Kolkata leather manufacturer eyes Italian connection

Aim is to develop Blue and Blue as a Rs 35 crore brand in three years

Blue & Blue Fashion India owns global rights for Blue & Blue brand, which it acquired from Italian designer Fulvio Rovaris in 2001.

The company currently had its manufacturing facility in Kolkata.

Unique group now exports leather accessories under Blue & Blue brand to Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece and Spain.

The promoter of BBFI, Praveen Agarwal, said the company is now planning to roll out its product in Indian market after tasting success in Europe.

Besides, it is now planning to roll out its products under Blue & Blue brand in UK, USA and west Asia too.

"We are setting up a state of the art facility in Delhi, which will be of international standard. Lemie will either take some stake in BBFI for this or we could form a separate joint venture for this purpose," he said.

Fulvio Rovaris, one of the directors of Lemie, admitted that talks are on with Unique group for possible joint venture.

Lemie manufactures leather assessors for global brands like Sergio, Tacchini, Pierre Cardin and Marie Claire.

The company is listed on Italian bourses.

However, Agarwal was not ready to disclose the financials of the tie up.

Commenting on the India plan, the chief operating officer of BBFI, Deepak Pramanik, said that BBFI would roll out 18 exclusive retail outlets in India in next 2-3 years.

The company is launching its first exclusive outlets in Gurgaon later this month. The second outlet will be in Kolkata.

Besides, it was looking for places in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.

"All the exclusive outlets will be owned by the company itself," he said.

BBFI manufactures items like women handbags, purse, mens' belt, portfolio bags and purse and mobile covers.

Pramanik said that the company will be launching a nationwide promotional campaign from June.

"We want to develop Blue and Blue as a Rs 35 crore brand in three years," he added.