 "Indian Terrain wants its stores to tell the story of the brand's origins")
Chennai-based Indian Terrain is spinning a yarn around its city of origin — Madras — to create a unique identity for its brand and script a story that wins customer loyalty. The brand also wants to differentiate itself from the swarm of American and British labels getting into the market as it builds a national footprint.
Identity is important given the rush of casual wear brands in the market. Unless a brand is able to build an emotional connect, through the product, through design and a credible story, it is difficult to keep them coming back say experts. “There is a connection when there is emotion. Emotion is when there is identity,” says Venky Rajgopal, founder and managing director of Indian Terrain Fashions.
Indian customers are spoilt for choice when it comes to sports and casual wear. Allen Solly, Polo are among the big international brands in the fray as are a clutch of small online brands that have a small but loyal following. According to a report by Euromonitor, menswear is expected to continue to perform well and urban young consumers will drive growth.
Finding a unique voice
Indian Terrain believes that it has helped create the market for casual wear in the country and is hence, best placed to exploit its potential. To do this the brand must speak to its consumers in a distinct and clear voice. “I am Indian Terrain, I was born in Madras,” says Rajpal, about the identity he would like to give his brand. To do that he wants to create a lasting story around the brand, its city of origin and its connection with global fashion.
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Indian Terrain was born in Chennai, formerly Madras, whose contribution to global fashion is the Madras checked fabric. Incidentally, Madras Checks was immortalised by David Ogilvy in a tag line ‘Guaranteed to bleed’ for a shirt ad in 1960. However that is not the story that Indian Terrain wants to tell. Elihu Yale, an Irish-American merchant and president of the East India Company’s outpost in Madras is said to have facilitated the setting up of Yale University by including five bolts of the Madras fabric in his endowment to the university. Yale, the third oldest American private university and part of the Ivy League of colleges pioneered lifestyle dressing and contributed to what is now known as American sportswear. Madras Checks is universally used by global fashion houses as a trademark for American sportswear.
The cross-continental journey of a fabric and its evolution from a piece of cloth to a design statement is the story that Indian Terrain wants to tell. To do that it wants to strengthen and flaunt its ties to the city of its origin.
Packaging the story
The first step is remodelling its stores in the country. “We have removed the American cues and when you walk in the store at Brigade Road, the images look like Paris, when you go closer it is Parrys corner (in Chennai). Subtly, it says I am from Madras,” says Venky Rajpal talking about his newly opened store in Bengaluru.
Analysts say that it is not the brand name and where it is coming that matters in India, but how a brand connects with the Indian consumer. “It is all about consumer connotation. If the brand-consumer connotation is strong, never mind if the other players enter the markets. They will always be a second runner,” says brand consultant Harish Bijoor.
The 16 year old Indian Terrain believes that as more and more Indians dress casual and ditch their formals, the market will attract many original American sportswear brands such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Brooks Brothers to set up their own stores. When they do, there will be little to differentiate Indian Terrain stores that currently reflect the sensibility of American sportswear stores.
Rajpal believes the time is right to make the shift and overhaul the chain of 140 company-owned outlets and over 200 franchisees. These stores will emphasise the brand’s identity and will have Madras checks (in the decor) to showcase the city’s connection with fashion and the brand’s association with the city.
This year, the firm plans to redesign 20 outlets including its Woodburn store in Kolkata.
Indian Terrain claims that it is the largest sold brand, including formal wear, in India today. Its strength is design the company says. The head of design sits out of Milan, Italy and collaborates with local teams in Chennai to create a brand that is accepted by audiences everywhere. “He is our window to the West,” says Rajpal.
The company plans to double revenue to over Rs 1,000 crore in three years, which includes sales of its newly launched boys wear and shoes. Bijoor says, “Sustaining the competition is all about deep tie-ups and money power.”
Rajpal says that India will see adoption of comfort wear increase significantly as people join informal sectors such as technology and the start-up economy fires up. “The number of 25-35 year olds working in environments that allow people to dress down is increasing,” he says recalling Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka’s note to employees on his first day to wear comfort wear, rather than formals.
Given the proliferation of online brands however, do brands such as Indian Terrain still have a chance? Rajpal says he is confident that brands like his that still rely on physical retail stores have a long life ahead. “Ralph Lauren added stores in Fifth Avenue. Even in the US, where around 30 per cent of apparel sold is on e-commerce, there are stores being opened. Both of us can co-exist.”
