-than-life character, the norm then
• Casual clothing has taken over from suits as the preferred form since then, making a suit-wearing men less relevant to the younger generation
• The current campaign was created in-house

"We are trying to emphasis on the man who drives for passion, bikes for joy and walks with the world. We now lay emphasis on what he does which makes him complete," says Mrinmoy Mukherjee, director, marketing at Raymond.

Some of its new product launches this season is in line with the change in its communication imagery. Its Pluto Next, a fabric made of kroy wool is treated in a way that it doesn't shrink if put in the washing machine. Woollen garments usually require pre-soaking and hand-washing to avoid shrinkage, a bother for any modern household.

Protecting men from the harsh sun would be not just sunscreens now, but also the other new Raymond fabric called Royal Magic which is UV-resistant.

"Raymond, a name in the suiting business since 1925, is not only changing the image of its 'complete man' but also offering new products to attract the new-age consume," says Prashant Agarwal, joint-managing director at Wazir Advisors.

"We will be increasingly customising collections according to the seasons for Indian men, though the present products will continue to be stocked," adds Mukherjee.

As it taps into the new-age consumer, Raymond is also looking to wedge a toe-hold in branded ethnic wear. One of its latest fabric launches is the Ceremonial Collection, ideal for shawls and tuxedo suits.

But it will be its brand Ethnix that will offer festive and wedding wear for men in a market that is dominated by regional players.

The company is testing the brand at few of its outlets. The Rs 4,000-crore company gets 27 per cent of revenue from garments and apparels.