Branded vs Non Branded

Western wear taking Indian apparel market by storm

A slight slowdown in economic growth and a depreciating rupee value had minimal effect on growth in either the value or volume of apparel sales throughout the 2006-2011 review period. The influence of Western wear infiltrating the Indian culture remained one of the biggest driving factors boosting growth in volume sales. More people are travelling abroad much more frequently and becoming exposed to Western fashion. The increasing disposable income across key cities, comfort fitting and rich appeal are major factors that are driving sales of branded apparel. What’s more, a growing number of people working in the middle- and senior-level management are buying new varieties of Western clothing, spurring this industry to new heights.

Plentiful discounting, seasonal offerings draw consumers

Cotton prices saw a drastic decrease in 2011 and this triggered manufacturers and retailers to offer steep discounts to clear their stock. The festival discounts and seasonal promotions became a key trend to attract consumers, where retailers capitalised effectively on the trend that in India festivals are particularly special occasions for which consumers aspire to purchase new clothing. This festive discount offering has made huge business revenues for manufacturers and retailers during such occasions in the form of, for example, year-end sales, “Dasara” or “Diwali” super dhamaka (huge savings) offers, as well as Christmas and New Year’s sales.

Foreigners making bold moves, but domestic players also strengthening

Global brands are making their mark and increasing their presence across tier 1 and tier 2 cities, whilst at the same time, regional local brands are also upping their competitive presence. Zara increased its number of outlets to six stores in 2011 and is planning to open another four stores in 2012. Other players such as Mango, Arrow and Diesel are also following the same trend. Several global players including Massimmo Dutti, GAP, Banana Republic, and Old Navy may make a further push in 2012 now that the central government has given the nod to 100% FDI in single-brand retail. Joint ventures including Arvind for IZod and Page Industries, national owner of Speedo, will also increase the presence of global brands in India. Certain local players have also strengthened their presence, investing in aggressive expansion in opening their own exclusive brand outlets (EBOs). Players such as Black Bird, F Square, Ramraj and Mustard in southern India proved tough competition to the national and international brands, these small domestic brands are growing by over 25% annually. These brands are also expanding their base to other parts of India to become national players.

Apparel specialist retailers still represent key retail channel

Approximately 95% of value sales of apparel went through clothing and footwear specialist retailers in 2011, with exclusive brand outlets and specialist clothing stores the main channel for consumers to shop for apparel. However, department stores and leisure and personal goods retailers witnessed strong growth as new shopping malls opened up and offered a wide range of different brands under one roof.

Bright outlook for apparel industry over the forecast period

Value sales of apparel are projected to be very strong over the 2011-2016 forecast period, driven by a growing shift in preference towards Western clothing and branded products, particularly across tier I cities. Companies are also expected to branch out to tier 2 and tier 3 cities outlets across India, which represent as yet an untapped market for branded apparel. The increasing disposable income in these cities, comfort fitting and rich appeal are the major factors that are expected to drive the apparel market towards long-term growth.

Jeans in India – Category Analysis

HEADLINES

TRENDS

• Value sales of men’s jeans grew by 12% to record Rs65.1 billion in sales and value sales of women’s jeans grew by 14% to reach Rs16.6 billion sales in 2011. The growth is mainly because of the increase in per capita consumption in both categories and a massive advertising strategy by leading manufacturers.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

• Levi’s remained the market leader in 2011 with an 8 % value share in the highly fragmented market which is dominated by regional players and local players. There are very few branded players available in the economy segment and the super premium segment is dominated by international players such as CK, 7 For All Mankind and Diesel. Levi’s is the global brand which is widely present across the country and its availbility in all cities makes it a market leader.

PROSPECTS

• The preference of jeans is increasing amongst men and women; youngsters going to college are choosing jeans over other outfits because it gives new look and style. The per capita consumption is still a less than a pair per person and this gives a tremendous opportunity for the branded players to gain market share.

• HYPOTHESES

• H1. The meaning of a branded fashion product (Levi’s) will be different from the meaning of an unbranded fashion product.

• H2. The meaning of a fashion product (jeans) will differ by age and gender.

• H3. High self-monitors will have more positive attitudes towards a branded fashion product (Levi’s) than will low self-monitors.

• H4. Low self-monitors will respond more favorably than high self-monitors to the utilitarian attributes of both a branded and unbranded fashion product (jeans).

Terminology
This guide is meant for men who’ve worn jeans before, but want to maybe look a little better in them. As such I’m not gonna write a long introduction. Instead we’re gonna jump right into some super awesome vocabulary to get everyone excited and/or informed about denim. • Raw/Dry: These mean the same thing. The denim has never been washed, and has likely received a little bit of special treatment. The dye is generally dark and even, so that you can fade them yourself. The jeans probably contain some amount of starch that will rinse off in the wash. This is to keep it rigid until you wash it so that creases set in and make cool fades. • Selvedge: This means that the denim was made on an old-style shuttle loom unlike cheap mass-produced denim.

It has a stronger outseam that will resist fraying much more than a stitched outseam and looks prettyspiffy with a cuff. • Wash: This refers to the amount of dye in pre-washed jeans. Darker jeans are currently in vogue, but trend is subject to change. • Pre-distressed: This means your jeans were distressed and faded in a factory. It is almost always far preferable to buy raw jeans and fade them yourself, as factory fading will not line up with the way the denim creases when you move. • Honeycombs: These are the creases behind your knees. They can get some great contrast with raw denim. • Whiskers: These are the creases the form on your lap. They’re a bit tougher to get contrast in, but give jeans good character if you do. • Chain Stitching: Different style of stitching used in premium denim’s that creates a more obvious roping effect on the hem than the standard lock stitch.