Creative thinks local, lines up menswear

The Creative group, which exports garments to the US and Europe, has lined up multiple clothing brands for the domestic market. With its different ranges for pret and couture, the company will be targetting different market segments.

Rahul Mehta, partner, Creative Casuals, said, "This year, the company plans to introduce menswear and ladieswear brands in different segments such as pret, mid- and mas-market segments with respective retail expansions."

Explaining the rationale behind the latest move, Mehta said, "A booming economy, emergence of organised retail and changing awareness about fashion are fuelling demand for branded clothes in India. Customers' shopping patterns are not only changing geographically but also across age-groups. The falling exports margins and the entry of large companies in organised retail have made us bullish about the domestic market."

According to industry sources, the Creative group is also considering a separate venture with a leading Bollywood actor to launch a new fashion clothing brand. The new initiative is likely to be a theme-based fashionwear for men and women.

About the growth strategy, Mehta said, "It is premature to say about the exact figures, we plan to undertake the brand launches in a phased manner. However, we estimate that in the next three-four years domestic sales would constitute 20 per cent of the company's sales."

Creative has also entered into a long-term tieup with the Ahmedabad-based fashion designer duo, Rahul Mishra and Samar Firdos, to design their couture brand.

The company launched its first brand, 109F, in November 2006 which is a high-end womenswear brand.

For 109F, Creative plans to open 10 stores and then to scale up to 35 stores in three years. They will come up in the metros and and Class I cities. 109F is already available in lifestyle stores such as Pantaloon and Piramyd.

In the domestic retail market, the Creative group is present in the home furnishing segment with its brand Portico.