BIA launches range for working women

BIA, the latest women's apparel brand to hit the Indian market, has set its eyes on the new age, ambitious women professionals, with a promise of international styling and comfort at Indian prices.

Sleepins Apparels Pvt Ltd, which has brought in the BIA range of apparels, will introduce skirts, tops, shirts, trousers and jackets, designed to suit the needs of the women who follow a busy, corporate lifestyle, Kisshor Chhabria, managing director, told mediapersons on Tuesday.

BIA will target particularly women working in the fields of information technology, ITES and BPO services, media, finance and travel and tourism, Chhabria said.

The company will initially launch formals as well as party wear and leisure wear and eventually expand the offering by adding casual and ethnic apparels, according to him.

BIA products will be priced between Rs 399 and Rs 2,000. Chhabria said the company will distribute the BIA range through exclusive brand outlets (EBOs), large format retail stores and also the franchisee network.

"The company has signed up with Reliance Retail for space in their malls," Chhabria said. First of the EBOs will open in Pune early next month and another two will open soon after, he said adding that the company wants to set up 100 locations across the country in the next five years.

At that time the company will reach a turnover level of Rs 125 crore though the break even will be achieved much earlier, at a sales volume of Rs 25 crore next year, he claimed.

The first markets to be tapped are Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Gurgaon, he said.

Sleepin Apparels has also plans to distribute in India some major foreign brands and is currently in talks with proprietor of four brands primarily from Europe, according to Chhabria. These brands will be riding on the company's distribution muscle, adding both to topline and bottomline.

Chhabria said the company is considering the contract manufacturing route to leapfrog its business.

"We will keep with ourselves the design function which is our strength, and also do the merchandising and branding, leaving the manufacturing to third parties," Chhabria elaborated. The company may outsource to China or Malaysia, he added.

Sleepins Apparel already has Sleepins as a nightwear brand for both men and women. The company is also expanding the retail network for the brand and hopes to be in 50 places by 2009.